Left to right: Orlando Bonifacio, Salvador Lopez, Jonathan Barrera Mikulich, Gloria Lara, Angie Hanks, Veronica Ramirez

This past week, I received one of the greatest honors since I started Latino Branding Power just over two years ago. On Monday, March 25, at the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Banquet, I received the award for Hispanic Business of the Year in recognition for efforts with Latino Branding Power. It was an incredible honor to be recognized by my peers, the West Michigan Latino business community, and the many people who have supported me over the years.

If for no other reason, the award was truly an honor because it came from the Hispanic Chamber. I have been involved with the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for a number of years now and have always appreciated their support and dedication to our communities. Additionally, the award was an honor because the other nominees were all businesses and organizations that I both admire and respect. What great company to be in. Every nominee in the category was deserving of the honor.

Accepting the award

The West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce was founded in 2006 and is dedicated to increasing the economic advancement Latino businesses and to assist in their professional growth. The Annual Awards Banquet is the organization’s flagship event and typically attracts several hundred attendees. This year the banquet sold out all its 450 seats at the Pinnacle Center in Hudsonville, Michigan.

There were also award winners in other categories. The Hispanic Business Person of the Year was awarded to Gloria Lara, director of Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore. Champion of the Year, an award to recognize a non-Latino/a for contributions to the West Michigan Hispanic community, was given to Angela Hanks of Chemical Bank. Orlando Bonifacio of Universal Income Tax & Accounting Services was awarded New Business of the Year. Friend Salvador Lopez was honored with the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award for his work with El Centro Translations. It was great to share the limelight with these talented and dedicated individuals.

With Alan Headbloom

With Carlos Sanchez

With the guys, Orlando and Sal

With my wife Evelyn

It was a night not to be forgotten. A big thank you is due to Alan Headbloom. During my acceptance speech I also thanked Carlos Sanchez, Paola Gonzalez, and Veronica Ramirez for their support on the chamber, my wife Evelyn for her unconditional love and guidance, and I recognized the memory of long time West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce member and cousin Genaro Bravo (you would have been proud). Thank you again to all.

Front cover of Lazo Cultural

The American Graphic Design Awards is a four-decade-old competition and a flagship annual publication of the magazine Graphic Design USA. Design studios, marketing firms, and advertising agencies from throughout the U.S. are represented in the contest from among thousands of considerations. Winners appear in the annual print publication as well as the online version. Over a dozen categories are represented with creative projects ranging from print collateral to branding solutions to digital design. The “Latinos in the U.S. are…” infographic won a place in the category of self-promotion.

Infographics are effective tools for communicating information in a visually relevant and understandable manner. As people consume more and more data in a media driven world, designers and design-centric communication methods will continue to be called upon to make information memorable and accessible. I designed the infographic “Latinos in the U.S. are…” to help promote the 2010 Census results that were related to Latino population growth and influence. Over the past year, I have been appreciative of the many followers who have found value in the infographic by sharing it with their professional associates and friends alike.

Download the infographic here. Feel free to print it out as a resource for your office or workspace, save it as a screen-saver for your computer or mobile background, or share it with your friends via social media.

To view the submission on the Graphic Design USA awards website, go to: http://www.gdusa.com/contests/agda12/types/se.php?x=SA1809

This past year, the Pew Hispanic Center released results from the U.S. Census Bureau that found Latino college student populations meeting a number of milestones in 2011:

• The number of Latinos enrolled in college exceeded 2 million
• Latinos made up 16.5% of all college enrollments
• Latinos made up 25.2% of student enrolled in two-year colleges
• For the first time, Latinos were the nation’s largest minority among four-year college and university students

These milestones reflect a continuing upward trend now seen by many college admissions departments. Should this be a wakeup call for college administrators? One university in rural northwestern Michigan decided to answer the call.

