No Comprende Hispanic Marketing?

El siguiente artículo resalta la importancia del mercado hispano en los Estados Unidos de Norteamérica. Este mercado es atendido por los canales Sur Noticias, Sur Perú, TV Venezuela y Mexico TV propiedad de Sur Corp.

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CMO Network

Laurie Burkitt, 03.03.10, 06:25 PM EST

Many advertisers still have a Latino blind-spot.

Last year in one of the longest advertising stalemates in TV's up-front history, broadcast company Univision sold all its inventory before any other network. The reason, Univision's president of advertising and sales David Lawenda says, is that some marketers are finally cluing in to the importance of marketing to Hispanics.

But it turns out not many markets really are. More than half of small, medium and large businesses in the U.S. don't market to Hispanics, according to Los Angeles advertising agency Orcí, which surveyed senior marketers at 9,300 companies across the nation. Despite the recognition that the Latino population, an estimated 45 million to 50 million, will affect overall U.S. product and services, 82% of marketers say they have no plans to start or ramp up existing Hispanic marketing efforts.

If this story sounds familiar, it's because it has been told for the past 30 years or so. Not much has changed except for the fact that the Hispanic demographic is at an all-time high, accounting for more than half of the nation's overall population growth. Around 30 million hispanics regularly browse and shop on the Internet from their homes and cellhones. Nearly 60% of them tune in to Spanish-language TV every night. And they're spending money too--around $1 trillion a year. "There's no reason any company shouldn't be pitching to this market," says Hector Orcí, co-chairman of Orcí. 

Some marketers have made the move, though only 50 of the top 500 companies in the U.S. can says so. Ford Motor is placing its cars in Hispanic network Telemundo's new telenovela "Perro Amor." Dr Pepper increased its Hispanic marketing spend 20% to $18 million last year and is expected to ramp up again this year. Honda ( HMC - news - people ), an Orcí client, launched its effort more than two decades ago and saw a 270% sales lift in the first year. Procter & Gamble ( PG - news -people ), McDonald's ( MCD - news - people ) and Burger King ( BKC- news - people ) have reaped the rewards for years.

Still, so many are missing the opportunity, says Lawenda. To fill his ad space, he's been knocking on marketers' doors for years, trying to convince them of all the upsides of pitching to this population segment. Hispanics have been early adopters of social media. They are brand loyalists who, because they have strong financial support networks, remain faithful to their favorite products even when they lose their jobs.

Their median age is around 36, which means they're starting families, buying groceries and products for the home. And unlike many others, they tend to see the glass as being half full. "It's a community ripe for advertisers," says Lawenda. "Yet so many still ignore it."