As mobile phones become increasingly indispensable to consumers throughout the country, companies are turning to the mobile marketing to advertise their products. In the past, Hispanic consumers have represented an ignored demographic in mobile marketing efforts. However, the exponential growth, growing purchasing power, and increased consumer loyalty of the Hispanic population have caught the attention of many companies seeking to broaden their consumer base. As a result, mobile marketing efforts are evolving into popular advertising vehicles to tap into the sizeable potential of this growing community.
Though initial efforts to use mobile marketing to attract Hispanic consumers were limited to SMS-based campaigns, companies are beginning to look into opportunities offered by the mobile Web and mobile applications. HipCricket, a pioneering mobile marketing company, illustrates this growing trend. Last year, the company launched the first comprehensive Hispanic mobile marketing network. This network enables brand marketers to deliver interactive, targeted mobile marketing applications directly to Hispanic consumers. Moreover, all mobile messages are customized based on consumer preferences in terms of language and interests, which helps advertising companies maximize their reach.
In essence, this increasing focus on Hispanic consumers to advertise products was spurred by research indicating their growing adoption of mobile technology and text messaging. According to a study conducted by the Mobile Marketing Association, seventy-five percent of all Hispanic households have multiple mobile phones and use them more than any other available form of technology. Not only is there a greater penetration of mobile services among Hispanics, but they are more than twice as likely compared to other ethnic groups to opt for the additional data plans upon which mobile marketing relies. As a result, companies seeking to increase profits and broaden their consumer base are wise to look into the advent of mobile marketing as a vehicle to target the $860 billion Hispanic consumer market.
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( 3.8 / 9 )By Karina Lairet
The imminent retirement of Supreme Court Justice David Souter has forced President Obama to seek a suitable replacement. Recent news of the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor, a prominent Hispanic judicial figure, has stirred substantial controversy in Capitol Hill. Before Sotomayor, never before had a Hispanic individual been nominated to serve as a justice in the United States Supreme Court. However, many of her opponents criticize her because they claim that her Hispanic background had a significant bearing on her nomination. Despite this, her impressive resume and experience has led many individuals, in particular members of the Hispanic community, to support her nomination to this prestigious role.
One undeniable fact is that Sonia Sotomayor has a remarkable background. A child of Puerto Rican parents, she grew up in a housing project in the New York Bronx. Against all odds, she went on to earn an undergraduate degree with the highest honors from Princeton University, and subsequently obtained a Law degree from the prestigious Yale University. After several years in private practice, she was named a district judge and in 1997, President Bill Clinton nominated her to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. As a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals, Sotomayor gained notoriety as a result of her vigorous questioning methods and delivery of forceful, reasoned decisions.
Support for a Hispanic justice nomination for the U.S. Supreme Court was so great that the Congressional Hispanic Caucus sent President Obama a letter urging him to consider a Hispanic individual for the position. Making up over a third percent of the U.S. population, many argue that Hispanics are long overdue for a seat in the Supreme Court. Many Hispanic individuals consider that Sotomayor, being of Puerto Rican descent, will have greater sensitivity to the challenges faced by the Hispanic community. However, this increased sensitivity is deemed a weakness by her opponents concerned with the potential bias it might entail. All in all, the appointment of Sotomayor would give the Hispanic community greater judicial representation in the United States; a fact that brings visibility and power to this vastly underrepresented segment of the population.
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( 3.4 / 14 )Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the nation's largest discount retailer, is now targeting Hispanic consumers with their new chain of Hispanic-focused supermarkets. Two new pilot stores located in Phoenix, AZ and Houston, TX are scheduled to open later this year. The opening of these new locations aimed at Spanish-speaking customers fits well into Wal-Mart's overall plan of increasing its penetration into the grocery industry. The retailer's unbeatable prices have already been luring countless Hispanic shoppers battered by the recession. As a result, this move further allows them to market to a demographic that is currently under served by traditional grocery stores.
