Social media as a way into Latin America?

By Ivonne Kinser

Go back in time to 1990, and think for a minute about conducting a marketing effort to promote your product or service abroad. What would you be doing? Got the picture?

Now come back to 2010, type a 140-character message in your brand’s Twitter page, and within seconds your message can be all over the globe, depending on how well you did your networking homework. Let’s be realistic, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or YouTube are not going to close the sale for you, however, they can create awareness and get the word out about your products or services.In other words, social media is the brand’s voice that reaches your target audiences and leads them to your brand’s hub (website, blog, etc.) 

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Breaking News: Crosscultural Marketing has another one in the fold

This is very exciting news for those of us who are strong believers and supporters of Crosscultural Marketing. Ogilvy is the most recent advertising agency to embrace the Crosscultural Model within the last several months, which is helping to pioneer the paradigm shift that will transform the U.S. advertising industry.

Contrary to what the detractors of the model might say, we are not talking about Anglo marketers  experimenting with multicultural audiences. Rather, all these shops (Draftfcb, Richards/Lerma, Crispin Porter, 22squared, etc) have recruited truly multicultural experts with years of solid experience in ethnic markets to manage the multicultural business of their clients.

It seems like it is just a matter of time for the entire U.S. advertising landscape to evolve into a multicultural industry, which would be a true reflection of today's U.S. society. And to be fair, the evolution should include Hispanic agencies managing the Anglo business of their clients as well. I'm personally hoping to see that happen soon.

Stay tuned because this process has just begun, and like many of you, I can't wait to see which advertising agency will be next.

African, Hispanic (Latino), and Asian American Demographics

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The growth of ethnic minorities in America has been phenomenal. Since 1980, the Asian American population has almost tripled, Hispanic American more than doubled, Native American increased 62%, and African American increased 31%, while the non-ethnic population has remained almost the same.

This is a trend that is expected to continue. The latest estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau predict that the minority population will comprise fully half the U.S. population by the year 2050.

It may seem as if the same song is being sung by a number of different choirs. The opportunity to reach powerful segments is here today. But how about we not "dip our toes in the water" and make a true commitment to these segments? Let's be honest, we as marketers have known about this opportunity for a while.

Latino Immigration From a Different Direction - New America Media

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So, here we go again, not only Hispanic immigrants are being influenced by the American culture, but they are simultaneously influencing the way Americans live and perceive life. Does this sound familiar? Probably it does if you have been reading not only the rest of my blog, but anything related to multicultural marketing published recently.  The novelty in this case? that the Latino influence is expanding way beyond the states usually associated with immigration.

Emory University's Mary Odem discusses her recent book on how Latino immigration has affected the southern U.S. Latino Immigration From a Different Direction - New America Media

The Gray And The Brown: The Generational Mismatch

A gem of an article published by National Journal magazine about the impact of the multicultural young generation on the future of America.

This is the time for brands to set the direction that will impact them for the next 20 years. What should brands do? Allocate most of its resources to today’s pure “general market” consumer or to put them into the multicultural Gen Y consumer to win over the market segment that's going to continue increasing dramatically?  I believe the best approach is the latter.

The fact is that those marketers brave and insightful enough to see and proactively engage the new consumer will be far ahead of their competition. Engaging this younger more multi-cultural segment in a relevant and authentic manner will lead to ROI now and down the road.

New Messaging Needed to Reach 'New Majority'

This is definitely where marketing in the US is heading to. With 103 millions of Hispanics, African Americans and Asians in the US, brands need to find creative ways to communicate meaningful and relevant messages to their multicultural audience to be able to truly connect with it. With all the sub groups that encompass the "New America".

The marketers are naming their models: Total Market Approach, as we call it in Richards/Lerma, Crossculturalism as Ken Muench, one of the savviest US Hispanic planners - in my opinion - calls it, or Transcultutal marketing, as I like to call it; but it all boils down to the General Market work influencing the Hispanic work, and the Hispanic work influencing the General Market work in a way that makes brands stronger.

http://adage.com/hispanic/article?article_id=144536