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Multicultural campaigns: outdated approaches to reaching the modern U.S. Hispanic consumer

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Multicultural campaigns: outdated approaches to reaching the modern U.S. Hispanic consumer

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MULTICULTURAL CAMPAIGNS: OUTDATED APPROACHES TO
REACHING THE MODERN U.S. HISPANIC CONSUMER

by

Alexis Madrigal

A Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF ARTS
(STRATEGIC PUBLIC RELATIONS)

May 2016

Copyright 2016 Alexis Madrigal

Madrigal i
Dedication
I would like to thank my family and friends for their unwavering support throughout the
process of writing this thesis. In particular, I would like to thank my mother for her
continuing encouragement along the way.

Madrigal ii
Acknowledgements
I would like to extend a special thank you to my committee chair, Jennifer Floto.
Her guidance throughout the research and writing process helped me tremendously, and I
was able to narrow a sizeable topic to a coherent piece of work.
I would also like to thank my committee members, Laura Castañeda and Laura
Jackson, for their patience and willingness to read my work.
Finally, I would like to thank my interviewees for their willingness to participate
in my study.

Madrigal iii
Table of Contents
Dedication i
Acknowledgements ii
List of Figures iv
Abstract v
Preface vi
Research Methodology vi
Special Considerations vi

Introduction 1
Key Research Findings 2
Chapter One: The Importance of Creating Cultural Relevance 5
Chapter Two: Cross-Cultural Marketing vs. Ethnic Specific Marketing 8
Chapter Three: Industry Diversity 14
Benefits of Industry Diversity 19
Chapter Four: Outdated Market Assumptions 22
Chapter Five: Latino Market Diversity 29
Cultural Sustainability 29
Historical Nuance 31
Political and Religious Diversity 33
Targeting Latino Consumers 35

Chapter Six: Language as a Vehicle 37
Bilingual Messaging 39
Bilingual Campaign Management 41
Chapter Seven: Latino Digital Consumption 44
Conclusion 48
Bibliography 50
Appendix: Industry Interview Questions 54

Madrigal iv

List of Figures
Figure 1: Hispanic Population Growth 23
Figure 2: Mean Earnings by Highest Degree Earned: 2009 25
Figure 3: Political Views Among Hispanics 33
Figure 4: Generational Religious Affiliation 34
Figure 5: English Speaking and Reading Ability 37
Figure 6: Spanish Speaking and Reading Ability 38
Figure 7: Internet and Cellphone Trends 44
Figure 8: Smartphone Ownership, Mobile Internet Use, and Social Networking
Site Use 45

Madrigal v
Abstract
While the public relations industry has come a long way in understanding the
importance of targeting Latinos, practitioners continue to “miss the mark,” so to speak,
and develop campaigns that lack cultural relevance. As a response to the growing pockets
of minority markets, specialty firms that focus on multicultural campaigns have emerged
to help bridge the communication gap between clients and ethnic consumers. Now, more
than ever, it is imperative that specialty firms realize ways to determine relevance and
importance among clients, and translate ethnic minority cultural touch-points into terms
that promote profitability. This thesis focuses on the Hispanic market, 55 million strong
in the U.S.

Madrigal vi
Preface
Research Methodology
The author conducted both primary and secondary research, which include
scholarly journals, industry reports, and four interviews of industry practitioners. The
interviewees are public relations practitioners from the following specialty firms:
Armando Azarloza, President, Axis Agency; Mario Flores, Partner and Managing
Director, Sportivo; Bill Imada, Chairman and Chief Connectivity Officer, IW Group;
Juan Lezama, Director, Mosaico.

Special Considerations
For the purposes of this thesis, the terms “Latino” and “Hispanic” are used
interchangeably to designate the U.S. Latino population.

