Hispanic is NOT a race; there are many races within the Hispanic community, including White, Black, Native Indian, and even Asian. Some segments, like the Cuban community, show very few mixed-race individuals. In fact, Cubans exhibit a race discrimination behavior within their community that is similar to that of the general market. Other groups, like Puerto Ricans, are very mixed. Argentineans are mostly White and some Latin American countries, including Mexico, have a strong Native Indian background.

For years, the U. S. Census considered Hispanic a race. They have changed that establishing the U.S. racial classifications to be American Indian, Alaskan Native, Asian or Pacific Islander, Black, and White. They added ethnic classifications of “Hispanic Origin” and “Not of Hispanic Origin”. Unfortunately, we continue to see the race question in most market research studies and marketers in this country continue to label Hispanic as a race. 

According to the Nielsen Media Research,¹ the growth of Hispanic television in recent years has resulted from the growing market power of the Hispanic population as a whole:

The number of Hispanic viewers in the U.S. has risen from 22.2 million, or 9% of the total U.S. population, in 1992-93 to 38.9 million, or 14% of the total population in 2005-06.

Ad spending on Spanish-language network and cable television has grown from approximately $1.8 billion in 2001 to more than $3.05 billion in 2006, according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus.

In the 1992-1993 television season, there were two national Spanish-language broadcast networks, attracting a combined average primetime audience of 2.4 million Hispanic viewers. In the 2006-2007 television season, there were four national Spanish-language broadcast networks with a combined average primetime audience of 4.1 million Hispanic viewers. ¹ 

The Spanish Language

There is just one Spanish language. However, Spanish is not always the "same" Spanish. It is possible for Hispanics to understand each other because they all speak the same language. Yet, there are some significant differences depending on the country of origin. Think of it as the difference between British English, American English, and Australian English. There is no doubt that you can communicate with each other, but sometimes the meaning is lost due to regional differences. The Spanish differences are often subtle but sometimes drastic.

For example, let us look at a simple word like “caramel”; in Mexico they call it “cajeta”, while Cubans and Argentineans will call it “dulce de leche.” Another example would be the word “computer” which most Latinos call “la computadora”, however, in Spain, they call it “el ordenador.” These are just two small examples of the complexity of the Spanish language and its array of dialects. 

This is why when targeting Spanish Speaking audiences it is imperative that you hire a company that specializes in their culture with fully bilingual professionals. At In SPANISH Productions we pay close attention to these regional differences. Knowing how to speak the language so that everyone understands you well is sometimes a challenge. And when it comes to different country backgrounds, the Hispanic segments seem to speak different languages altogether. It is important to be aware of these language issues when creating an advertising campaign that targets the U.S. Hispanic market. It is important to let In SPANISH Productions say it in Spanish for you!

¹ Source: [Nielsen Media Research -  New York, NY August 27, 2007]