Recently Emily Trentacosta, Vice President of Strategy and Insights at AMC Global, wrote for Advertising Week on “Understanding Complex Hispanic Audiences With the Right Marketing Research Approach.” In the article, she delves into the complexities of reaching and understanding this diverse and growing audience by using the right market research strategies.
Diverse Cultures and Communities
The Hispanic demographic continues to grow and brands seek to effectively connect with these audiences. The "Hispanic" category encompasses a wide range of cultures, including Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American and others. Moreover, these cultures are not evenly distributed across the U.S., with concentrations of specific groups in particular regions.
Acculturation Levels of Hispanic Audiences
In the article, “Understanding Complex Hispanic Audiences With the Right Marketing Research Approach,” Emily digs into the topic of acculturation and how this affects how market researchers might interact with Hispanic consumers. For example, while acculturated individuals may participate in standard surveys using an online panel, unacculturated consumers (who may rely on Hispanic-targeted channels) require specific strategies.
Connecting Through Market Research
To connect with unacculturated Hispanic consumers, Emily discusses the importance of utilizing researchers who are not just bilingual but also native to the culture. She also writes about how simply translating existing surveys into Spanish does not yield the necessary consumer data—communication should be adapted to different Spanish dialects and cultural dynamics. Additionally, reaching some unacculturated Hispanic groups may involve in-person intercepts in heavily populated Hispanic areas, or other out-of-the-box research solutions.
Interpreting the Data
Emily goes on in the article to talk about the significance of cultural context in data interpretation and how multicultural research partners help decipher insights accurately. Also, implementing research findings for effective messaging must consider this cultural context to create impactful campaigns.
Recognizing the diversity within the Hispanic population is crucial for market researchers to design studies that can gather the insights needed for brands to craft the right marketing, advertising and messaging that resonates with Hispanic consumers. To read more about tailoring strategies that consider cultural nuances, language dialects and acculturation levels of this growing consumer group, check out Emily’s article in Advertising Week or reach out to her directly!