Spanish, English or Both? How to Leverage Language to Reach US Hispanics

Rene Sanchez – Vice President, Client Strategy and Insights / Culturati

Language is often a perplexing topic for advertisers when they are targeting US Hispanics. A study recently conducted by Culturati, a research and consulting company, looked at how to approach language in TV advertising geared toward US Hispanics, with a specific focus on the effectiveness of “Spanglish,” or mixing English and Spanish. eMarketer’s Alison McCarthy spoke to Rene Sanchez, Culturati’s vice president of client strategy and insights, about the key findings of this study.

eMarketer: How much does the use of English vs. Spanish matter compared to connecting culturally in advertising?

Rene Sanchez: In general, no matter what language is used, the content, context and cultural nuances must be there first. Brands should leverage the language to elevate cultural connections with consumers. More specifically, we learned from our study that for most US Hispanics, Spanish and English play different roles. Spanish has an emotional and cultural connection, while English tends to be used to participate in day-to-day society.

eMarketer: What are the key takeaways you learned from the study?

Sanchez: There are three main principles we found for using bilingual messaging in TV advertising. One, there should be a purpose for the integration. The ad should depict a relatable story in the right context. Don’t use Spanglish for the sake of using Spanglish. Two, the ad must communicate respect for both cultures and languages equally so that it’s inclusive across all of the segments of the Hispanic audience. Three, it’s important to use naturally bilingual talent who can go back and forth between Spanish and English in a natural way to be able to effectively convey the message.

“There should be a purpose for the integration. … Don’t use Spanglish for the sake of using Spanglish.”

eMarketer: Culturati breaks down US Hispanic consumers into four segments. What are they, and what makes them unique from each other?

Sanchez: We know that not all Hispanics are the same. The four segments that we have identified are Latinistas, Heritage Keepers, Savvy Blenders and Amerifans.

Latinistas tend to be more culturally Hispanic than American and primarily speak Spanish, though they likely aspire to bilingualism. Heritage Keepers and Savvy Blenders are your bicultural segments. Heritage Keepers tend to want to keep their Hispanic heritage close. They tend to speak more Spanish at home and appreciate connecting with their roots through things like music and food. Savvy Blenders are more progressive Latinos. They tend to reflect their own cultural blend, which allows them to celebrate their language duality. They adapt easily and are willing to take the best of both worlds depending on the situation. Amerifans tend to be more culturally “American.”

eMarketer: The study notes that the percentage of bilingual US Hispanics has risen from 17% to 34% over the last 10 years. What does this increase mean?

Sanchez: Because language is a big connector to their culture, Hispanics are committed to retaining their language as part of their Hispanic identity. Language will always be a huge part of continuing the cultural legacy, which means that we’ll continue to see bilingualism and language duality grow with Hispanics.

eMarketer: Do these bilingual Hispanics turn to Spanish and English for different purposes?

Sanchez: In general, yes. The beauty of being bilingual is that you can dial it up or down depending on the situation. Spanish will continue to be a big part of the social aspect for conversation with friends and family, while English rules more in the business and day-to-day arena. It comes down to the environment, comfort level and the ability to adjust accordingly.

eMarketer: Are there certain categories for which survey respondents found it more appropriate to mix English with Spanish in advertising? Why is that?

Sanchez: Respondents were most likely to say that the food and beverage, baby and automotive categories are more appropriate for using bilingual ads. The categories that tend to be more emotional rather than rational, such as healthcare and finance, seem to be less fitting. However, if done right, it can work for those categories as well. Wells Fargo is an example of a financial brand that was able to leverage Spanish and English together to communicate an effective message.

eMarketer: What other brands have succeeded in connecting with US Hispanics by mixing Spanish and English in their advertising?

Sanchez: McDonald’s did an awesome job using both English and Spanish together in their ads. Target did an amazing job with babycare. Tide effectively utilized language as well.

In the case study that we referenced in our Spanglish study, we found that this type of messaging increased purchase intent and relevancy, as well as dollar share among US Hispanics, which rose from 33.4% to 36.4% during the ad run, according to Nielsen Target Tracks.

Courtesy of eMarketer