¿Acculturation? [Results from Survey of HispanicAd readers]

Our Friends at ThinkNow posed the following:  ”Acculturation has long been used in media research among Hispanics respondents but it is time to revisit it use. Acculturation assumes a linear progression towards American culture.  American culture becomes increasingly shaped by diverse audiences”. Our sample consisted of 4045 HispanicAd readers that responded between 12/14/2020 – 1/11/2021.

Other comments:

• I agree with the fact that American culture is shaped by the culture of diverse audiences and working in Multicultural Marketing I see that the Acculturation model is no longer valid as some of the “Acculturation trends” we saw in the 60s-early 2000s is no longer valid as these consumers are embracing their cultures and the diversity within as opposed to 100% adapting to the US culture, these consumers are living in two cultures/worlds at the same time as opposed to living in one but not the other.
• Human identity and behavior is rich and complex. For Latinos in the US, it’s even more so when you layer in the dual cultural and language usage reality of our Lives. “Acculturation” is a simplistic ‘Anglo-friendly’ view of who we are as people first and consumers second. How we feel, think and ultimately behave demands a deeper, more forward-facing approach to marketing and “creating” for Latinos. Admittedly a pet-peeve but most Hispanic media – both Nationally and at the local level – need to step up and provide more thoughtful ambicultural content than the mindless drivel that permeates the airwaves that only strengthens the antiquated, narrow and flawed “Anglo-friendly” Acculturation models we’re talking about. And to Hispanic or Multicultural Agencies who should know better yet still perpetuate the myth of binary Spanish = Hispanic or who resort to ‘Anglo-friendly’ imagery, overacting, and sometimes even stereotypes to please your clients and make a buck – and there are TOO many of you despite what you say on your websites – I ask you to reassess what you do. It takes all of us – Media companies, Agencies and Advertisers – to make a difference that will elevate our communities. To those who are hesitant or even afraid to take the next affirmative step I say: “If you build it, they will come.” Thanks for listening and acting.
• Not necessarily a linear progression although at the personal level there is the practical progression of learning English and responding to mainstream society values and practices. And yes, it’s two-way. Hispanics help to shape the mainstream.
• Most knowledgeable cross-cultural researchers have understood that acculturation is non-linear and multi-dimensional. And it also goes in reverse as well for both the immigrant and native populations who absorb some aspects of the newcomers’ cultures. I’ve never described acculturation as being linear and no good expert in the Latino market should be doing that either.
• Acculturation is grounded in community – and is a spectrum on a path to community assimilation. But there is not one unified “American Culture”. Those born here vs. immigrated can all have different cultural relationships. Washington Heights is a heavy Dominican community, but has a culture unique to that neighborhood, different than the rest of the city and Santo Domingo. The path to local adaptation is linear on a scale, but the end acculturation goal varies for each community. LA vs Miami vs. Chicago all have varied elements that define a “local”.
• I think that each person uniquely acculturates at their own pace based on their life experiences, interactions, education, exposure to other cultures and length of time in the U.S. Hispanics even acculturate based on their exposure to other Hispanic or other nationalities or ethnicities such as other Latin American as well as African Americans, Asians, Arabs and others.
• I don’t believe it is a linear progression, although it goes in that direciton, it is “matrixed” as one travels along. Given the complexities in the Hispanic community from various influences- Generational, Economic, Country of Origin (area of origin withing that country) Societal….contributes to the richness of Acculturation.
• Acculturation is defined by adapting to the cultural norms of the greater collective by shedding those of a point of origin. It has nothing to do with a cultural evolution due to an evolving multicultural population. The very query is puzzling.
• I agree that acculturation looks differently now then it did ten years ago. But I still think that if measured using an algorithm that is culturally and temporally relevant, a measure of acculturation always make the most sense for a population that is still over 70% either first or second generation.