New research on the all-powerful U.S. Hispanic mom. In a recent study by Latinum Network, the premier business network that helps brands reach US Hispanics, an in-depth analysis and market study in conjunction with America's most important consumer companies, identified eight critically important trends that marketers should recognize and embrace as they intensify efforts to reach US Hispanics. According to Latinum VP Andy Hasselwander:
1. MOMS CONTROL BILLIONS: The total population of Hispanic moms (6.9 M as of 2010) increases by about 100,000 every year-and about 475,000 Hispanic women become new moms every year. This translates into $4B of net new consumer spending per year, and new moms suddenly becoming the "CEO" of $19B of consumer purchasing power. It is critical for marketers to recognize the driving force Latina Mom plays in making new brand choices across household products, food, restaurants, cars, insurance and banking categories every year.*
2. MOMS GO NATIVE: Hispanic Moms "retro-acculturate" – or Reach back to their native culture — when they have children, even if they've assimilated. Retro-acculturation is the re-discovery of cultural touch points, language, connections, and authentic foods and music. This manifests itself in children learning Spanish, authentic foods at mealtime, etc. The implication for marketers: While only separated by a few years, positioning to reach Mom is very different than positioning to reach a 23-year old millennial. The cultural difference will be huge. >>>>>
3. STRADDLING TWO WORLDS: Newly-arrived Moms will ensure That kids maintain their Hispanic customs, but also want them to be fully American. They believe it is possible to have the best of both worlds. Moms will often take their children's lead when it comes to choosing educational products, books, and technology, but will enforce cultural authenticity inside the home.
4. SPANISH COMES FIRST: 82% of Hispanic Moms speak Spanish, 37% are Bilingual, and 18% speak only English. For marketers who think that they'll reach "most moms" with English only, they're wrong. In fact, an English-only strategy will only reach about half of Latina Moms-and many of these Moms will not be as engaged with the media. Moms are more likely to be emotionally involved with Spanish-language media, too.
5. CAUTION!: New immigrant mothers are financially cautious; acculturation (time-in-country) drives openness to new ideas and risk taking, particularly when it comes to shopping and brands. Thus, it’s critical for marketers to emphasize that new products and services are "safe bets" financially and for the family. As time goes on, more innovative products and services can be introduced.
6. LATINA MOMS ARE SOCIAL: Spanish-speaking Moms are much More receptive to mainstream media than non-Hispanic Moms; all Hispanic Moms are more socially connected than non-Hispanic Moms. This is good News for marketers. For example, the Spanish-language TV landscape is much Less cluttered, making messages resonate more clearly. At the same time, These messages will echo through social networks, further amplifying their effectiveness.
7. ME VS CEO: It's critical to differentiate between "Me" And "Household CEO" roles when marketing to Hispanic Moms. "Me" media sources-like People En Espanol and Telenovelas-are consumed primarily when kids are out of the house. When with kids, Mom is likely to tune into English Language cable Kid's shows.
8. DINNER IS SACRED: Dinner is a special time for Hispanic moms, literally; Hispanic moms are much more likely to bring the Whole family together for dinner than non-Hispanic moms. Marketers should Think about using the dinner occasion to develop new products-outside of Food and beverages categories.