Located in Big Rapids, Michigan, Ferris State University is a public university with over 14,000 students. I completed my undergraduate studies at Ferris several years ago. As an alumnus, I was proud to learn of a new initiative the university has recently implemented. The Center for Latin@ Studies, a result of years of planning by staff and students alike, held its grand opening in November. The new program was developed to engage the needs of current students and act as a conduit between educational services, businesses, and Latino communities in West Michigan. As a member of the musical group Cabildo, I had the pleasure of being invited to perform at a one-night celebration held in the program’s honor. It was a great time for everyone, especially for the students and directors of the new center.

Tony Baker, a Ferris professor and Grand Rapids Public Schools board member, serves as executive director of the Center for Latin@ Studies. Shortly after beginning his position, Baker vetted Columbia University doctorate student Jessica Cruz for the position of associate director. One of their first initiatives was to facilitate an intercambio cultural – a welcoming space of cultural exchange for students, faculty, and staff. The space has become fully functional and has already begun to close many gaps for students. There are, however, many other plans that will hopefully come to fruition. Among them, the center will soon engage with making connections between Ferris and Latino communities in the surrounding areas.

Tony Baker and Jessica Cruz of the Ferris Center for Latin@ Studies

Recently featured in the Grand Rapids Business Journal, Baker outlined some of the outreach goals for the Center for Latin@ Studies.

“Our immediate focus will be on Latino communities in Grand Rapids and Holland, and migrant communities in West Michigan”, Baker said.

One example suggested investing within the Grandville Avenue corridor, a predominantly Hispanic location in Grand Rapids, Michigan. By planting the seeds of higher education among families and children in the area, the program hopes future talent can drive local education systems and give students opportunities to work within their communities through college.

Baker and Cruz are also working on collaborations between the Center for Latin@ Studies and other Ferris departments such as the College of Pharmacy and the College of Arts and Science’ Social Work program.

“By sharing resources with each other, we can prepare our students to work in the global community”, Baker explained.

On the heels of this recent effort, Ferris also announced the hiring of former West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce director Carlos Sanchez as director of the Latino Business and Economic Development Center, another new initiative. This effort aims to provide networking and leadership development for Latino business leaders in West Michigan as well as offer guidance for general market companies seeking to target Hispanic customers. You may recall Sanchez from one of my previous posts about Latinos in West Michigan.

There was a buzz and feeling of excitement in the air the night of the grand opening, even beyond that created by our live music as Cabildo. As I walked through the gathering space of the Ferris Interdisciplinary Resource Center between sets, Baker and Cruz could be seen scurrying between guests, giving tours, and proudly showing off the center’s new home. Like other institutes of higher education, Ferris State University has seen a rise in its Latino student body. According to the Grand Rapids Press, Ferris has 452 Hispanic students. These students make up over 3% of the total student body on campus – a 1.9% rise from 2008.

Staff and students of the Ferris Center for Latin@ Studies with members of the band Cabildo

After the music stopped and the grand opening was coming to a close, I was able to spend a few minutes talking to a group of students involved with the Center for Latin@ Studies. They huddled together reflecting on the evening’s activities. Giving me a moment of their time, the students related why they valued the center and what it meant to them. One young Latina immediately shared that the program gave her a sense of home – a sentiment many of the other students agreed with. Another student, not of Latino heritage, mentioned opportunities to better understand and relate to individuals of different cultures. I felt like I was witnessing the beginning ripples of a new movement on campus.

“There are Latino students here at Ferris who have only just recently met other Latinos through our center and they are already in their third year,” Cruz explained.

I thanked the students for their time and departed for the night. As Cruz looked on from the side beaming with pride, I realized this was not the Ferris I knew from years ago.

