Brands are using Spanglish to reach a new generation of Latino consumers
Brands are using Spanglish to reach a new generation of Latino consumers
Roughly 75% of the 64 million Latinos in the U.S. can carry on a conversation in Spanish — and 63% speak “Spanglish” a mix of English and Spanish, according to a new report out today by the Pew Research Center.
As U.S. demographics shift, with Latinos now roughly 20% of the population and growing, advertisers are paying close attention as to the best way to communicate with that growing audience — especially which language to use. So should it be Spanish, English or something in between?
In a new Colgate ad, two girls with braces, nervous about school picture day, smile at each other. Then the voiceover says “Sonreir primero can help someone find the courage to hacer lo mismo.”
The Spanglish ads have impressed Janina Volpe, with ad agency Cramer-Krasselt.
“ASpanglish spot that is working is something for us to not only celebrate culturally but for us business minded nerds such as myself to really investigate,” she said.
Using Spanglish is down to a science for Vertigo Media Group’s Lisa Mirabile on Long Island, New York, who tests ads. While grandma prefers them 100% in Spanish, for the next generation:
“You’re still kind of like at a 30% range of Spanish to English,” she said.
And the grandkids?
“They’re very loyal, very proud of the heritage,” said Mirabile. “So we run Spanglish ads as well. But at this point, we’re running more of like an 8% Spanish to English mix.”
Small and large corporations are investing in Spanglish ads, said Vaquero Advertising’s Fernando Alvarez. They’re for kids who grew up speaking English.
“But every time that they come to their grandparents house that are Mexican, or, you know, Puerto Rican, or Cuban, or Argentinian, they were listening to Spanish every single day and they were learning it,” he said.
And Juan Alanis of Big Oak Tree Media said bilingual marketing is the future.
“Not only bilingual in Spanish, but I think it’s going to start incorporating other languages as well,” he said.
He said it’s a reflection of the diverse, multicultural ways future generations communicate.
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