The new stores, tentatively named Supermercado de Walmart, will be located in predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods. Both locations will employ bilingual staff to cater to the linguistic needs of Spanish-speaking immigrants. Moreover, their product assortments will include imported products from Mexico, thus catering towards the vast community of Chicanos and Mexicans in the Southwest. The revamped store layout will feature full service meat and fish counters. Additionally, customers will be able to enjoy Latino pastries and coffee at cafés situated within the store.
The concept of a pilot supermarket aimed at Hispanic shoppers is not a novel one. Several leading regional supermarket chains in the United States already operate Hispanic store brands. For instance, Publix in Florida currently operates three Publix Sabor markets, and HEB, a Texas-based grocery chain, opened Mi Tienda in Houston in 2006. Furthermore, Wal-Mart's very own subsidiary Sam's Club announced the opening of Mas Club, yet another Hispanic-targeted store, in Houston later this year. This renewed interest in Hispanic consumers reflects a growing trend among U.S. retailers to cater to a previously neglected population that is increasing in both size and influence.
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( 2.9 / 29 )By Karina Lairet
Determined to soothe tense relations between Russia and the United States, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton ventured to Geneva earlier this month to dine with Russian foreign minister Sergey V. Lavrov. Clinton presented the Russian minister a plastic red button; a reference to Vice President Joseph R. Biden's plea for both countries to “press the reset button” on their strained relationship. The mock button was emblazoned with the English word “reset” and what was initially thought to be the Russian equivalent. However, instead of the Russian word for “reset” (perezagruzka), it featured a slightly different word, meaning “overload” or “overcharged" (peregruzka).
Though the button gaffe embarrassed the Secretary of State, it did not fully undermine the substance of the meeting. Clinton and Lavrov subsequently reported that they had an extensive and positive exchange, laying the groundwork to renegotiate a strategic arms reduction treaty and discussing ways of cooperating on missile defense. But Lavrov refused to let the matter rest there, bringing the translation error up multiple times during the press conference in a way that suggested he somewhat enjoyed Clinton's discomfort. “We have reached an agreement regarding how 'reset' should sound like both in Russian and English,” he added as a closing remark.
Translation gaffes are not new to the field of foreign relations. President Kennedy famously declared himself a jelly donut while visiting Berlin. Furthermore, President Carter's translator mistakenly told the Poles that Carter would like to make love to them, aiming to express the president's enthusiasm upon arriving in Warsaw. Though initially embarrassing, these instances illustrate how a simple linguistic error can sidetrack an important message and discredit it in the eyes of its target audience. Clinton's “Red Button Incident” serves as yet another reminder of the key role that adequate translation plays in the realm of communication.
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( 3.1 / 15 )By Karina Lairet
When Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de Leon landed in Florida on April 2, 1513, he laid the first seed of what would be the state's ever-present Hispanic roots. It was a few days after Easter, during the season celebrated by the Spanish called “Flowery Easter.” For this reason and because of the land's exuberant coastal flora, Ponce de Leon named it Florida, as it became known from that day forward. As a result of its proximity to Latin American nations and historical origins, Florida has become a safe haven for countless generations of Hispanics as new immigrants continue to migrate and settle.
Many argue that the migration of Hispanics is a recent phenomenon. However, history books would suggest otherwise. The presence of Spanish conquistadors in Florida dates back to the year 1513, thereby predating the presence of Anglo-Saxons on the land. In fact, Pensacola, Florida was the very first European Settlement in the continental United States. The Hispanic population in Florida embraces these roots and uses them to reinforce their identity. Immigrants in particular have a heightened need for this identity, living in this adoptive, diverse country. Many Latin Americans still consider Spain their land of origin and knowing about the permanence of their ancestors in their state generates within them a sense of belonging.
In addition to helping immigrants feel welcomed, these Hispanic origins also serve to illustrate how this community has played a key role in the country's development since the very beginning. In fact, many forget that a significant chunk of the Southwestern United States was once a part of Mexico. These growing populations of Hispanics, which have been present in the country for generations, continue to grow in size and influence. Taking a look at the historical origins of the land we inhabit further reinforce their place and importance in this country.
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