Cultural dimensions and archetypes: An emotional approach to The U.S.A Hispanic Market.

Marketing is one of the most competitive businesses of all. Today, most companies have quality products, good services and good advertising agencies. One element that will make the difference between brands is positioning. Positioning is defined as the communication garment that dresses the product or service to appeal to the consumer ; in other words, positioning describes the connection between marketers with their target market. In order to develop a good positioning statement targeting the U.S.A Hispanic market, marketers have to study, understand and research the subjective part of the Hispanic culture to make a meaningful connection. The knowledge of Hispanic cultural dimensions and archetypes can provide general insights about Hispanic.

Cultural dimensions

Cultural dimensions classified and compared archetypes between cultures on the basics of time, leadership, gender and causality to mention a few (Korzenny & Korzenny 2005). Hispanics perceived time in a polychronic way, which means that they are able to manage multiple events at one time. For example, Hispanics will react more positive to a brand that promotes multiple products in one package in comparison with other products that don’t apply this method. Moreover, Hispanics are perceived as a polymorphic culture, which means that they follow the advice of an individual that knows about multiple areas. For example, Hispanics will feel more comfortable speaking with a costumer representative that knows a little bit of everything in comparison with one that knows a lot about just one specific detail. In addition, Korzenny & Korzenny, 2005 identifies Hispanics as androgynous, which means they have feminine and masculine dimensions. The typical macho states that he does not cry, but his music is heavily loaded with laments and crying for the lost love. On the other hand, woman suffers cries and lives for her children but at the same time runs the house with an iron arm. She orders the husband around.

Cultural Archetypes

Archetypes are defined as schemata that have been transmitted from generation to generation of a culture . The Cultural archetypes focus on the general beliefs of a particular culture in this case this article focused on the Hispanic Archetypes, for example what Hispanics think about family, relationships, health, work, death, etc. Family has always been the major motivator for Hispanics. Family is the reason why Hispanics immigrate to the United States; although Hispanics look for more opportunities when they come to the U.S.A, the major motivator is to provide a better future for their families. This particular aspect really defines Hispanic immigrants in comparison with other U.S.A immigrants. Most U.S.A immigrants came to America because of persecution, war or political instability and they never went back to their home country; on the other hand, most Hispanics came to find economic opportunities in a country that provides a better economic system but they still miss their home countries and most of them desire to go back one day. In addition, Hispanic families share and cooperate more within the family; especially when it comes to buy a product. The product has to appeal to all the family in order to be purchased. Also, Hispanic families have a significant emphasis on dignity, trust, respect and individual pride . This means that marketers have to avoid messages that are offensive to any aspect of the subjective part of the Hispanic culture. The best way to find what messages could be offensive is to interview, talk and analyze what could be consider as offensive for Hispanics.

Moreover, life is something very precious for Hispanics. Most Hispanics feel happy to be alive every day. That is the reason way individuals get together with their families and friends every weekend. This behavior is related to the sense of fatalism, which is the notion that the unnatural dominates our lives and that we don’t know what could happen to us tomorrow. In addition Hispanics feel that planning for the future is not that important in comparison with the Anglo-Saxon culture, the reason for this is also related to fatalism because Hispanics beliefs that is better to enjoy the present than worry about the future.

Furthermore, Hispanic treat health in a different way in comparison with the Anglo-Saxon culture. While only 11.3 % of non-Hispanics whites don’t have health insurance, 32.7 % is the number for Hispanics that don’t have health insurance . This phenomenon has cultural elements since Hispanics prefer to use their own remedies to cure diseases. For example, Hispanics have the philosophy that hot remedies go with cold illness and cold remedies for hot illness. This is a tradition that past from generation trough generation and it’s still acceptable in many Hispanics households. Hispanics have a lot of respect for nature and they admire it, which is a belief that is transmitted by the original native Indians culture. These beliefs clarified why Hispanics trust in old remedies and prefer fresh food instead of canned food because these products are closer to nature in the preparation process. This doesn’t means that Hispanic wouldn’t purchased a health insurance, just as most services in the United States they don’t understand the process and the benefits. Most important, companies need to hired individuals that understand the concerns of Hispanics this doesn’t means hired individuals that speak Spanish, but hired individuals that understand the concerns of Hispanics and the way they think. For example, why they don’t like a product or a service that is commonly used by other cultural groups.

Finally, a better service will be provided by companies once they understand their market. If you understand your market you can anticipate what costumer’s will need. In addition, the knowledge of cultural dimension within a culture provides the necessary information to built a strong relationship with your market. In the end, the knowledge of cultural archetypes will assist marketers in building an especial relationship with their market, and if you feel special you feel good.

Edwin Lopez
Email: ee****@*su.edu
Florida State University
Hispanic Marketing Communication student.