This week gyro and Univision will be teaming up to speak at the annual Life Insurance Council Annual Marketing Conference, addressing over 100 life insurance CEOs and senior management from around the country to discuss the importance of engaging Hispanics through marketing.
Enough cannot be said about the importance of engaging the largest and fastest growing demographic in the United States in B-to-B and B-to-C advertising – especially the financial brands whose products will be in demand (think: life insurance, retirement products and financial advice) by this demographic.
Big overarching statements on growth may not be appealing, but simple math should: Essentially 1 out of 6 people in the U.S. are of Hispanic origin, marking a 58 percent population growth rate since 2000. In fact, every 30 seconds two non-Hispanics hit retirement and a Hispanic turns 18. In the insurance category alone, Hispanics will spend $17 billion in 2015*. What do these numbers mean to financial brands? It means that a playbook today with little to no Hispanic targeted advertising is not sustainable for the future.
Here are four points financial brands should consider when looking to engage Hispanics:
1. Make a cultural connection. Be seen as part of the team and have your brand truly integrate themselves in a relevant way. The best way to turn off this demographic is to be completely tone deaf to cultural nuances.
2. Tap into key passions. This goes back to the first point. Tapping into key passions such as family (featuring multiple generations) and fútbol (not football) provides a cultural connection and shows that you understand the passion points of this demographic.
3. Spanish is important. As Hispanics move between cultures, Spanish continues to be a key part of identity. Today’s generation is proudly Hispanic, speaks Spanish and celebrates cultures and traditions. Financial brands should address this audience in the language they connect with emotionally.
4. Education. Education in financial products is key to tapping into the market. Yes, there’s a demand for financial products, but there is a lack of knowledge and it can be overwhelming to plan for a financial future. Hispanics are increasingly becoming more affluent. In fact, the number of Hispanic households earning $75,000 or more increased threefold in the past 15 years. With this increase of affluence goes the increase of purchasing financial products to protect their futures and loved ones. Often times, today’s generation of Hispanics are the first in their families to have employee-sponsored benefits. Financial education should be the bedrock of your Hispanic marketing plan.
Hispanics are game changers in the financial industry. From population growth, affluence and consumer spending, it is no longer acceptable to just “tack on” a Hispanic marketing strategy, but rather it should be part of the overall marketing strategy.
*Source: IHS Global Insight 2013 Hispanic Market Monitor
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Pete Filiaci – Vice President, Univision Communication Inc’s Strategy and Insights Group
Pete is a Vice President in Univision Communication Inc’s Strategy and Insights Group, overseeing the Restaurant, Entertainment and Financial Services categories. His team delivers consumer and market insights in the financial category with the goal of driving deeper understanding of Hispanic consumers and marketing. For more, visit Univision.net or follow @hispanic411.
Melissa Pitts – Account Executive, gyro New York
Melissa Pitts is an Account Executive at gyro New York. Prior to joining gyro, she worked at the Americas Society/Council of the Americas and in the United States Senate where she worked on policy pertaining to foreign affairs, trade and defense.
She has written extensively on B2B marketing and advertising as well as Latino issues in the advertising industry. Her work has been published in Forbes, The Huffington Post, and Americas Quarterly.
She has a Masters of Arts in Graphic Communications, Management and Technology from New York University and a B.A. in Latin American Studies from the University of Arizona.
Follow her at @mpittsm