In light of recent changes in student body of Ferris State University and how they relate to goals for the Center of Latin@ Studies, what opportunities exist for other universities and their stakeholders that are experiencing similar changes? Consider the following:

• For universities: As Hispanic college enrollment continues to increase, how important will outreach to Latino families and communities become? How important will it become to sustain Latino students to continue with college studies and increase graduation rates? What role can a program like the Center for Latin@ Studies play in facilitating and realizing the above?
• For students: Can a college based program like the Center for Latin@ Studies provide the necessary structure to support the concerns mentioned above – enrollment, sustainability, and graduation rates? If so, specifically what kind of goals can such a program expect to achieve?
• For businesses: What kind of relationship exists between a program like the Center for Latin@ Studies and businesses seeking to diversify their employee and leadership bases? What other opportunities exist for businesses with regard to a more educated and qualified Hispanic base? Can these opportunities be related to entrepreneurialism, business sustainability, and social engagement?

We hope to see great initiatives arise from the Ferris State University Center for Latin@ Studies. Check back here at Latino Branding Power in the future for updates.

Once again, the LATISM (Latinos in Social Media) National Conference proved to be one of the most vibrant and worthwhile Latino/a interest opportunities available. The three-day extravaganza hosted its 2012 version last month at the Hyatt Regency in Houston. I first attended the LATISM National Conference in Chicago last year at the famed Navy Pier conference center. This year, I had the privilege of being invited as a guest speaker in a panel discussion. Myself, along with Melissa Salas Blair, Claudia Deschamps, Olga Romero-Rios, and moderator Monica Vila, discussed various marketing communication insights on the panel entitled Understanding the New Hispanic Consumer. Our Friday morning panel was lively, well attended, and set the tone for what would be an exciting and invaluable second LATISM experience for me.

The discussion began with our formal introductions as panelists. Melissa Salas Blair of Puentes Research is a Houston based research professional with experience in bilingual quantitative data management. Claudia Deschamps, also from Houston, is the proprietor of Deschamps Communications and specializes in Hispanic marketing communications. Olga Romero-Rios, based out of the Dallas/Fort Worth area, has extensive experience in public relations and is the international communications spokesperson for Southwest Airlines.

After introductions, we delved into a presentation of recent statistics about Latino communities. Although many of these stats – most from the 2010 Census results – initiated quite a bit of buzz when they were released last year, our discussion quickly became more engaged as we spoke about the specifics of language, acculturation, age, and gender and how they affect the perspectives of consumers in the U.S. We all agreed that Spanish would continue to influence Hispanic marketing communications in the foreseeable future. Even among young English dominant Latino/a consumers, there is still an emotional connection with Spanish – especially in the consumption of media and entertainment. Many in the audience agreed.

I was particularly pleased that as panelists, we were able to take a deeper dive in our discussion beyond the typical reliance on demographics and buying power that seem to dominate many multicultural marketing discussions. We all understood that cultural relevance ultimately delivers the most value. Also, it was enlightening to find the members of our listening audience engage in participation during the discussion. If those in the room were any evidence of a good cross section of Latino/a branding professionals, I would conclude the Hispanic marketing profession is in solid shape. In the end, the panel discussion was a worthwhile experience and I hope to return again as a participant.

The remainder of the conference proved to be equally as valuable. Like last year, the words to best describe LATISM would have to be Latina strong. Media guru Nely Galan became the conference headliner, leading the second day through a self-empowerment multimedia extravaganza entitled The Adelante Movement. The Adelante Movement is Galan’s latest venture and national tour aimed at empowering Latina professionals. Joining her was award-winning author Sandra Cisneros (The House on Mango Street) and Count Me In president Nell Merlino. What was particularly impressive about the Nely Galan’s Adelante Movement presentation was not just that it was a highly entertaining and relevant workshop, but also that it was a value-driven brand experience. Galan knew her audience well and delivered.

Once again, there were many experiences way too numerous to mention in a single blog post. Some of my fellow attendees have also written about their experiences. I highly recommend patronizing their websites and blog pages and read about their respective views.