Madrigal 1
Introduction
The Center for American Progress in conjunction with the Centro de
Investigación y Docena Económicas, released the report “Latinos Are Shaping the Future
of the United States: How the United States and Mexico Are Growing Together” that
highlights the economic and social significance of U.S Hispanics. The report indicated
that one-fifth of the United States’ population is Hispanic, equating to roughly 55 million
people.
1
In fact, at the time of this writing, the Hispanic population in California
outnumbered Caucasians for the first time since census data was collected. Despite its
size, this demographic is not homogenous and varies tremendously in terms of
acculturation, lifestyle and education. Yet, “[if] the Latino community in the United
States were a country, Hispanic purchasing power in the United States would make it one
of the top 25 economies in the world.”
2
The growing economic significance of the U.S.
Latino demographic implies a shift in lifestyle and consumption patterns. The current
buying power of the U.S. Hispanic demographic is equivalent to Mexico’s GDP, roughly
$1.2 trillion, and is projected to equal Canada’s GDP of $1.9 trillion by 2019.
3
With a
projected increased purchasing power, there is no doubt about the growing significance
of the Latino market.
As companies, brands and politicians become more aware of the growing pockets
of the Latino market, they will begin to turn to multicultural specialty firms to bridge the
communication gap and reach targeted Latino audiences. To understand the public

1
“Latinos Are Shaping the Future of the United States: ‘How the United States and Mexico Are Growing
Together.’” Center for American Progress and Centro de Investigación y Docena Económicas. November
2015. https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/23114334/CAP-CIDE-report2-
WEB.pdf, 1.
2
Ibid., 7.
3
Ibid., 7.
Madrigal 2
relations industry’s approach to handling multicultural communications, the author
conducted interviews with the following four public relations practitioners from the
following specialty firms: Armando Azarloza, President, Axis Agency; Mario Flores,
Partner and Managing Director, Sportivo; Bill Imada, Chairman and Chief Connectivity
Officer, IW Group; and Juan Lezama, Director, Mosaico. The author found that the
consensus among the four practitioners was that the Latino market continues to be
underserved by the public relations industry due to a lack of cultural knowledge and
understanding and how to market to it appropriately. This is a clear weakness in the
industry’s management of campaigns that target ethnic groups, Latinos in particular, and
is disadvantageous for specialty firm profitability. Should the public relations industry
want to better market to Latinos, cultural relevance must be created for campaigns to gain
traction with Latino audiences. Specialty firms must, in particular, be able to translate
cultural values and trends into terms of profitability in order to create new business and
remain a relevant marketing resource for clients. More than ever, it is important for
specialty firms to establish their relevance against industry trends which call for all-
inclusive marketing campaigns over culturally specific campaigns.
Key Research Findings
The key research findings were:
1. The Latino market is severely underserved.
2. Many multicultural firms have employees who largely reflect the ethnic
demographic targeted by the firm.
3. The current Latino market is still addressed using an outdated view that does not
reflect demographic shifts or acknowledge current consumer lifestyle trends.
Madrigal 3
Although multicultural firms are not new to the public relations industry, they do
provide a unique lens into the ethnic diversity of the industry in general. While looking
into multicultural firms, the author discovered that many of the firms had high numbers
of ethnic practitioners, many of whom reflected the ethnicity of the cultural market
targeted by the firm. This raises the following questions: why do larger public relations
firms and agencies not have more ethnically diverse teams? If they are, in fact, able to
find ethnic practitioners, are they able to retain them?
During an interview with Bill Imada of IW Group, he suggests that one possible
reason larger agencies may have retention issues among ethnic practitioners is due to a
lack of sponsorships. According to Imada, there is no formal program or track set in place
“to help matriculate through the agency.” So, is the issue that minority practitioners in the
industry do not offer enough assistance to each other, or does the industry not provide
sufficient effort to help these practitioners flourish at the general industry level? Armando
Azarloza of Axis Agency surmises that the reason Latino practitioners flock to
multicultural firms is due to a genuine interest in marketing to Latinos.
In the public relations industry, diversity initiatives seem to be everywhere, and
the latest buzzword is “culture.” Large and small agencies tout that they are practicing the
best and most inclusive programs that foster top-of-the-line multicultural campaigns.
While neither the consideration of culture nor diverse hiring practices are new concepts,
these topics continue to resurface in various shapes, trends, terms and public relations
practices. Yet, one underlying issue continuously gets overlooked: best practices for
creating multicultural relevance in targeted ethnic campaigns. In this writing, the author
illuminates some of the industry’s shortfalls in reaching Latino audiences through the
Madrigal 4
exploration of outdated Hispanic market assumptions, as well as the status of diversity in
the public relations industry.

