September 15 marked the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month. As during Black History Month or Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, brands want to take the opportunity to market directly to Latin American audiences and position themselves as allies. But Latinx consumers are not a monolithic group. The Latino or Hispanic consumer encompasses 27 different countries of origin, cultures and identities.
The challenge for brands is to create authentic and impactful, culturally-aligned Hispanic marketing campaigns—without pandering, stereotyping, or overgeneralization. The most powerful technique social teams have in their corner this month is working directly with Latinx and Hispanic creators.
Meet the Latino and Hispanic consumer
If your brand wants to enter the Latinx market, here’s what you need to know.
Latinx spending power is expected to surpass $1.3 trillion in 2023, and 78% of Latino and Hispanic consumers enjoy online shopping. As far as social marketing goes, they are extremely immersed in social media. A majority (52%) of Hispanics ages 18 and older spend an hour or more each day on social media, compared to 38% of non-Hispanic whites. Plus, they’re 5x more likely to share content, which can have a huge impact on your reach.
This fast-growing demographic should be a crucial part of your inclusive marketing strategy. Engaging with the Latinx community in your marketing can also have a positive impact on your overall social strategy. Most (60%) consumers are more likely to buy from a brand with inclusive marketing.
To enhance your inclusivity, creators are key to making an impact in the Latinx community.
Connect with Latinx creators
The Latinx community is no exception when it comes to the benefits developers bring to social marketing strategy. About 68% of marketers use creators to generate more engagement, and Latinx creators understand and relate to their audience in a way that leads consumers to learn more.
Their authenticity — which is the second most important attribute of creators — and their connection to their communities are key to creating viral content. And with 74% of marketers preparing to spend more than a quarter of their budget on creator partnerships, Latinx creators are a solid choice.
cultural competence
The most obvious benefit of hiring a Latinx creator is their intrinsic cultural expertise. As members of the community, they know first-hand what works – and what falls flat. Leveraging their perspective on campaign ideas and execution can help your team avoid cultural appropriation and build a meaningful sense of cultural appreciation.
Vanessa Sirias has built a following of over 250,000 people across all platforms with her comedy sketches centered around the Latinx experience. When Secret Deodorant approached her about a partnership, she created a sketch that poked fun at the stereotypical Latina commercial. Not only was this approach relatable to her viewers, but it also established Secret’s position of being involved in the joke rather than just getting her butt off it.
product perspective
Different communities have different relationships with your product. It sounds obvious, but when you’re constantly creating marketing campaigns aimed at reaching the largest possible number of people, it’s easy to forget. Fortunately, creators have unique insight into how different groups are responding to, relating to, and consuming your offerings. Partnering with different creators can give your marketing team new insights into what might appeal to your target audience.
Violeta Venagas is a Selena tribute creator with 1.3 million followers across all platforms. For her partnership with Dossier Perfumes, she paired each fragrance with a Selena song to describe the atmosphere. Fragrance companies often struggle to describe their scented products on visual platforms, but Violeta was able to market them more concretely by associating the products with something familiar to their audience.
Niche audience and understanding
One of the greatest appeals of social media is the opportunity to dive deep into niche audiences. It’s hard to justify a commercial or billboard that only appeals to select consumers. Latinx creators combine their interests with their experiences, creating powerful content for others who share their hobbies and obsessions. Partnering with these creators gives your social team the power to find their fandoms and create highly targeted and highly impactful content.
A Cuban-American cosplayer with nearly 2 million followers across all platforms, Lis Wonder built her audience around geek culture. Fandoms love dressing up for movie premieres, and Lis is no exception. Her partnership with Regal focused on the comfort fans find in going to their favorite movies and the excitement of starring as their favorite characters.
365 days including marketing
While Hispanic Heritage Month is an excellent opportunity to celebrate Latinx and Hispanic culture across your brand channels, it shouldn’t be the only occasion. Consumers are demanding richer content, and delivering that content will only strengthen your brand. By working with creators who represent the communities you want to reach, your strategy becomes more inclusive—and more successful.
Want to learn more about promoting diversity, equity and inclusion on social media? Read this article for five essential things to consider when building your strategy.