Laurita Tellado Calderon – LATISM ’12: El desvelo en Houston (Spanish and English)

Lorraine C. Ladish (Mamiverse) – LATISM ’12: An empowering social media experience

Here is a video segment about LATISM from the popular Univision news program Primer Impacto (Spanish).

Although the quality may be marginal, below is a video containing a portion of our panel discussion Understanding the New Hispanic Consumer.

For more about LATISM and its annual conference, please visit: http://conference.latism.org/

If you’re not familiar with LATISM as an organization and annual conference, here is a brief synopsis:

LATISM is considered one of the largest organizations for Latino(a) professionals engaged in social media. It is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to advancing the social, civic, and economic vitalities of Latino communities throughout the U.S. The Annual LATISM National Conference is the organization’s flagship event. The goal of the conference is to engage its attendees of health providers, business leaders, government officials, educators, and community activists with four tracks (business, technology, health, and education) that focus on empowering Latinos(as).

One of the most amazing antidotes I recall learning at last year’s conference was the story of LATISM’s origin. A few years ago, in an attempt to mobilize like-minded peers, founder and entrepreneur Ana Roca Castro sent a tweet asking, “Are there any Latinos out there?” Using the Twitter hash tag #LATISM, the single question grew into hundreds followers and eventually became the catalyst for the annual conference attended by hundreds and a launch pad for what is now considered a tidal wave of Latino interest in social media. I had the privilege to meet Ana and LATISM co-founder Elianne Ramos in Chicago last year and have been looking forward to this year’s conference since.

Look for my recap about LATISM ‘12 in early November and follow me at @LatinoBrndPwr during the conference (October 25 through 27) for live updates. If you are planning to attend LATISM, I look forward to making your acquaintance in person.

San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro

Earlier this year I was intrigued by an article on the NBC Latino website. In an opinion piece by Raul A. Reyes, a question was tackled that I’m sure many of us of Latin American heritage have heard before. If you do not speak Spanish, are you less Latino? Reyes brought up San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro who became well known on the heels of his Democratic National Convention speech. Apparently Castro is not fluent in Spanish and his lack of fluency implies, by some, that his Hispanic heritage may not be perceived as authentic.

According to the article, Castro’s mother shared that speaking Spanish was discouraged when she was growing up. Presumably, as a result, the language was not passed down to her son. Like Castro, my own mother also felt discouraged from speaking Spanish as a child. My own fluency in Spanish (I consider myself fluent in conversational Spanish) came after a personal hiatus I took in 2005 when I lived in Mexico and, for a short time, in Puerto Rico. Regardless, should language be considered such a determining factor of cultural connectedness?

There are a great many cultural idiosyncrasies that define us as Latinos, aside from language. Culture is an interesting phenomenon and can be complex to understand. As a professional that works within Hispanic marketing, I encourage clients to understand the cultural nuances and preferences involved in delivering value to diverse audiences. That being said, language is certainly important within many Latino communities. At times a person’s fluency in Spanish can affect his or her perception by others. As coined by Florida State University marketing professor Felipe Korzenny, words are not simply empty vessels; they come loaded with meanings and attitudes related to culture.

Ultimately, culture will trump language at delivering the most value. I cannot deny, however, my own personal experiences with language and culture. Learning Spanish has opened doors for me that would not have been available otherwise. On the other hand, relating to individuals based on culture has contributed more to my own perception of hispanidad than Spanish ever has. I believe language and culture are very much intertwined.

In conclusion, I give this simple piece of advice: while language may get you to the door, it is cultural competence that will help you get invited in.

Today, the Dallas based pizza franchise Pizza Patrón will launch a one-day marketing effort to connect with its burgeoning Latino consumer base. For a three-hour period, Pizza Patrón will give away free pizza pies to customers who order in Spanish. This seemingly low-key promotion tactic has actually sparked controversy for the pizza chain–mainly from critics who feel rewarding those who order in Spanish is discriminatory. Good or bad, controversy surrounding the marketing stunt has given Pizza Patrón plenty of publicity. Is there a place for controversy in marketing campaigns, even those that reference Latinos?

