Hispanics are the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population, and as just about everyone knows, by mid-century the U.S. will have more Spanish speakers than any other country. Spanish will be second only to Chinese worldwide in terms of the number of speakers.
Unfortunately, the cultural cues that marketers have traditionally relied upon to define Hispanics are becoming less and less relevant, according to a new study from The Futures Company (a three-year-old joint venture of Henley Centre, headlightVision and Yankelovich), “Hispanics in 2025.”
The company says this weakening of Latino culture will be coupled with the “strengthening pull of the market forces of mainstream society.”
The study, part of the Future Perspectives series of white papers, argues that family, religious affiliation, economic station, and immigration are waning in importance. The study says there are eight elements that will define the Hispanic market 14 years from now. The firm says “navigation” — where to go, how to get there and what to do along the way — and “curation” — supplying acculturated Hispanics with a context for expressing their Hispanic identity — will supplant mere “association” with Hispanic culture that has been the basis of marketing efforts directed at Hispanics until now.
“There are many reasons to wonder whether the up-and-coming generation of Hispanics will be able to get by without adding some dimensionality beyond Latino culture to its definition of identity and success,” said J. Walker Smith, executive chairman and author of the report, in a statement. “Economic necessity and market forces are going to present them with the need to cultivate more mainstream routes to success.”
The report also delineates eight sub-segments of the U.S. Hispanic population reflecting the pressures of roots and culture versus market forces. The company distributes the eight segments among quadrants defined by the intersection of “acculturation” and “accordance” continuums. The latter refers to the degree to which a Hispanic American is in accordance with market pressures. The study predicts that the segments will be weighted toward acculturated Hispanics whose allegiances are to the market rather than to traditional cultural pressures. Two of the segments in a quadrant are defined by least in accordance with the larger market and least acculturated. Two Hispanic segments will be acculturated but not aligned with the market.
Smith said the bottom line is that the difference between now and 14 years from now is not just quantitative. “It is not simply more of what we see in the marketplace today. The marketplace itself will be tougher, yet also richer in diversity, sharper in distinctiveness and more generous in possibilities. But much more than Latino culture alone will matter.”
SOURCE MediaPost
“…this weakening of Latino culture…? Hello! I understand it is easier, more co$t effective for “certain” marketers not to have to develop culturally-relevant programs to target Hispanics; easier and co$t effective to spray one message and hit the bull’s eye. So such a study will be music to these marketers.
And forgive my ignorance here but how can the Latino culture be weakening given the first paragrph of this story says: “The US will have more Spanish speakers than any other country. Spanish will be second only to Chinese worldwide in terms of the number of speakers.”? Spanish is the most important cultural element that unites Hispanics. So, can anyone explain to me this apparent contradiction?
Moreover, at work, every day I hear Hispanic parents (most of them young) saying they want their children to make sure they don’t let go of their Hispanic culture, including language and customs. Everyday I know of Hispanics who only speak Spanish; most of our Hispanic students are English learners (I am not talking about early grades, but high school students as well). Were these Hispanic compatriotas represented in this study?
Or is it that being attached to our Hispanic culture is an inconvenient fact to some marketers? Why is then Univisión, Telemundo, FOX and many others increasing their efforts and programming to reach Spanish-speaking Hispanics?
Can someone shed some light on this issue, please?
Muchas gracias.
One more thing. According to this study, “The latter refers to the degree to which a Hispanic American is in accordance with market pressures. The study predicts that the segments will be weighted toward acculturated Hispanics whose allegiances are to the market So this is going to the bones of what makes us Hispanics. are we going to let “market pressures” erase our culture, our roots so marketers can sell their last-minute product, which will be gone in several years? Our culture is millenial, products and marketers are not.