It has been well documented that Hispanics overall are highly engaged in social media. However, in which of the social media platforms do they engaged in the most and how are companies targeting them through ads and other efforts?
In a study conducted by Pew Research Center Facebook seems to be the most used social media platform among Hispanics stating that 71% of them use it and engage in the network, followed by Instagram at 34% and finally Twitter at 21%. For this reason, brands such as Disney Latino, Unilever, Kraft, Nissan, Ford and Toyota among others have taken note and developed marketing campaigns and marketing strategies within these platforms to reach and engage the desired market. We have also discussed the importance of not just language but cultural relevancy into the marketing strategy. Companies like McDonalds , CNET and AT&T have incorporated this strategy in their campaigns. For example, McDonalds , the fast food chain, has developed a strategy that is consistent with Latino and multicultural research practices to effectively reach the target market. CNET is also partnering with Latino celebrities to have a wider reach within the Hispanic population and finally, AT&T is doing mobile bilingual advertising targeting the younger and tech savvy consumer promoting their wireless services.
Another example of brands targeting Latinos are car makers Ford and Toyota respectively. Among other brands Toyota and Ford lead the pack in Hispanic brand loyalty and further Hispanics account for 20% of total car sales . Ford’s advertising campaign targeted at Latinos emphasizes the already brand loyal Hispanic to engage their preferences on car model and make by promoting fan discussions on their Facebook Page. Also, their use of language in their ads and interaction with their consumer base is bilingual, which large part of the fan base interaction is in Spanish. Most of this interaction a re product queries where most of the audience is Latin American and living outside the US. Although that changes for US Hispanics, where language preferences are mixed, a majority of them still are Spanish dominant or bilingual but still prefer their content in Spanish particularly when it comes to the technical aspects of the model. Ford capitalizes on that to reach these consumers and as a matter of fact, Ford’s Twitter handle is mostly in Spanish and has the same idea as their Facebook page to generate discussion on their specific brand.
Unlike Ford where the promote engagement to their page, Toyota uses Facebook as a selling platform for their products. Given that the Toyota brand is well known for being a safety conscious company, they have more of a fan base than does Ford. Like Ford, most of the page is in Spanish and rely heavily on imagery to sell and promote their products. Finally with a smaller following than Ford, their Twitter handle relies mostly on community events sponsored by the company to promote their brand.
In conclusion, if companies want to reach the Hispanic market, they have to find innovative efforts to continue to engage the Hispanic market.
