Thursday, November 17, 2011

New Lingo for Marketers Targeting Hispanics


Today's U.S. Hispanic millennials are more bilingual and bicultural than ever. They make up 21% of America's millennial generation of 18-34 year-olds and are 14 million strong. These individuals see themselves as 100% Latino and 100% American often moving between several cultural experiences with ease.

Today's Hispanic millennials are the ultimate multi-tasker or as some put it 'fusionistas'.

They watch football and futbol and live in a world where options for cultural expression are numerous. Think of it as the ultimate experience in customization. It's a lot like creating your own class in Call of Duty where individuals have numerous options to create the perfect offensive package and compete in a battlefield for the ages or perhaps more closely resembling an open canvas where individuals are armed with the creative potential for unique cultural expression.

No matter how we describe this cultural fusion the truth of the matter is that individuals, organizations, and brands must pay attention to the changing dynamics of today's audiences and the terms that attempt to define them. Of course, we all know that no single population can be locked in a categorical box but it's the important elements of recognizing unique characteristics that help drive effective communication.