Telecom Services Are Getting Hispanic Dollars - How Will Other Industries Fare?

This blog post was written by Paul Sangalang who is an intern at Conexión Marketing.  He has received a B.A. in Business Administration from Washington State University in International Business and in December he will receive a second degree in the Spanish language. 


In a 305-page report by Insight Research Corp. titled US Hispanic Use of Telecommunications Services 2010-2015, it concluded that Hispanic buyers will account for “17 percent of all residential telecom expenditures.” With the number of Hispanics in the US estimated to surpass 50 million, it’s apparent that this demographic will become a major target for marketers outside of only telecommunications services. Telecommunication companies, as well as other industries, have been aggressively marketing towards the Latino population for years, but the question is: when will all the other industries tap into this market segment?

It’s important to note that the Hispanic ethnicity is the youngest segment in the US, with the largest percentage of citizens under the age of 18. It was also found that Hispanic-Americans are very social online, which can be attributed to the youthfulness of the segment. If marketers play their cards right, they will be able to obtain long-term consumers and reap the financial benefits of lifetime customers.

According to early Census predictions, US Latinos will hold $1 trillion in buying power. It will be paramount for companies and industries, which haven’t already, to recognize the immense potential that the US Hispanic segment holds. It’s not too much of a stretch to presume that those companies who fail to recognize what the Hispanic market holds for their business will fall to the wayside, while those that do prosper.

It will be interesting to see how these companies market to the Hispanic segment and who will succeed in gaining the most market share. I’m sure that these industries are all thinking the same thing and will be working furiously to outmaneuver their rivals. So let the games begin…or better yet: ¡que comience el juego!

To view the article click here.

Beyond the Language Barrier in 2010

This post is contributed by Diana Lopez, senior at the University of Washington, double-majoring in Law, Society and Justice/Spanish.

The Census 2010 will soon be in the hands of every household in the United States, but will everyone know how to respond to it?


The Census Bureau is acknowledging that many languages are spoken within the U.S. and will be releasing its Census form in 5 different languages: English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and Russian. A recent article in La Raza del Noroeste highlights the measures that the Census Bureau has taken in the state of Washington to reach out to those who do not speak English. They have hired locals who speak various languages so that they can reach out to every community and explain to everyone the importance of the Census. There will also be community centers where people can seek out any help they might need to fill out their forms.

I’d have to agree that the language barrier is an important factor that must be overcome; however, I also think that it’s important to educate everyone that the Census Bureau is not allowed to share any information that is provided to it. I have had opportunities to ask locals if they plan to fill out the Census and many have said they don’t plan to. Pero, ¿por qué? They fear that Immigrations and Customs Enforcement will be notified of their undocumented status in the United States. Many immigrants will not be counted because of this simple fact, but it’s crucial that everyone gets counted because the more accurate the numbers, the more opportunities are given to the community.

Bilingualism just one facet of the best candidates today

I just was introduced to a great blog by BilingualHire, based in Oregon.

The post that got my attention was about employment candidates and bilingualism. The point is, while being bilingual is absolutely a gift in all ways, and potentially a fantastic boon to one's career, it does not cover up one's abilities, experience, and studies--and it shouldn't overshadow these.

Take a read and let me know whether you agree.

But let me make one thing clear: I am all about teaching kids Spanish and English in this country. Latino parents, in my opinion, should do everything in their power to impart their language to their children. Non-Latinos should consider sending their kids to immersion programs early on (before age 6) so that they can compete in an increasingly Latino U.S.

By 2025, 30% of the U.S. population will be Hispanic--many of them Spanish-dominant. Make sure you--and your offspring--have what it takes to compete in this dynamic, bicultural climate!

Great Party Trick

Each year, the U.S. Census celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month by pulling together some great trivia on our dynamic Hispanic population in the US of A.

This is an amazing compilation of facts--some even a surprise to Hispanic marketers!

Among my favorites:

• The U.S. has the second-largest Hispanic population in the world, second only to Mexico.
• By 2050, Hispanics will constitute 30% of the nation's population.
  There are 48 U.S. counties that are majority-Hispanic.
• We have 1.6 million Hispanic-owned businesses.

See for yourself how significant our country's Latino population has become.

An Answer to Life's Biggest Question!

Well, it's not really *life's* biggest question, but it's one of the most common questions we get here at Conexión Marketing:

"Who's Hispanic?"

Of course there are many variations to this question which we're also fond of hearing:

• "What's the difference between Latino and Hispanic?"
• "What do Hispanics prefer to be called?"
• "How do you know if someone's Hispanic?"

Now we all have the answer, at least as defined by the U.S. Census:

"You're Hispanic if you say you are."

You really have to read this article, and the report it's based on. GOLD.