Moving Beyond Acculturation: How Marketers Are Embracing Cultural Fluidity in Hispanic Audiences

By Maria Lucia Parra – Bicultural Hispanic marketing/UX researcher with extensive experience in identifying the right approaches to meet clients’ objectives as “one size does not fit all”.

For decades, marketers relied heavily on acculturation models to understand and target the U.S. Hispanic population. The model grouped Hispanics into categories like unacculturated, bicultural, or fully acculturated, based on their assimilation into American culture. This framework has been a long-standing tool to segment the Hispanic audience and tailor marketing messages. However, in today’s world, this approach is rapidly losing its relevance.

As the Hispanic population in the U.S. grows and evolves, so too does the complexity of their cultural identity. Marketers are now moving away from traditional acculturation models, recognizing that a more nuanced understanding of Hispanic consumers is essential for effective engagement. Here’s why this shift is happening and what it means for the future of Hispanic marketing.

1. Cultural Fluidity: The Dynamic Hispanic Identity

One of the primary reasons marketers are stepping away from acculturation levels is the concept of cultural fluidity. Today’s Hispanic consumers are not confined to a rigid assimilation process where they gradually shed their cultural heritage in favor of American norms. Instead, many Hispanic individuals move fluidly between their Hispanic heritage and American culture.

For example, a second-generation Hispanic might speak English at work and switch to Spanish at home, celebrate Thanksgiving alongside Día de los Muertos, and enjoy both Latin music and mainstream pop. The idea of cultural fluidity recognizes that individuals don’t fit neatly into a single category of acculturation—they express multiple cultural identities depending on context, relationships, and even their mood.

This fluidity makes the binary “more or less acculturated” framework less relevant. Instead, marketers need to focus on understanding the factors that drive cultural expression and identity within Hispanic audiences. Messages that celebrate this duality resonate far more than those that assume a linear acculturation process.

2. The Rise of Second- and Third-Generation Hispanics

As the U.S. Hispanic population continues to grow, second- and third-generation Hispanics are becoming a dominant demographic. These generations often blur the lines of acculturation models, as they have been born and raised in the U.S. but still maintain strong cultural ties to their Hispanic heritage. They are typically bilingual, but their identity cannot be boxed into acculturated or unacculturated labels.

According to Pew Research, nearly two-thirds of U.S.-born Hispanic adults identify as bicultural, meaning they are as comfortable in one culture as they are in the other. This presents a challenge to the traditional acculturation scale, which assumes a gradual shift from Hispanic culture to American culture. The reality is much more complex. Second- and third-generation Hispanics often forge their own unique identity that blends the best of both worlds, and this requires a deeper understanding from marketers.

3. Biculturalism is the Norm

Biculturalism is no longer just a category on an acculturation model—it’s the cultural reality for a large portion of the Hispanic population. This blending of cultures is not a temporary state or a halfway point on the path to full assimilation. Instead, it is a permanent and authentic expression of identity. Many Hispanics today are just as comfortable in their Hispanic cultural heritage as they are in American culture.

Marketers who embrace this reality can create campaigns that reflect this duality. Campaigns that acknowledge and celebrate both cultural worlds, rather than assuming a Hispanic consumer is on a linear path to assimilation, are more likely to resonate. The focus should be on how cultural values, traditions, and preferences shape a bicultural identity, not where someone falls on the acculturation spectrum.

4. From Acculturation to Cultural Affinity

Given the fluid nature of Hispanic identity, marketers are shifting toward understanding cultural affinity rather than acculturation levels. Cultural affinity refers to the emotional and social connections that individuals maintain with their culture of origin, irrespective of how assimilated they are into American culture.

For instance, a third-generation Hispanic may not speak Spanish fluently, but they may still celebrate traditional holidays like Día de los Reyes or Nochebuena, maintain a connection to family traditions, and engage with Hispanic culture through food, music, or entertainment. Recognizing this deep cultural affinity allows brands to connect with Hispanics in a way that feels authentic and meaningful, without relying on outdated acculturation labels.

Brands like Walmart, with its “Find Your Perfect Holiday Thing” campaign, have successfully tapped into this approach by focusing on cultural relevance rather than acculturation. Highlighting specific Hispanic traditions alongside mainstream ones enables them to connect with a broader audience that identifies with both cultures.

5. Digital Media and Cultural Preservation

The rise of digital media has made it easier for Hispanics to stay connected to their cultural roots while living in the U.S. With streaming services like Netflix offering Spanish-language content and platforms like YouTube showcasing Hispanic creators, acculturation models based solely on language preference no longer capture the full picture.

In the past, marketers assumed that language was a key indicator of acculturation. If someone preferred English, they were assumed to be more acculturated. However, in today’s digital age, many Hispanics are consuming content in both English and Spanish, often switching between languages based on mood, content type, or even convenience. This behavior highlights the complexity of cultural identity and shows that language alone cannot be used as a proxy for acculturation.

A New Era of Hispanic Marketing

As marketers move away from the rigid framework of acculturation, they are embracing a more holistic understanding of Hispanic identity. The focus is shifting to cultural fluidity, biculturalism, and cultural affinity—concepts that better reflect the lived experiences of Hispanic consumers in the U.S.

In this new era, successful Hispanic marketing will be defined by brands that can authentically engage with consumers across a wide range of cultural identities, from those deeply rooted in Hispanic traditions to those who blend their Hispanic heritage with American culture. By recognizing that identity is not static, marketers can create campaigns that resonate on a deeper level, fostering brand loyalty and long-term connections with the Hispanic community.

In conclusion, the shift away from acculturation levels represents a significant change in how marketers engage with the Hispanic population. Understanding the fluid, bicultural nature of Hispanic identity opens up new opportunities for brands to create more relevant, resonant, and impactful campaigns. The future of Hispanic marketing lies in embracing the complexity of culture and recognizing that identity cannot be reduced to a linear path of assimilation.

At Ingenium Research, founded by Maria Parra, we focus on helping brands understand the complexities of Hispanic cultural affinity by going beyond outdated acculturation models. With over 25 years of experience, we specialize in uncovering the emotional and cultural connections that shape consumer behavior, allowing brands to create authentic and meaningful engagements with Hispanic audiences. By embracing the fluidity and duality of modern Hispanic identity, we help companies build stronger, culturally relevant campaigns that resonate deeply with this diverse community.

https://www.ingeniumresearch.com