More and more Mexican brands are advertising to a U.S. Hispanic audience. Companies like retailer Gigante, furniture stores Elektra and Famsa, brewer Grupo Modelo, cement maker Cemex, bakery Grupo Bimbo, mobile phone provider Telcel, airline Mexicana de Aviación, and banks like Banorte, Banamex, BBVA and Bancomer have all launched ad campaings in the U.S.
Advertisers realize that their marketing strategies have to be adjusted when it comes to US Hispanics, even though almost 60% of them are originally from Mexico.
Juan Carlos Rodríguez, director of re-search and marketing at Media Planning Group in Mexico City explains. “The Mexican-American consumer has new customs. He has an income four to five times higher than he would have earned in México, which means his spending and saving habits are different, he might own a car, an apartment. Many Mexican immigrants totally change their lifestyle, which means advertising messages targeting them also have to change.”
Antonio Capel, executive vice president of media at Foote, Cone & Belding in Mexico City (FCB-Mexico), agrees. “If the advertising message is not translated and presented through local voices, the message will not be as strong.” When FCB-Mexico has a client that wants to target the US Hispanic market, it confers with one of its sister agencies in Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami or New York, and then looks at the media plan and the creative with the advertiser. MPG Mexico also collaborates with sister ad agencies in the U.S.