The relationship between identity and group affiliation.

When making a purchasing decision, a person’s cultural identity decides the outcome of the choice. A person can have multiple cultural identities, depending on the connections they have with people. Cultural identity is attained through reference groups and individuals whom they relate with, having certain traits in common. For instance, one US Hispanic stated that family was essential in making purchasing decisions. This is because Hispanics are more likely to identify with other Hispanics. However, role models, who might be non-Hispanic, also play a significant role in the purchasing decision. Another Hispanic stated that she admired her step mother who is a non-Hispanic and looked to her for advice. (Korzenny & Korzenny, 2005)

It is not important that a Hispanic person is advertising a product, either in English or Spanish, but that it is culturally relevant to the Hispanic consumer and whether or not they identify with the intended message. Jackie Bird, chairwoman of the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies (AHAA) and president/CEO of Winglatino in New York noted that, “Unlike other immigrants, Hispanics haven’t just blended into American culture. Hispanic cultural values, traditions and language are being retained but not to the exclusion of being ‘American,’ rather as a complement to traditional American values.” (McLEAN) Meaning that dubbing over an English advertisement in Spanish or to copy and paste Hispanic faces into an ad will not sell the product. This blending of two cultures is known as acculturation.

Hispanic identity varies from one person to the next. However, “the term ‘identity’ is a transliteration of the Latin identitas, meaning, sameness. As a result, the notion of identity is related to the notion of similarity.” (Beniflah) Depending upon who’s asked and their level of acculturation, the question of identity varies among US Hispanics. In addition, Otto Santa Ana, PhD, observed that, “acculturation is closely tied to our identities and is a highly individual and unique experience.”(Terry J. Soto, 2006)

When it comes to labels many Hispanic Americans do not have a preference on whether they are called Hispanic, Latino, or from their country of origin. According to the 2002 National Survey of Latinos by the Pew Hispanic Center and the Kaiser Family foundation, “34 percent of Hispanics prefer Hispanic, 13 percent prefer Latino, and the rest do not have a preference for one or the other.”(Korzenny & Korzenny, 2005) Among the 53 percent which were indifferent, one US Hispanic consumer noted among the two labels, Hispanic and Latino, he thought the term Latino was a slang word. However, when asked the same question to a US Hispanic female, she preferred being called Latina. She stated that the label of Latina distinguished her from others and was a positive slang, denoting a sexy connotation.

Cultural identity is linked to social interaction within a reference group. A person’s culture of origin is usually the dominant identity. US Hispanics are more likely to buy something that they identify with and this identification comes from their reference groups. In order for marketers to successfully target the US Hispanic consumer they must have a better understanding of the reference groups Hispanics interact with.

US Hispanic identity and consumer behavior are closely tied together. When investigating consumer behavior, cultural identity must first be explored. Age and diversity both influence the US Hispanic consumer’s identity. For instance, younger Hispanics are usually native born in the US and differ greatly in their consumer behavior from recent immigrants. They speak fluent English and tend to be familiar with mainstream American culture. They have similar buying habits to non-Hispanic Americans. These second-generation Hispanic-Americans are deeply affected by US culture. They are very different in their consumer behavior than foreign born Hispanics, who usually view themselves as completely Hispanic and have less contact with American culture. ( Jensen-Cambell, 2005)
All of these factors result in varying identities and consumer behaviors among US Hispanics. For instance, two US Hispanics in their early twenties were asked their opinions on the Spanish television station, Univision. One of them was American born and the other foreign born. The US born Hispanic stated she had watched the station before but did not find it interesting while the foreign born Hispanic found it highly entertaining. For marketers to be successful they need to realize how closely identity and consumer behavior are interrelated and to find a medium to reach all segments.

Jennifer Burnside
Hispanic Marketing Communication
Florida State University

REFERENCES
Beniflah, Jake (2007). The Social Construction of the U.S. Hispanic Identity. Retrieved September 19, 2007, From Web Site:http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/newsbyid.asp?idx=69883&page=2&cat=&more=>
Jensen-Campbell, C. (2005). Today’s Hispanic Consumer. Retrieved September 19, 2008, from Web Site: http://www.tia.org/uploads/casestudies/Hispanic%20White%20Paper.pdf>.
Mclean, (2008). Five Trends Emerging Among U.S. Hispanics: The New General Market. Retrieved September 19, 2008, from Web Site:
http://www.amg-inc.com/amg/news/4-08-5trends-hispanicmkt.html
Korzenny, F. & Korzenny, B. A. (2005). Hispanic Marketing: A Cultural Perspective. Oxford: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann.
Soto, J. Terry (2006). Marketing To Hispanics: A Strategic Approach To Assessing And Planning Your Initiative.

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