Showing posts with label Hispanic market. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hispanic market. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Latino Shop Expands within Pike Place

This contribution is written by Yuritzi E. Lozano, who this week graduates from the University of Washington, with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies: Latin America and Spanish with a minor in Diversity.

Cintli will open its doors once again after expanding to a different location in Pike Place Market. This little Hispanic shop sells jewelry and traditional Mexican handicrafts. This time around the shop will focus on selling a greater variety of products. Its artisans usually hail from the Mexican states of Oaxaca, Jalisco, Michoacán, Puebla and Tabasco. The owner, Beto Yarce, says that in importing traditional products from Mexico he is also providing local artisans in México with a work. Now, Cintli will also be offering space in its new location for the upcoming local Hispanic artists to show their work as a means to support the Seattle arts community as well.

The folk art gives Pike Place market a sense of traditional Mexican flavor through unique handicrafts and jewelry. The new shop also offers new contemporary Latino art as well. Although their clients are primarily tourists, they also have products that will make any native Mexican nostalgic. With its vibrant colors and products, there is something for everyone. Beto’s vision to include the local Latino community among his featured artisans provides Seattle Latino artists additional exposure.

Cintli will have a Grand Re-Opening celebration next weekend March 19-21 from 11am to 5pm at 321 Pike Place Market, downstairs of the Market.

For more information on Cintli visit the website.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Latino Market Numbers Amaze

So the problem with an event-filled month like Hispanic Heritage Month is that I get behind in posts and .. filing. I'm working on both now.

Speaking of this month of events, did you know that an estimated 90,000 Latinos turned out for our area's biggest event of the year: Fiestas Patrias at the Puyallup Fair. That's double the Latino attendance last year. It just keeps growing. A reflection of the growing overall Hispanic presence here in the Puget Sound region.

Last week I attended a great workshop hosted by the City of Federal Way. And this is my opportunity to say "Bravo" to Federal Way, because this City has its own Hispanic Liaison--Teniel Sabin--who is a very approachable young lady who is helping Federal Way officials effectively reach out to its Latino residents and make services and opportunities known. Very cool!

Anyway, this workshop was entitled, "Business Development in the Hispanic Market." I expected a lot of companies to show up, looking for ways to better link to Latinos locally. There were some, yes, but there were also a fair number of Hispanics--established business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, others in transition. That surprised me, but I thought that was cool that they were showing up for a government workshop, which by the way, was partially presented bilingually.

Before the presentation attendees were encouraged to check out several displays of some of the services available, including those of Washington CASH and others.

Idalie Muñoz was the speaker. She worked for the U.S. Census in a past life--so she loves numbers. Idalie covered a lot of data, most of which I was very familiar with but will repeat here nonetheless for those of you just tuning in:
  • There are about 46 million Latinos in the U.S. That's about 15% of our total population. In fact, in the entire world, the only country with more Hispanics is Mexico.
  • Washington is one of 16 states that has at least a half-million Hispanic residents.
  • Washington is one of 20 states wherein Hispanics are the largest minority.
Check this out--overall, buying power (personal income for spending) is growing by leaps and bounds in the Hispanic segment, especially when you compare it to the non-Hispanic population. In Washington, while the non-Hispanic population saw 265.9% growth in buying power, Hispanics experienced 788.1% growth!

Between 1990-2008, the Hispanic segment saw a great advantage nationally as well.
  • Hispanics: 348.9%
  • Non-Hispanics: 140.75%
And watch the growth that is expected to take place when we elongate that time period to 1990-2013!
  • Hispanics: 554.3%
  • Non-Hispanics 211.1%
The main message here is: In this shrinking economy, the Hispanic market is growing. And so is its pocketbook!

National numbers from the U.S. Census show unbelievable Hispanic buying power growth:
1990 - $12 billion
2000 - $450 billion
2008 - $951 billion
>>and forecast for 2013? $1.4 TRILLION.

What are some of the factors in this growth? It's the fastest-growing segment, there's a higher level of education attained now versus in the past, this segment boast a larger young population entering the job market, and a fast-growing number of Hispanic-owned businesses were cited by Idalie.