Pizza Patrón, a pizza chain with 104 locations in California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Georgia, and Florida, is no stranger to controversy. In 2007, the franchise faced criticism when they began accepting Mexican pesos as currency. Pizza Patrón has once again sparked the ire of similar critics for its “Pizza Por Favor” promotion. According to the company, customers can qualify for a free pizza by ordering in Spanish: broken, first time, or otherwise. Some have criticized Pizza Patrón for engaging in “discrimination”. One community representative even stated, “In public areas, people should be speaking English, and that includes pizza parlors”. Lisa Navarrete, spokesperson for the National Council of La Raza, has said, “For people to get offended or upset seems a little bit silly”.

Marketing gimmick or not, Pizza Patrón has certainly baked its brand into the consciousness of both the public and media. It has been said, there is no such thing as bad publicity. So, is stirring controversy a valid method of marketing? What about when Latino communities and culture become the center of controversy? Check out a few other examples below:

• Last year, a Grand Rapids, Michigan vegan restaurant painted a large mural on its premise depicting Che Guevara as a chef holding a plate of veggie burgers. After a social media campaign touted the new mural, the restaurant’s owners faced criticism on Facebook and Twitter for using the socialist leader’s image. Some criticism came from another local business owner of Cuban heritage who was offended. The controversy ended up creating buzz within local media outlets prior to the restaurant’s opening.

• A national beverage conglomerate was running a campaign for the popular New York Puerto Rican Day parade. The advertisements featured the company’s beer product along with the fabricated word “emborícuate” roughly meaning, “to become Puerto Rican”. Members of the local Puerto Rican community became outraged and cited the advertisement promoted negative stereotypes of Puerto Ricans as drunks because of the word’s resemblance to the term “emborrachate”, meaning “to become drunk”. After brewing negative media buzz, the campaign was eventually pulled.

• In 2006, several Latin pop stars released a Spanish version of the Star Spangled Banner. The song was released days before several pro-immigration rallies were scheduled throughout the U.S. and created plenty of media buzz, both negative and positive. Columnists and talking heads weighed in with their views about the song, one even calling the recording “The Illegal Alien Anthem”. Amid the media buzz, “Nuestro Himno” received widespread airplay on Spanish radio stations.

With regard to the above examples, one of the largest concerns for advertisers should be the potential impact controversy will have on Hispanic audiences. In the case of the Grand Rapids vegan restaurant, although there was no intent to outreach specifically to Latinos, the subject matter of the mural was controversial enough to capture the attention of at least one Cuban business owner. For the beverage conglomerate, there was a full-fledged attempt to engage the local New York Puerto Rican community. The controversy, however, was presumably due to a lack of cultural sensitivity–a mistake many brands have made. Whereas the start-up vegan restaurant may have benefited from the attention, the large beverage conglomerate did not.

For the Spanish national anthem recording, however, the attempt to connect with Latinos also became a catalyst for controversial buzz among non-Latinos. Like the Pizza Patrón campaign, “Nuestro Himno” caught the attention of a disgruntled sector, capitalized on their outrage, and propelled the overall promotion of the effort–intentional or not. Will the “Pizza Por Favor” campaign and the controversy surrounding it resonate with Latino customers and help build brand credibility for the franchise? Although controversial marketing efforts like these might alienate those with xenophobic attitudes, they may actually strengthen ties and increase market share with Latino communities. I will be curious to find out how well Pizza Patrón profits with their “Pizza Por Favor” campaign. Do you know of any controversial Hispanic marketing efforts? Please feel free to share with your comments.

Growing up in the eighties, many rock groups were not exactly known for their enunciation of song lyrics. When the hard rock group AC/DC released the hit song “Dirty deeds done dirt cheap”, many listeners often heard: “Thirty thieves and the thunder chief.”