Madrigal 5
Chapter One: The Importance of Creating Cultural Relevance
Every culture has its own perceptions and views that dictate the way messages are
perceived and interpreted. According to the Encyclopedia of Public Relations, cultural
topoi are a “set of coherent premises that supports a particular way of organizing social
relations.”
4
Consideration and integration of cultural premises can determine not only the
success of a campaign, but also its ability to gain traction with a targeted group. Cultural
values determine perceptions of reality as well as dictate what is desirable and good;
therefore, if a message aligns with an audience’s underlying cultural premises, then
credibility can be achieved.
5

The marketing agency Added Value has touched on the importance of cultural
relevance and coined its own terms such as “cultural vibrancy” and “cultural traction” to
describe brand connection through means of culture. The agency touted that “brands that
find a place in culture, and influence culture, stand to win.”
6
According to the firm,
audiences today seek a cultural connection with brands. This means that to use culture
successfully, it is important to identify and embrace trends that are relevant to the brand
or product being promoted.
When cultural topoi are not fully understood or taken into consideration, public
relations practitioners run the risk of conducting a campaign that lacks cultural relevance.
Take, for example, the case of Covered California’s August 2013 ad where the campaign
was directly translated from English into Spanish. In the television commercial, a series
of individuals are depicted saying the following phrase in Spanish, “Welcome to a new

4
Heath, Robert L. Encyclopedia of Public Relations. SAGE Publications, 2007. S.v. “Cultural Topoi.”
5
Ibid.
6
Clift, Joseph. “Diageo and Added Value on Making Culture Pay.” WARC, June 2015.
Madrigal 6
state of health. Welcome to Covered California.”
7
According to an article by April
Dembovsky, it was evident that the play on words did not translate to Spanish nor retain
the intended nuance.
8
The end result was a Latino-targeted campaign that lacked cultural
nuance and disregarded the cultural values of Latinos. General market preferences were
assumed, and Latino shopping preferences were not taken into account. A website link
was the only point of contact provided to audiences. Aside from the fact that a huge
percentage of residents who need Covered California have no access to computers or the
Internet, Juan Lezama of Mosaico PR also points out that “[with the Latino consumer]
healthcare has to be a more grassroots approach. Hispanics want more of a present,
almost door-to-door, approach.”
Lezama continues to point out that one of the leading factors behind failed
bilingual campaigns is a “misunderstanding of the needs of the community.” Mario
Flores of Sportivo states, “…there’s a lack of understanding and/or budgets allocated to
targeting the Latino community. It’s not necessarily overlooked, it’s just not serviced
properly.” According to Armando Azarloza of the Axis Agency, the budget allocated to
the Hispanic audience is only 5% – 7% of general market spending, which leaves open a
major gap that is an “…opportunity [to] grow sales and build [brand] market share.”
Azarloza also points out that the Latino market has yet to reach media saturation, which
furthers the point that there is space for marketing to Latinos. Yet, public relations
practitioners run the risk of conducting failed campaigns when cultural premises are not
fully understood before the development of a campaign. It could be said that the even

