You are trying to build a brand in the US and not targeting the Hispanic audience?
As Vivian Ward from Pretty Woman would say, “Big mistake! Big! HUGE!”
With the total population touching a mark of 56 million and an overall growth rate of 163 percent, Hispanic marketing has sent companies into a frenzy to win them over.
From major brands like Nike and McDonald’s to smaller startups, everyone is lining up to win a pie of the Hispanic market. Therefore, if you are running a brand and not targeting the Hispanic audience, you are missing out.
Unfortunately, there are brands spending millions trying to woo the Hispanic audience but still failing as well. If you want to make sure, your budget does not go to waste, here are some common mistakes to avoid while targeting a Hispanic audience.
Top 5 Marketing Mistakes to Avoid While Targeting Hispanic Audience
Considering Spanish and Hispanics’ Synonymous
Hispanics are Spanish-speaking audiences, most people get that part right; however, Spanish and Hispanics are not the same.
Let me elaborate on that. Spanish audience means people living in Spain. So technically, they speak Spanish. But Hispanics or Latinos are quite different from Spanish people.
In the US, the Hispanic population is from different countries i.e., Mexico, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, and Guatemala. So, the Hispanic population is much more diverse. While targeting Hispanics, keep in mind that speaking Spanish does not mean you have to live in Spain as well.
A classic example of this is English as a language and English as a population. Many countries speak English but only people living in England are known as English.
Overlooking Customer Expectations
You advertised your business to offer an authentic Hispanic experience. “El sabor de México, en cada bocado.”
Your customer calls for the authentic Mexican food experience but the customer care struggles to respond in Spanish.
This leaves the customer questioning, “Is it actually authentic Mexican?”
Technically, most customers judge a business based on these little things. So if you are claiming to be authentic and best in town, it is better to stay prepared for it as well.
To address this issue, companies go above and beyond to cater to their target audience. Cox is one such that has handled this issue carefully. The company offers customer service for both English-speaking audience as well as Spanish audiences. Users can contact Cox Servicio al Cliente and communicate in Spanish for guidance.
Focusing On Just One Language
A common misconception – “Hispanics living in the US must know English,” can make your marketing budget run dry. The majority of the Hispanic population speaks, understands, and uses English for communication; however, not everyone fits these criteria.
The first generation migrants from other countries generally are not very fluent. Even if they get fluent over time, they still prefer Spanish to English for daily communication. Similarly, new immigrants, or people living in the US for less than 5 years also have a language barrier.
So, if you are trying to sell your product in English, you are missing out on a huge chunk of the population. A simple solution for this issue is to run the same ad in both languages rather than shifting to Spanglish.
Using Google Translation
“I’m Loving It,” “Just Do It” or Finger Licking Good.” You know what I am talking about, even without mentioning the product or brand name.
So, it is safe to say that the tagline defines your brand. This is the reason brands spend billions on finding the right tagline. However, history will remember the brands trying to use Google Translate to translate taglines into goofy words as well.
From billion-dollar companies like Mazda and Mitsubishi to some of the sought-after brands like Molson Coors, we have seen businesses trying to use Google Translate for their campaigns. The results of these campaigns are still a laughing stock for millions even after so many years of their launch.
If you do not want to join the record of the company that lost its campaigns to translation, it is better to hire a Spanish marketing company or at least an employee who is fluent in Spanish. In case both things seem unmanageable, get your campaign proofread by a native Spanish speaker.
Leaving Audience Clueless
“Before you sell them your product, tell them.”
Educating is a big part of marketing. Most brands educate their clients about the ideal product, the value that they offer, and their unique selling point.
For targeting the Hispanic audience, educating about the product is very important. Since most brands do not care about telling their audience about the product, they seek guidance from friends and family.
The only problem is that guidance from peers means receiving limited knowledge, biases, and opinions as well.
A good way to curb this issue is to utilize a blog section on your website. Tell your audience about the value you bring to the table. Woo them with information and make them your loyal audience.
Best Hispanic Marketing Campaigns in the United States
#SinTraducción by Target
Me Encanta by McDonald’s
