Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!

🇲🇽🇬🇹🇧🇿🇸🇻🇭🇳🇳🇮🇨🇷🇨🇱

By Christian Ponce

Photo by Sydney Rae.

Officially recognized by President Reagan and signed into law in 1988, Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15–October 15) honors the culture, history, and contributions of Hispanic Americans. This time of year also marks the independence celebrations of eight Latin American countries:

 Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Chile.

As this community continues to grow fast, so does its impact. If your organization hasn't developed a strategy to reach the Hispanic market, particularly in recruitment, marketing, or enrollment, you may be missing out on opportunities for your brand to benefit. 

An effective outreach strategy involves more than translation. It requires cultural adaptation, multigeneration messaging (parents and students), authentic storytelling, tailoring the original brand message, and community-centered engagement:

Cultural Adaptation

For a successful Hispanic marketing campaign, it is essential to debunk myths and dismantle cultural barriers. Stereotypes will work against any strategy. Culturally relevant messaging will not only resonate with your intended audience but also build trust and foster authenticity, two essential elements for creating understanding and loyalty in this market.

Multigeneration Messaging

No two generations share the same concerns, and this appears to be a universal phenomenon that transcends cultures. First-generation Americans are often English speakers, but their immigrant parents aren't, particularly when they come from Latin America or Spain. As mentioned above, culture plays a significant role in the college decision-making process, particularly among Hispanic families. The conversation starts at the dinner table, so the question is, what are you doing to persuade Latino parents that attending college is an excellent decision for their children? And, how are you convincing high school students that university is a ticket to their career success in a way that resonates with them?

Authentic Storytelling

Generation Alpha students demand authenticity and communication on their terms; they want personalized communication that is real to them. No over-polished ads, sales gimmicks, and artificial generic marketing. So what is your plan to achieve this? How does your user-generated content look? What psychographics can you use in your marketing strategy? How are these kids living life, and how is your brand joining them on their pursuit of happiness and self-realization? A student persona for this demographic can really carry your efforts a long way.

Tailoring the Original Brand Message

Brand consistency and alignment are paramount, regardless of your marketing campaign, including those targeting Hispanic and multicultural audiences. These best practices are required, and your marketing success depends on them. However, to tailor a Hispanic brand message effectively, you must thoroughly understand the brand and its target audience. This effort goes beyond translation; it is a molding or adaptation approach. At this point, you are not merely translating words or a slogan; you are adapting a meaning that culturally resonates with Hispanics and carries the same value proposition in the source language.

Community-Centered Engagement

Traditional societies are often community-driven and centered on people. Hispanics, whether they are immigrants or first- or second-generation, find an anchor in their communities, and many organizations serve as links in a cultural change highly valued by Latinos. Churches, community centers, schools, chambers of commerce, health centers, sports clubs, and other associations represent a great opportunity for your organization to engage with this vibrant community while strengthening your brand.

Now is the time to take meaningful action, because reaching the Hispanic market isn't just a strategic advantage; it's a long-term investment in the future of your college and mission.