In addition to U.S. Census numbers, she also referenced The Multicultural Economy 2008, from the Selig Center for Economic Growth, University of Georgia. It's an amazing reference for anyone interested in an in-depth look at some more current numbers.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

A BRIGHTER TOMORROW

Mark your calendars!

WHAT: CASA Latina's 15th Gala Dinner & Auction
WHEN: October 17, 5pm
WHERE: The Westin Hotel Seattle, Grand Ballroom

CASA Latina puts on a world-class fundraising event each year, and you'll want to be part of the FUN! This organization is absolutely dedicated to Latino immigrants who have recently arrived in Seattle, empowering them through opportunities to learn and work.

See one participant's testimonial, from the organization's website:
"CASA Latina is where you learn to speak up for yourself. It is the
opportunity to build a future for our families with our own hands, through
education and work."

>>This is your chance to get discounted early-bird tickets, now until August 21. Register here.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

"Washington Finally Gets Diverse" in WSU Magazine

In the current online magazine from Washington State University (my alma mater!), Professor Annabel Kirschner from the school's Department of Community and Rural Sociology, shares the latest diversity numbers for Washington State.

As we've always heard, the state's counties really differ, one from another. And King County is the one that skews the rest of the state's figures. And we also learn that the state's increasing diversity overall is illustrated as the white, non-Hispanic population has dropped below 80% for the first time since the mid-19th century.

An excerpt from the site:
In 1980, whites represented 90.2 percent of Washington’s population. By 2008, that percentage had dropped to 76.2. Actual white population over that period actually increased by better than 25 percent. However, over that same period, Washington’s Hispanic population grew by nearly 200 percent.

200 PERCENT GROWTH! Take a read! The complete draft report is also available there for download as a PDF.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Last Day to Help Girl Scouts with Cookie Sale!

At the grocery store this morning I was reminded that today's the last day of the big Girl Scout fundraiser--their cookie sale.

And I learned something interesting from this Girl Scout and her mom: That different cookie flavors sell differently depending on who's buying. For example, they say nationally speaking, men tend to buy more mints and samoas (their biggest sellers) than any other variety. Women have a special love for peanut butter patties.

I also learned that the cookie varieties sell differently among different ethnicities. In fact, I brought up their newest flavor, Dulce de Leche, and asked how it was selling in their home neighborhood of Burien.

"Fantastic - it's the big seller among Latinos." And I'm sure that's why Girl Scouts added the flavor to the mix this year. They're working on all kinds of outreach to Latinos nationally, and here in Western Washington as well.

Perhaps Latinos are more likely to buy the Dulce de Leche cookie. And those same purchasers may be parents, who see Girl Scouts selling these terrific cookies can observe what that's doing for these girls' confidence and self-esteem as well as business savvy. Maybe after that experience they're more aware of the benefits of Girl Scouts and more likely to want to see their own girls join in.

In any case, it's your last chance for a box of tag-a-longs. The Girl Scout I talked to and her mom are selling at the QFC at Harvard Market on Capitol Hill all day until 8pm tonight.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

U.S. Hispanic Market + Boy Scouts of America

Wow - I'm including here a link to an amazing series of We The People on MSNBC. Launch the video and learn about several national themes:
  • The national Hispanic market--Did you know that ad spending in the Hispanic space is greating at four times the national rate?
  • Boy Scouts of America--they're working hard at a national level to create culturally relevant programs to attract Latino scouts. According to Bob Mazzuca, Chief Scout Executive, "It's absolutely essential." >>On a local note, Luis Garcia and the Scouting & Soccer program he runs here is always looking for sponsorships and donors - contact Luis at lgarcia@seattlebsa.org to learn more!
  • Politically, Latinos are active. And two-thirds of Latinos voted for President Obama, absolutely influencing our presidential election.
  • Latinos account for half of all U.S. population growth--and Latino pop growth is not about immigration so much as U.S. births.
  • 1 in 5 schoolkids in public and private schools in the U.S. is Latino
  • The latest statistic suggests that by 2050, 30% of U.S. residents will be of Hispanic heritage.
Click here to watch the video segments--time well spent!

