Marketing to Hispanic Millennials

Marketing to Hispanic Millennials

February 1, 2016

Hispanic college students are a dominant demographic in areas around Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and Chicago. Over twenty percent of all millennials are Hispanic, and about 95 percent of those millennials were born in the US, according to Target Latino. Every year from now until 2028, about 904,000 Latinos will turn 18, which is the highest and fastest number of growing consumers in the millennial demographic. Brands looking to target this ethnic group should look to focus on creating marketing campaigns that project targeted content for Hispanic millennials. Brands often incorrectly believe that translating an English marketing message to a Spanish one is a simple process. However, some things get lost in translation. With the population of Hispanic youths growing exponentially, it is important to differentiate your marketing strategy and separate your message from the rest. Here are some tips to keep in mind when marketing to Hispanic college students:

Understand the importance of heritage and culture.

Hispanic millennials are proud of their family heritage, culture, and traditions, and tend to disagree with the opinion of blending in means fitting in. While most integrate fully with American culture, they still associate themselves with their Hispanic culture of food, family, music and family ties. Only 33 percent of second generation Hispanics identify themselves as American first – they prefer to be Hispanic or Latino, according to the Pew Research Center. This demographic embraces their Hispanic roots and would rather acknowledge their heritage and culture than hide it. Marketers trying too hard to be Spanish, however, can turn off these students. Instead, focus on representing the diversity the demographic sees within themselves.

Adopt a mobile-first strategy.

Your brand’s presence on mobile is critical in order to engage Hispanic millennials. When it comes to using social media, Hispanic youths are 66 percent more likely to connect with brands on mobile. Hispanic students tend to have a wider span of social communities and larger families both in and outside of the US. They also are constantly on social media and texting friends and peers. Brands can advertise on mobile by having a mobile-friendly website, mobile apps, and even opt-in text messages to update consumers about the latest happenings in your brand.

Switch off between Spanish and English.

Although Hispanic youths have a strong connection with their heritage and culture, they prefer to use English as their main language of communication. A survey conducted by Adroit Digital found that 92 percent of Hispanic millennials are more likely to respond to advertising messages in English. The biggest obstacle for marketers, however, is finding the perfect balance between Spanish and English and obtaining the right bilingual voice. A good example of a brand that utilizes the bilingual voice is AT&T’s Between Two Worlds advertising campaign. The campaign is a documentary-style video series that gives a peek into the lives of multicultural Hispanic millennials.

For more information on how to plan your targeted college student marketing campaign, contact us at OnCampus Advertising.

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