Beyond the Language, Hispanic Group Describes the Six Types of Latinos

MIAMI, March 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Hispanic Group, an independent, minority-owned agency that specializes in customized communications solutions across all disciplines of advertising, traditional, digital and social media, branded content, direct response services and experiential marketing to the varied and fast-growing segments of the Hispanic population, today sought to shed light on the six types of Latinos living in the U.S., based on the widely-popular Ipsos U.S. Diversity Markets Report, which released the latest edition this week. Understanding the six segments within the vast Hispanic population in the U.S. can be crucial in marketing and advertising, but can also help create a clearer picture of who may ultimately swing the vote in November.

With a dragged out GOP primary and presidential elections on the horizon, the Latino vote is on everyone's agenda, but classifying all Latinos as one cohesive group is shortsighted. That Latinos in the U.S. carry so much clout is unquestionable: Hispanics represent 16.5% of the population and account for 56% of the population growth of the last decade.  However, it's not so much a matter of language, as it is level of acculturation—how long they've lived in the U.S. and embrace American values-- that might predict political agenda.  

"There are four fundamental topics that are of interest to Latinos: immigration, education, health and employment," said Jose Luis Valderrama, President and Founder of Hispanic Group.  "But how those are ranked in order of importance varies from one ethnic group to another and ultimately how they have assimilated in the U.S."

Latino groups in the U.S. run the gamut and can be crucial for a brand to recognize whether they are targeting a Latino consumer who has lived in the U.S. for more than a decade, speaks mainly English and loves to tweet or one who arrived in the U.S. last week, speaks only Spanish and doesn't text.    

The model of acculturation created by Ipsos is outlined in the U.S. Market Diversity Report, which is now in its 15th edition.  The report is published every other year and covers demographics and market characteristics for the rapidly growing Hispanic market.  The acclaimed report breaks down Hispanic populations into segments from mostly acculturated (no distinction from a native born) to unacculturated traditional Latinos (who resist the American way of life).  The six distinct segments have far-reaching marketing and advertising implications, which can be vital in deciding a target audience.  

The key difference between the segments is cultural tension, which explains why people acculturate at all and to what extent, according to Ipsos. Partially acculturated Latinos comprise 63% of the Hispanic adults.  The majority of those are foreign-born, have lived in the U.S. on average 18 years and are half consider themselves Spanish-dominant. 

Products and services that emphasize life in the U.S. from a Hispanic perspective will be most attractive to the median group.  But a one-size fits all approach just won't cut it across the spectrum.

Hispanic Group has been working with Latino consumers and brands for more than a decade and has expert knowledge of how to craft meaningful messages to reach Latinos centered on the concept of ultrasegmentation, a term they coined.  The theory of ultrasegmentation consists on filtering demographic information on Hispanics in the U.S. to offer customized advertising solutions that garner maximum reach and frequency. 

"In previous elections candidates from all party lines have talked about immigration reform, but it has proven too divisive and polarizing for either party to resolve.  The deciding factor to win the Latino vote in the upcoming elections won't be based on language, but rather the platform that is most aligned with a group's stand on the issues that matter most," added Valderrama.

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SOURCE Hispanic Group