Go ahead, listen to it here.

Even among native speakers of a language, misinterpretations can be common. “Thirty thieves” is one of my favorites. What are some of yours?

I play in a local Grand Rapids rock group named Cabildo. Much of the band’s repertoire covers popular songs from the “rock en Español” movement of the early to mid nineties. Some of the band’s members grew up in Chile and Mexico and remember listening to popular songs from the U.S. They once related an anecdote about a song by the rock group Twisted Sister. The song became a well-known, albeit short lived, anthem of youth rebellion. The chorus is:

“We’re not ‘gonna take it. No, we ain’t ‘gonna take it. We’re not ‘gonna take it, anymore”.

Listen to it below (and share a laugh at what we once considered as “rebellious music”):

For a Spanish speaking teenager growing up, this is what you may have heard in the chorus:

“Huevos con aceite. Huevos con aceite. Huevos con aceite, y limón”.

Go ahead, listen to it again and try to place the misinterpreted Spanish in the song. Don’t believe me? Check out this short video of the band playing a Spanish festival few years ago:

A few months ago, a video of a Chilean bus passenger went viral. The music lover featured in the video was singing his interpretation of the Selena Gomez hit “Love you like a love song” out loud – very loud. The English lyrics are:

“I, I love you like a love song, baby. And I keep hittin’ re-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat.”

Here’s original song by Selena Gomez:

Check out the bus passenger’s interpretation here.

According to one YouTube user, this is what he was singing:

“A ai laviu, laca no son beibi. En maque mi pipipipipipipipip.”

I guess it could be up to interpretation. The comediante de micro has since become affectionately known in social media circles as “Seleno Gomez”.

Much more than misinterpreted lyrics, what I believe exists is an opportunity to deliver value. Really. When people interpret something as their own, such as a song, they are essentially defining a sense of ownership. To the Chilean bus passenger, those misinterpreted lyrics are uniquely his own. When the video went viral, his misinterpretation capitalized on the popularity of the original song and likewise increased its value to YouTube viewers – even if it was seen as comical. Imagine the brand value a record company could deliver to the thousands of YouTube viewers and potential buyers in Chile and Latin America who shared a laugh watching this video. Maybe “Seleno” should be invited to share the stage with Gomez during a concert tour through Latin America? Perhaps he could lead or judge a karaoke contest? What other creative possibilities exist?

I believe, what may be viewed as a humorous misinterpretation of music, can also deliver extended value. After all, many people in the U.S. still like to recall their own misheard lyrics of popular songs – and they share the same language. Imagine the hidden possibilities that exist between the fumbling of two languages. When we consider marketing to Latinos, can this “listening between the lines” approach help extend a brand’s value? Give a listen and decide for yourself.

Here is what the Pew Hispanic Center report states:

The largest wave of immigration in history from a single country to the United States has come to a standstill. After four decades that brought 12 million current immigrants—more than half of who came illegally—the net migration flow from Mexico to the U.S. has stopped and may have reversed. The standstill appears to result from the weakened U.S. job market, heightened border enforcement, a rise in deportations, the growing dangers associated with illegal border crossings, and changing economic and demographic conditions in Mexico.

It is unknown if this immigration standstill is permanent or temporary, according to some reports. Regardless, since it is immigrants that from Mexico have fueled Latino growth in the U.S. for the past few decades, can it also be assumed that future Latino growth will come to an end? Not necessarily.

It is important to acknowledge that future growth for U.S. Latino communities will not come from immigration but from those Latinos who are native born. This younger generation has already asserted their power in numbers within states in the southwest and California. For example, according to U.S. Census, Latinos under 18 in California are now the majority at 51%. Considering that Caucasian populations have been decreasing, it doesn’t’ take a mathematician to predict the demographic shift that will occur over the next 20 to 30 years as younger Latinos begin to come of age. The immigration standstill may slow this growth, but I believe we can continue to expect continued growth for Hispanics within U.S. borders.

