2008 Latino Lifestyles Study.

The Intelligence Group, publisher of the popular Cassandra Report, the industry’s foremost comprehensive lifestyle study of 14-34-year-old mainstream consumers and trendsetters, has published its third annual Latino Intelligence Report. The lifestyle study focuses on the Hispanic youth market and provides a critical forecasting tool for marketers looking to understand the 14-34-year-old Latino consumer.

Recent reports state that the U.S. Latino population will both triple in size and account for most of the nation’s population growth from 2005 through 2050, and young Latinos have already taken notice of their role in shaping American mainstream culture. With a complex identity, young Latinos are employing different tactics than their non-Latino peers in order to find success in their daily lives. In this study, a culturally relevant lens is used to give marketers an insightful look into the identity, lifestyle, and aspirations of this unique population.

“Unlike their ancestors, young Latinos embrace technology, are predominantly bi-lingual, and are the leaders of both their families and their larger communities,” explains Jane Buckingham, President of The Intelligence Group. “It is more important than ever for marketers to find ways to communicate with this growing demographic.”

For this report, the Intelligence Group teamed with Latina magazine founder and Creative Artists Agency multi-cultural marketing expert Christy Haubegger. “Today’s young Latinos have one foot in each culture and feel very influential in both,” said Haubegger. “Marketers will have success if they embrace these notions and create campaigns geared toward culture, not language.”

Comprised of online surveys, focus groups, and in-person interviews, the annual study uncovers 10 themes marketers need to know about this group, identifies the marketers who are “doing it right,” and provides a comprehensive overview of the attitudes, behaviors and preferences of young Latinos.

Highlights from the 2008 Latino Intelligence Report:

– The 40% Perception: Young Latinos are feeling their influence growing. When asked what percentage of the United States they believe is Hispanic, the average of all response was 40% (the actual Census figure is 15%). At the same time, 49% believe they are the group with “the greatest influence on trends” in the United States.

– Latinas Rising: In a departure from previous generations, young Latinas are feeling empowered and excited about the independence and choices they have. For example, among young Latinos, only 32% would aspire to be a stay-at-home parent, vs 42% of non-Latinos.

– Cautious Optimism: Young Latinos are largely optimistic and social: They are more likely to say they are “happy” compared to non-Latinos (63% vs. 53%) and twice as likely as non-Hispanics to prefer a “large group of friends” versus a “few close friends.”

– Social Networking: There is no digital divide for this generation: 88% of young Latinos report having a MySpace or Facebook profile, essentially the same figure as non-Latinos (87%).

Courtesy of http://www.intelg.com