I was raised on Pop-Cultura
By Omar Chavez
Picture this. You are 16 years old and peacefully asleep in your bed on a Sunday morning. Just as you are about to flip your pillow to sleep on the cool side for another couple of hours, you are rudely awakened by loud blaring Tigres Del Norte music and it's cleaning time. No wait. Celia Cruz music! No wait. Olga Tañon music?.. Elvis?.. Morrissey?
If you are Hispanic, chances are that you identified with one of those various musical scenarios more than the others. This is due to the fact that the overall Hispanic population segments into various Spanish-speaking subgroups. A few miles separating El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juárez Mexico could mean a world of difference in pop-culture recognition, and this could very well make or break the success of your market messaging.
When creating a marketing message for a Hispanic audience, it may seem as easy as referencing burritos, nachos, Norteño music or Chihuahuas. This can be a common and dangerous trap for many non-Hispanics and even some U.S.-born Hispanics who have been assimilated to the “American” culture. They can very easily fall for this Mexican-American subculture trap only to realize that these cultural stereotypes are exclusive to northern Mexican cities that share a border with the U.S. and could possibly be alienating other Latin regions and even many other Mexican regions.
Take music as an example. Latin music can be categorized and recognized depending on the geographical location from which it originates. For instance, if we were to create a commercial spot to target a Latin population in Miami, Florida, the choice of music for the spot would ideally differ from one that would target a Latin population in the Southwest.
One of Netflix’s original content series “Orange Is the New Black” stars a character named Marisol “Flaca” Gonzales among a diverse cast of characters from various backgrounds. Flaca is a young inmate of Latin decent in her early 20’s who has a love for music from the artist “Morrissey”. Presumably, Flaca could be from somewhere in East Los Angeles based upon her affinity for Morrissey music which she shares with a whole Latin population obsessed with his brand of music. Flaca is a specifically segmented Latin character that holds some very specific characteristics. Characteristics such as her accent, appearance or demeanor might resonate with many Hispanics, but her choice of music might seem off to Hispanics not residing or having a connection to the East Los Angeles Area.
Geographical location is a great way to start segmentation for targeted marketing, but as newer generations such as Millennials and Gen Z increasingly come into the picture, things can change rapidly.
Many Hispanic baby boomers in El Paso, Texas could possibly be blasting Vicente Fernández music on a Sunday morning to try and get everyone into the cleaning spirit, while their children are hiding under the sheets listening to the newest Maluma, Cardi B or Bruno Mars album on Apple Music.
The bottom line is that a proper understanding of Hispanic audience segmentation and their recognition of pop-culture could be a key factor in the success of your future marketing. This would be a major reason to make sure that the objective of your next marketing effort is in line with the cultural understanding of your target market.
Even some U.S born Hispanics can be removed to a certain degree from Mexican pop-culture references. So non-Hispanic business owners aren’t the only ones who can benefit from proper transcreation. How certain are you that your market messaging is appropriate for your Hispanic demographic? Don’t leave a single trace of doubt in your mind about your marketing efforts. CultureSpan Marketing is ready to help your message reach the right Hispanic centered audience.