is dominated by Latinos. Like most of the other cultures that call Fresno County home, many Latinos are first- or second-generation immigrants, drawn here to invest in the American Dream. Some Latinos have lived here for years without becoming fluent in English. Others speak English well but feel more comfortable in Spanish. Many families speak Spanish at home and English outside the home. Some young, English-speaking Latinos are going through “retro-acculturation,” because there are career advantages to being bilingual.
The Fresno County Latino population can be divided approximately into thirds:
There is the portion of Latinos that are fully absorbed into California Anglo culture. They speak very little Spanish and maintain lifestyles and living spaces that do not reflect Latino culture. They do not consider themselves to be Latino and avoid all Latino marketing attempts. They have worked throughout their lives, sometimes across generations, to embrace all things “American” and leave their Latino heritage behind.
The middle portion of Latinos are comfortable in two “worlds:” with friends and family, they speak Spanish or the mixture of English and Spanish popularly called “Spanglish.” They move between the Anglo and the Latino cultures with ease and make the transition with gentle humor. They are likely to speak Spanish at home, and English elsewhere. They listen to their favorite radio stations and watch TV programs whether they are presented in Spanish or English. Many members of this group aspire to be absorbed; however, a growing number are forging community acceptance and personal happiness by embracing their heritage. This segment of the Latino population is believed to be growing.
The third portion of Latinos in Fresno County is made up of the newest arrivals. Most are immigrant hopefuls. Some are chronic “undocumented workers.” Many hope to stay for the rest of their lives, and some hope to return home as soon as possible. They deal exclusively in the Spanish language and are heavily influenced by Spanish media and word-of-mouth. They have been drawn here by the American Dream and are here to make money because they can make far more here than at home. They deal almost exclusively in cash. Using money orders, wire transfers and overnight shipping services, they send money and consumer goods back to their families.
Because the Latino population is so diverse, marketing and advertising efforts must be developed to appeal to the broad Latino audience through cultural commonalities, using simple and direct Spanish words. After all, we don’t produce one English-language ad for Kingsburg residents and another for those in Prather, so why should we produce different Spanish-language ads? Not all Latinos speak or read Spanish proficiently. Latinos often use different words in different contexts. But for many Latinos, English is the language of their business, and Spanish is the language of mi corazón.
A misconception about Latinos that marketers often bring to the table is the idea that Latinos are not as big consumers as are Anglos. According to the U.S. Census, the Data Marketing Association, and other resources, Latino buying power in the United States is huge. In 2015, Latino disposal income was estimated to exceed $935 billion. The number of Latino households with annual income in excess of $100,000 rose by 137% from 2000 to 2010. It should be seen that the issue is not whether Latinos have money (they do), but how they spend the money they have.
It is said that Latinos tend to make every day special for their families, as opposed to saving up for a family vacation. Latinos spend more of their income on housing, groceries, telephone services, furniture, major appliances, clothing, and gas and motor oil. And they are starting families. One in five American births in 2010 was to a Latino family. In Los Angeles, 57% of all kids under age six are Latino.
Incidentally, Latinos use computers. They are the fastest-growing online population, and the bilingual and English-dominant segments are equal. Latinos respond to marketing efforts that help them visualize family improvements, and place them squarely within the American Dream. Latino families are together far more often than Anglo families; often there will be numerous generations of a Latino family under one roof.
Key to an advertiser’s successful acceptance by the Latino market is the sense of “family” that the advertiser can convey, and the advertiser’s ability to enable customers to achieve and keep the American Dream. These are the twin values that Latinos of any stripe hold dear.
To be successful at Latino marketing, advertisers need an advertising and marketing partner it can trust one that understands the Latino market, and has successful experience in Latino communications. Armadillo Advertising can provide the steady hand you need.
Our experience covers three decades and includes the development of major campaigns directed at Latinos of all ages. Working with translators, copywriters, on-camera and voice-over talent we trust, we have developed multiple media campaigns for health care, auto sales, home sales, jewelry sales, and consumer electronics. Armadillo Advertising has produced hours of Spanish language radio and TV campaigns, PowerPoint presentations, and online sites.
We work with a small number of highly capable and trusted translators. Our TV and long-format translator was a local Spanish-language TV news producer for years. Our print and online translators are a wife-and-husband team from the U.S. Department of Commerce. Our radio translator has been a broadcast executive for more than ten years.
Here’s the way it works best: Select Armadillo Advertising as a trusted Latino marketing specialist, and we will work closely with your bilingual Latino Marketing team to suggest and develop the materials needed for a comprehensive Latino outreach. Using our team of copywriters and translators, we will develop and design the materials, and your Latino Team, empowered with editing capabilities, will be responsible for giving the go-ahead to all work.
A successful Latino marketing campaign can involve more than translating and representing all current collateral materials, or a bilingual version of the website. It’s a campaign that advocates creating advertising that reaches Latinos where they live, work, and play. We can develop a campaign that markets you in a compelling way that Latinos understand. After all, marketing to Latinos is just like marketing to any other group – it’s just different.
