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Hispanic Heritage Month 2022 is just around the corner, and this year’s celebration carries a lot of weight. It is a moment of reflection that allows us to honor a community that has profoundly influenced the United States. Despite enduring a difficult few years due to Covid, the Hispanic community is experiencing tremendous economic growth this year and even saw a sharp drop in the unemployment rate. In addition, under the Biden administration, nearly half of Latino student loan debt will be forgiven. This forgiveness, along with the unemployment rate and other economic factors, will further help the purchasing power of the Hispanic community, making brand loyalty one of the most critical areas for Hispanic marketing. That’s why now, more than ever, the Hispanic community needs brands to serve as advocates during Hispanic Heritage Month and throughout the year.
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Before diving into the best ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month from a business standpoint, it’s critical to outline the difference between Hispanic, Latino, and Latino. Hispanic describes a person who is from or has ancestors from a Spanish-speaking territory or country.
However, this term has come under scrutiny, as it assumes that every individual speaks Spanish when they can only speak their indigenous languages. Additionally, this definition includes Spain but excludes Brazil because Portuguese is the country’s main language.
Latino (short for the Spanish phrase “Latinoamericano”) is a geographic term that refers to a person from Latin America or of Latin American origin. This terminology has less to do with spoken language and more to do with region of birth or ancestry. The term includes Brazil but excludes Spain and Portugal. Additionally, Latinx is the gender-neutral term for Latino. It is also important to note that people can be Hispanic and Latino/Latinx.
Additionally, Hispanics are not monolithic, making celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month a bit complex from a branding perspective. However, to prevent confusion, this article will refer only to Hispanics – data related to this community and their cultural nuances. Here are five ways brands can celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month using social media:
Related: Marketing to Hispanics: Why It’s Not Just About Speaking Spanish
1. Celebrate the diversity of the community by representing all races
There are over 60 million Hispanics in the United States, and this group is growing rapidly. The Hispanic community grew by 70% from 2000 to 2018, compared to only 9% growth for non-Hispanics. This community is very diverse and takes great pride in its culture and traditions. According to Nielsen, “45% of Hispanics agree with the statement “I feel very good when I see celebrities in the media who share my ethnic background,‘ which exceeds the general population by 37%.
Highlighting community heritage can easily be done using user-generated content. For example, Miami Dolphins shared a video celebrating their Hispanic fans on their social media channels. The soccer team collected photos of their fans and put them together to make a short video.
Similarly, the Tennessee Titans also made a video compilation of their fans. Both the Titans and Dolphins videos were part of the NFL’s comprehensive Hispanic Heritage Month campaign.
2. Celebrate the creators in the branding industry
Representation is vital, and in the case of Hispanics, there are a number of industries where they are underrepresented. A quick way to initiate change and focus on this disparity is to highlight the leading creators in the brand’s respective industry.
In 2020, Netflix did a great job featuring Hispanic leaders. They created a microsite that featured a variety of genres, including “Award Winning Movies in Espanol,” “¡Fútbol!” which featured soccer documentaries and Food and Culture Across the Americas, which featured reggaeton artists, folk shows Selena series and more.
Other brands also made it a point to highlight creators in their industries. Twitch, for example, Hispanic creatives in the spotlight with separate front page streams and panel content. In addition, Billboard created a playlist honoring Hispanic female artists.
Related: US Hispanic Consumers: A Demographic Revolution in the Corporate World
3. In the center of attention the employees of the organization
Another great way to celebrate this month is by companies spotlighting their Hispanic employees. Some of the benefits of employee features include increasing social media engagement and strengthening employee bonds. These efforts can also result in higher levels of recruitment and retention.
A great example of this is Microsoft. They celebrated their Hispanic employees by posting a heartfelt I tweet which led the viewer to a blog post featuring several Hispanic employees. Similar to Microsoft, WWE posted their Hispanic wrestlers as a way to honor Hispanic culture.
4. Connect through culture
Seventy-three percent of US Hispanics agree that it is important for their children to carry on their family’s cultural traditions and that their ethnic heritage is an essential part of who they are. Additionally, 71% of all Hispanics speak Spanish at home, either primarily or in combination with English. While nearly three-quarters of consumers feel a deep affinity for the Spanish language, many companies are not marketing in Spanish. If a company is not actively creating Spanish content, it should consider doing so in the future. However, since traditions and folklore are also important to this group, brands should also include cultural elements in their marketing efforts. A great way to make this connection is through the art of storytelling.
Disney Parks did a great job at this featuring the famous band, Mariachi Cobre. As a result, the viewer became personally connected to the group and understood how they achieved such success.
Another great example of this was Initiative of New Yorkers. The team had a first-generation young son, Dario, who aspired to become an NHL player. Islanders documented his meeting with first-generation Cuban-American islander Al Montoya. Just like the Disney Parks example, the viewer was able to connect with Dario on a deeper level and root for his success.
Related: 3 Strategic Pillars to Build Loyalty with a Hispanic Audience
5. Fostering intercultural ties
Finally, brands can celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by creating a content pillar that promotes understanding. This pillar should educate the larger community. In fact, according to UNESCO, education is one of the “best ways to stop the spread of racist and discriminatory discourses”.
The Dallas Cowboys’ efforts are a great example of a company that embraces cross-cultural connections. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the team posted a video showing their players trying to read words in Spanish. It was a fun and easy way to develop a cross-cultural connection with the viewer and promote community understanding.
Hispanic Heritage Month is a great time for a brand to launch its Hispanic marketing efforts. However, these efforts should occur year-round and have a deep focus on connecting with the Hispanic community through language, culture, and family. As the youngest ethnic group in the United States, Hispanics make up 23% of early technology adopters (more than their share of the total population). That’s why it’s critical to connect with them wherever they are—which, in this case, is mostly on social media.
It’s also important to note that Hispanic consumers are extremely brand loyal, and companies that take a public stand on issues plaguing their community will have lifelong customers. Finally, it is recommended that marketing departments take this period to immerse themselves in learning more about Hispanic culture. This educational immersion will make them stronger marketers and allow them to make authentic connections with Hispanic consumers.
