Advertising in Spanish: Is it really worth it?

Ever since the 2000 Census data broadcasted the estimated 44 million Hispanics living in the United States, there has been a surge in advertising in Spanish to target this growing market. Furthermore, marketers’ hunger for Hispanic customers has grown in step with each new demographic report predicting that the population of Hispanics, currently accounting for 15% of the total population,  will comprise nearly a quarter of the United States population by the year 2050. As a result, there has been an increase in the use of Spanish-language campaigns which has proven to be an effective tool to target this lucrative market.

A trend-setter in this field is Hershey Foods with its television, radio and magazine advertisements in Spanish to promote its chocolates and candies. In fact, they even chose the Latina pop star Thalia to be the celebrity endorser of their products. Thalia appeared in numerous television commercials promoting caramel kisses and white chocolate Reese’s peanut butter cups. Other examples of campaigns translated into Spanish in an effort to target Latino consumers include:  McDonald’s Me encanta (“I’m lovin it”), Chevrolet’s Súbete (“Get in”), and T-Mobile’s Estamos juntos (“We’re all together”) among many others.

Though some question whether the use of Spanish-language advertising is a fruitful investment, it has proven to be an effective tool to target the Latino population. A recent study from ad agency Marketing Bodega found that 64 percent of over 750 people surveyed were more likely to purchase a brand that advertises in Spanish. This is one of the many studies that support the idea that Spanish is the most persuasive language for the majority of Latinos. For this reason, new developments in the field of advertising in Spanish and an increased prevalence of Spanish campaigns will yield higher sales for companies in years to come.

By Karina Lairet