Hasta La Creative!

Agencies are regularly asked during new client presentations, or offhand over dinner, if they have experience marketing to the Hispanic community.

It’s “the other” hot topic, along with online ad spending.

Lou Lopez, VP, consumer and business insights at Synovate told Ad Age:

“A big thing is how you treat Hispanics,” Mr. Lopez said. “Hispanics expect to form a relationship with their bank. American consumers are transactional. With Hispanics, I want [bank employees] to know who I am. I want to be friendly with them and go to them if something happens. We tell banks you can’t just do advertising. You have to back it up with Spanish-speaking personnel, an 800 support number.”

In other words, translating your ads into Spanish ain’t gonna work. It’s a cultural bridge that needs to built. Then the advertising can support that.