Marketers realize "General market' = White no longer applies

Ad Age has an interesting article ,sure to start some conversation, about how marketers are finally starting to realize that the "general market" is actually a more diverse market than only Whites (even though we've been talking about this for years in our quest to get companies to allocate appropriately to their consumer make up).

However, what they haven't yet "realized" is that niche shops can and should be considered for agency of record assignments. Why is it commonly accepted for a "general market" White agency to be given assignments to do "ethnic" marketing, but a Hispanic agency can't be given a "White" marketing assignment?

With the pending 2010 Census, this question and debate (as well as double standard) will surely increase in frequency.

Univision does what English-language networks won't with YouTube

Univision and YouTube inked a deal that make full-length episodes of many current shows (not the telenovelas yet since they are produced by Grupo Televisa, but there is hope) available on YouTube. YouTube called the deal one of the site's, "most comprehensive partnerships for full-length content to date." English-language networks most provide snippets of their shows on YouTube and some use Hulu. But, this is the first deal of its kind between YouTube and a major network.

More proof that Hispanics outpacing others on broadband

The Hispanic Institute just released a new study entitled, "Hispanic Broadband Access," further demonstrating how Hispanics are outpacing others on the adaptation of technology.

Findings include:

• Hispanics and African Americans lead mobile broadband use (53% and 58% respectively), with both communities far ahead of Whites (33%).
• Hispanics are more mobile than the general U.S. population and, thus, rely more on cell phones. Hispanics account for more minutes used and for a higher percentage of cell-phone ownership despite their relatively low incomes.
• 40% of U.S. Hispanics are born abroad in countries where wireless service often is more common than land line phones making them more open to mobile broadband than many other population groups. This familiarity makes the leap to smartphones and other connected mobile devices a more intuitive step for many than turning to wired, home broadband adoption and computer usage.
• In 2008, Hispanics outpaced the general population in accessing and downloading digital media (music, video, audio, movies, television programs, video games and podcasts), 42% to 35%

Read the full report (.PDF)

Everything I know about Latinos I learned watching, "In the Heights"

I had the pleasure of seeing In the Heights on Broadway last weekend. While I really enjoyed the show and recommend it, what I took away from the performance is how I could completely identify with the characters.

That I was born in Colombia and raised in the U.S. -- and not a Dominican or Puerto Rican who grew up in Washington Heights-- but saw myself, my family and my upbringing in the characters made me think about the "Latino Cultural Identity" that we speak so much about, and its importance to marketing.

The pillars of Latino Cultural Identity -- the interconnectedness of time and space perception, interpersonal orientation, spirituality and gender perception -- we all clearly on display during the show.

It left me more convinced that while you don't have to be Latino to market to Latinos, you really need to understand Latino culture. General market agencies and companies that continue to focus on language and acculturation level as their main approach to marketing to Hispanics need to watch this show ASAP. Those that still insist they are "reaching" Latinos via English-language media because many of us are bi-lingual also need to watch this show ASAP.

What I hope they take away is that they can't identify with these characters at all. That they wish they took someone to sit next to them to answer their repeated questions of, "what did they say?" or "what does that mean?" That simply replacing the characters with Caucasians and translating the Spanish euphemisms to English will not make the show appealing to the general market.

Most of all, I hope they take away that there actually is something to this notion of Latino Cultural Identity, and they should pay some attention to it.

Hispanic market continues to soar, general market ad shops taking notice

AdWeek has a good article on how the continued growth of the Hispanic market and the impending 2010 Census is good news for those agencies that market to the Hispanic segment, and how general market shops, eager to grow their revenues as the general market advertising industry continues to shrink, are looking to compete for work in this niche.

Along with the fact the Hispanic market continues to grow, general market agencies are also interested because Hispanic ad shops are starting to take away general market business. As the "general market" becomes more Hispanic in some parts of the country, some companies are adapting their Hispanic creative to the general market rather than vice versa.

The on-going challenge for Hispanic ad shops is to keep the discussion -- and the competition --centered on appealing culturally to the Hispanic segment, and not on which language to use. Once the discussion becomes centered on language, the Hispanic marketing industry is dead as general market shops 1) will continue to use their general market approaches in Spanish and buy some Spanish-language media and 2) continue to run their general market creative on shows that skew high Hispanic and tell clients and prospects they are "reaching" Hispanics.

There is a BIG difference between "reaching" Hispanics and "appealing" to Hispanics (or better yet, motivating them to consume your product) and it has much more to do with culture than language preference.

Hispanic agencies who help prospective clients understand this are well-positioned for continued success.