Do Hispanics rate products higher because they're Hispanic?

This is a question that multicultural researchers deal with in our work: Are our research participants responding frankly, or are they being polite? Because based on their culture, they may just be responding in a way they think is "appropriate."

Hispanics in particular tend to not want to show disrespect to authority (which can include the focus group moderator). This means that, when you are seeking true reactions to your marketing communications, your product, your new policy--you might have to take this cultural nuance into account in your summary.

Something I do when I'm moderating Hispanic groups that has been very helpful in encouraging their truthful opinions is that I use humor and humility at the outset, before we even get started. I also make it abundantly clear that I am in no way attached to the product or communications we're discussing. This seems to break the ice in a way that encourages more honest responses throughout the session.

This topic was brought to mind thanks to this month's newsletter from Quirk's Marketing Research Review. I've pasted in the piece below, for your consideration:

A trend has emerged in multicultural research showing that Hispanics rate certain products higher than non-Hispanics simply because they are Hispanic. The phenomenon is known as cultural lift, and it can be taken into account to improve the accuracy of results when conducting preference testing.

According to Savitz Research Companies, Dallas, Hispanics gave 5.9 percent higher average ratings than non-Hispanics in the U.S. on a zero-to-100-point scale, even though high product ratings often didn't translate to a rise in sales and usage. It has been thought that cultural influences may make Hispanics more reluctant to provide negative or impolite feedback.

When evaluating soft drinks, for example, Hispanics rated Pepsi 80.8, while non-Hispanics rated it 74.8, making it appear that Hispanics like Pepsi more and would be a better target. Ratings for 7-Up were essentially the same, at 73 for Hispanics and 73.7 for non-Hispanics. When asked to rate Fanta, a drink which Hispanics are known to prefer, Hispanics gave a rating of 80, compared to a 57.6 rating by non-Hispanics. After the 5.9-point adjustment of the Hispanic ratings to remove the cultural bias, Hispanics and the general population actually feel about the same about Pepsi, non-Hispanics prefer 7-Up and Hispanics still definitely like Fanta more than non-Hispanics.

What do you think? What have your experiences been, and how have you handled differences in communication? Please feel free to share here.

Hispanic Focus Groups

Since we're busy with focus groups these days, it occurred to me that it might be helpful to share some tips for successful Hispanic focus groups. Please note that these tips are based on seeking more recent immigrants versus American-born or acculturated Latinos. There are definitely some differences in how you manage this group.

For example, when you're recruiting for the group, the screener should identify the qualified participant as Spanish-dominant. Many Latinos are bilingual, but immigrant Latinos will likely say they're more comfortable conversing in their native Spanish. These are likely your target (versus the more acculturated Latino who may be better integrated with the general market group or at the least involved in separate research).

We recommend that Hispanic focus groups are kept small--6-8 participants is usually ideal. Why? The Latino participants are generally more likely than the general market participants to "follow the leader" and allow one participant to dominate and influence the rest of the group. By keeping the group small, there's more opportunity for each to speak his/her mind.

Once your participants pass the screener and confirm attendance, you'll be wise to mention that they should make arrangements for their kids (as appropriate). So many times, I've moderated groups in which the participants show up with kids in tow. It's a shame, because they're perfectly qualified for the research, and yet now they're turned away because there are no accommodations for their kids. Better just say it up front.

This goes for guests, too. Oftentimes their spouse or friend who may have driven shows up and expects to stay. This is not recommended, and it's wise to make it clear as you confirm their appointment.

Sometimes it's been helpful to offer an additional cash bonus to the first to arrive, or to those who arrive before the actual start time, when possible. It's a definite incentive and compensates for any cultural differences in terms of how time is viewed!

Keep writing exercises to a minimum if possible. We just learned this one recently. Writing assignments can be difficult for people who are not accustomed to writing and impossible for those who may not have learned to read. The immigrant population can include both groups, so it's best to keep the conversation going. We found in our last experience that it works to provide participants with sheets to rank their favorites (to avoid the influence of others), but to limit it to check marks and numbers versus explanations, for efficiency's sake.
>>Please note that in no way am I making the assumption that foreign-born Latinos can't read/write! But when you're planning your research, it's helpful to understand that education isn't always accessible for those from other countries; they may have had to work at an early age, or help their parents, etc. Just a different culture than what most of us in the U.S. are familiar with.

Let me know if you have other suggestions for our readers (or for us!). We're always learning!