With the dominance of younger and presumably more acculturated Latinos combined with a drop in Latin American immigrants from Mexico, can we also expect a cultural shift within Hispanic populations over the next decades? Additionally, as this younger, more diverse, and acculturated Latino population steps up, can we also assume they will be English dominant? Will the sum of this mean we can also expect marketing efforts to steer away from traditional Spanish language media? Some experts have already begun to speculate.

Jose Villa, a principal at the multicultural ad agency Sensis, made the following speculations in a recent blog post:

• U.S. born Hispanics will continue to grow as a percentage of the overall Hispanic population – further driving the importance of this more acculturated segment

• A relative decline in the percentage of Hispanics that are of Mexican descent – further diversifying the already diverse U.S. Hispanic population (this assumes sustained net immigration from other Latin American countries)

• Potential downward revisions for Hispanic populations estimates issued by the U.S. Census for 2020 and 2030 – it may take a lot longer to see Hispanics making up 25% of the U.S. population

• A decline in Mexican net immigration could lead to more mixed race marriages in the future – and a continued growth in the rapidly growing “2 or more” race segment in 10-20 years.

In closing, I need to emphasize the importance of an empathic understanding for Hispanic marketing efforts. We will need to pay close attention to this “moving target” in order to deliver value with our brands. There is no one-size-fits-all solution when marketing to Latinos. This will continue to be true regardless of immigration or population changes.

The Pew Hispanic Center reported these key findings about Hispanic/Latino identity:

• Most Hispanics/Latinos prefer their family’s country of origin to pan-ethnic terms.
• Most have no preference for the terms “Hispanic” or “Latino”, but among those who do, “Hispanic” is preferred.
• Most Hispanics do not see a shared common culture among U.S. Hispanics.
• Most Latinos are split on whether they see themselves as a typical American.
• Most Hispanics do not see themselves fitting into the standard racial categories, such as those used by the U.S. Census Bureau.

With regard to racial categories, it is also worth noting the report stated half (51%) of Latinos identify their race as “some other race” or volunteer “Hispanic/Latino”, 36% identify their race as white, and 3% say their race is black. The truth is, Hispanics and Latinos are not a race but an ethnicity. Hispanics can be of indigenous Native American, Spanish European, African or a mix of these and many other backgrounds. For a society like ours in the U.S. – one that places emphasis on racial identification – these insights may fly in the face of some conventional wisdom. For example, if 35% of Latinos identify themselves as “white”, how can we effectively measure race and ethnicity for the purpose of initiatives like affirmative action? Obviously, it is not just marketers who are challenged in targeting these growing and evolving communities.

The question, however, remains: is there a pan ethnic Hispanic or Latino identity? David R. Morse, author and multicultural marketing strategist, suggests yes. Morse points out among the Pew Hispanic Center’s findings, 95% of Hispanics believe it is important for future generations to speak Spanish and 75% of Latinos believe in the efficacy of hard work. He believes these statistics indicate there are common Hispanic values and ideals. While I observe many Latino communities existing within their respective nationalities, I do see a representation of individuals and families coming together on occasion to rally around relevant social causes and common business needs. Also, from my observations, younger and more acculturated Hispanics tend to be more open with embracing certain aspects of Latino unity. Should marketers pay attention to the implications of these types of ethnographic insights too? They certainly should.

For brands and marketers, what I think is important to realize is that Hispanics and Latinos can be – as coined by educator and consultant Miguel Corona – a moving target. Campaigns looking for a “formula” to target all or even a particular Hispanic subgroup will need to continue to do their homework. Although demographics have been the foundation of many marketing efforts in the recent past, brand communication strategies require an empathetic understanding of their audiences. Understanding how we perceive an individual in the world is not nearly important as understanding how an individual perceives him or herself in the world. Yes, Hispanic marketing will continue to exist. Just don’t expect the rules to remain the same.