As marketers and public relations practitioners, we know the importance of not only defining a target audience, but truly understanding who they are, who they want to be, what they love and what they can’t live without. Most established brands have this part down and could recite their consumer’s profile and new campaign ideas at a moment’s notice. But in a time when the minority is rapidly becoming the majority, marketers are starting to realize that they don’t have the same handle on U.S. Hispanics — a demographic that will soon reach 50 million people with a $1 trillion purchasing power, according to 2010 Census predictions.
Yes, plenty of brands out there — 50 out of the top 500, actually — have launched Hispanic-specific campaigns in the last few years. Some of them have been painfully off-key, and their dependence on stereotypes put them on the verge of being offensive. Conversely, many companies do seem to get it, and have built incredible loyalty among this highly-influential group. How’d they do it?
The secret to their success lies in the ability to identify their consumers’ passions and create integrated programs that leverage these interests to establish emotional connections. Whether it is sports, food, music or family, these pillars, among others, provide us with a strong starting point from which to build relevant, authentic brand experiences for U.S. Hispanics.
A public relations veteran with 25 years’ experience, Michael Olguin is an innovative thinker who challenges convention. In 1992, he founded Formula, which has established itself as a progressive national PR boutique agency, thanks to his integrated marketing approach and ability to connect brands to core consumers. With offices in New York, Los Angeles and San Diego, Formula was recently ranked as one of the nation’s top agencies by PRWeek. Its sister agency, FORMULATIN, serves Fortune 1000 brands targeting the Hispanic community. Clients include Kashi, Newcastle Brown Ale, Littler Mendelson, ESPN Zone, Tribe Hummus, and cerveza Tecate.
Join Michael Olguin for his session “Leveraging Hispanics’ Passions to Create True Brand Experiences” on Monday, October 18, 2010 at the PRSA 2010 International Conference: Powering PRogress, October 16–19 in Washington, D.C.!