Friday, January 2, 2009

UW Diversity Career Fair

Here's an excellent opportunity for Latino students to talk to employers who are looking to great employees who happen to be a minority. And if you're an employer who would like to see your staff be more representative, this is your opportunity!

Diversity Career Fair
January 22nd, 2009
6:00-9:00pm
HUB Ballrooms
UW Seattle campus

This from the UW:

If you are seeking top-notched diversity candidates for career, internships or Co-op positions then you don't want to miss this event.

Last year's career fair attracted approximately 2500 students and more than 140 employers representing a broad range of employment sectors including: airlines, aerospace, financial services, various engineering, education, consulting, health care, retail, manufacturing, government and non-profit.

Click for more information or to register online.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Latinos migrating northward

Liz Jones at KUOW did an interesting story yesterday on Seattle-area day laborers and the impact that our current construction industry woes are having on that particular community.

Apparently, the growth attached to the Olympic Games in Vancouver BC is looking pretty appealing right about now to construction workers.

Check it out: Seattle Day Laborers Head to Canada.

The flip side of this story is that, because other areas of our economy are still stronger than those of neighboring and border states, we'll likely see some immigration.

Standing by to see if any of this actually happens ...

Monday, November 10, 2008

Toallas Higiénicas

Toallas higiénicas, compresas--call them what you will. I'm talking about Maxi Pads.

Why? NEWSFLASH: I just learned that in Latin America it may be customary for women to choose pads over tampons!

Why is this in my blog? Because we're talking about the Hispanic market, and what Latinos like and don't, and what traditions they or their families may bring from their homelands. Of course, this is all anecdotal, but it shows how makers of all things should do their research to understand the choices their target demographic is making, and why.

The anecdotal reasons given for the pad-over-tampon choice is that girls may be discouraged from using tampons because of more conservative and/or Catholic practices of Latin American society. Once these girls get started with pads, they may be hooked 'til menopause.

Another reason given is that tampons are a more expensive purchase in Latin America (and perhaps in the U.S. as well).

Here are some more thoughts, direct from our non-scientific, four-Latina, feminine-protection focus group straight from South America:
  • Depending where are you from, tampons might not even be marketed, or our mothers didn't know about them (it all depends on levels of education and buying power).
  • All four girls tried tampons but stopped using them because (1) it was uncomfortable and (2) they had read articles about all the chemicals companies use in manufacturing them.
  • You may wish to learn that here in the U.S., it takes a while to find the “right” pad. In Latin America there are no “long,” “regular,” etc.--one size fits everybody! Also, here it’s not that easy to find details about the type of pad (what are they made of, is the cover cotton or plastic?). Interesante.
A recent study published by Business Wire shows that the leading company in the 8-country Latin America market that was studied in 2006 was Procter & Gamble; the second-largest player was Kimberly-Clark; Johnson & Johnson took third place.

What this means to U.S. marketers is that these manufacturer's brands may already have clout among new Latina immigrants--so there's less of a barrier to acquire those consumers stateside. And, on the flip-side, it translates to additional challenges for the other brands looking to appeal to this segment.

Look for more feminine protection updates, coming your way. Or not.

Thanks, gals, for your insight.

Friday, November 7, 2008

SPANISH FILM FESTIVAL NOVEMBER 14-20

Did you know that Seattle is home to Spain Association of the Pacific Northwest? Check it out: http://www.spainassociation.org/. This is a group of Spaniards who have chosen the Seattle area as their new home + the people who love them + the people who just love all things Spanish.

They periodically hold events that may be of interest to you. I personally cannot wait for the New Cinema from Spain Festival, right up the street at the Northwest Film Forum on Capitol Hill. It will be held November 14th through 20th. In fact, on Saturday, November 15th, they are sponsoring a Gala event at which they'll show the Spanish movie "7 Billiard Tables". The event will start at 1pm and will end at 4pm. If you think you want to attend, go to their site and click on the Evite link! ¡Fácil!

Hope to see you there!