7
Dembosky, April. “Selling Healthcare to California’s Latinos Got Lost in Translation” NPR, March 6,
2014. http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2014/03/06/286226698/selling-health-care-to-californias-
latinos-got-lost-in-translation.
8
Ibid.
Madrigal 7
greater risk would be to undercut the possibility of cultural insights leading to true
moments of creativity, and, ultimately, profits. In other words, embracing cultural
insights could pay off handsomely, not only in revenue but in good will.
In the book Chief Culture Officer, Grant McCracken defines culture as “…the
body of ideas, emotions, and activities that make up the life of the consumer.”
9

McCracken stresses the importance of translating culture into profitable opportunities for
brands to permeate targeted audiences and encourage authentic engagement with
products or lifestyles. The author would like to stress the importance of utilizing teams
of professionals who are all “culture officers” and demonstrate an understanding of the
market, even if each is an expert on specific subculture groups. This is in contrast to the
idea of a single executive officer responsible for updating a corporate office, which is
what McCracken suggests. It is imperative for specialty multicultural firms to be able to
translate culture into terms of profitability for clients. In order to successfully influence
culture, as suggested by Added Value, it is crucial to have a thorough understanding of
the culture in question. Through an authentic knowledge of the targeted cultural group,
public relations practitioners are able to better identify marketing opportunities that
resonate best with audiences. At the end of the day, what matters most is a firm’s ability
to translate culture into profitability as a means of creating and maintaining business with
clients.

9
McCracken, Grant. Chief Culture Officer: How to Create a Living Breathing Corporation. Basic Books,
2009, 1.
Madrigal 8
Chapter Two: Cross-Cultural Marketing vs. Ethnic Specific Marketing
Here is an important question to consider: does specialty multicultural ethnic
marketing have a time stamp? According to Sarah Boumphrey in The Majority Minority
and Cross-Cultural Marketing, the current trend is to utilize cultural values and treat
general market advertising and campaigns with an inclusive attitude. Boumphrey also
highlights increased migration along with growing populations of ethnic minorities as
one of the causes explaining the shift in general market campaigns. She continues her call
for cross-cultural marketing by emphasizing the need to use inclusive marketing
techniques that “…[target] similarities across all ethnic groups…”
10
She further states that
“…modern world consumers have absorbed trends, tastes and attitudes from across
cultures – consumers don’t live in ethnic bubbles.”
11
Should this be true, clients would
not see the value of targeting specific ethnic groups, which could be problematic for
specialty marketing firms. As is, clients look for ways to save money, and they may feel
even less inclined to invest in ethnic- specific campaigns if they come to believe that all-
encompassing campaigns will reach ethnic audiences equally well without additional
marketing strategies and tactics.
Boumphrey’s report also implies that the increase in minority populations will
lead to culture mixes, which in turn will shape the future of the general market. She states
that “95% of the U.S. population growth came from minority populations in 2014 and the
country as a whole is expected to become “majority-minority” by the 2040s.”
12
This
means that minority ethnic populations will be in the majority and significantly

10
Boumphrey, Sarah. “The Majority Minority and Cross-Cultural Marketing.” Euromonitor International,
Aug 7, 2015, 1.
11
Ibid., 1.
12
Ibid., 2.
Madrigal 9
outnumber their non-Hispanic white counterparts. She also argues that this shift in the
general market will allow for brands to have better control over message interpretation
and will decrease confusion that can be caused by running various campaigns for
different targeted audiences. It allows brands to create and maintain a more consistent
image in the eyes of consumers.
Armando Azarloza outlines the need for continued Latino specific marketing due
to the consideration of language in the following quote:
I think, to me, the metric for the Hispanic market to get [to general market
accessibility] is going to be language. If Hispanics stop speaking Spanish and they
only speak English, then that is going to move that very quickly. [They would]
become much more a part of the average general market consumer. I don’t think
Hispanics will divorce themselves from language because one of the things that I
talk about a lot is that immigration is still a factor. Even though we are not seeing
the numbers we have seen in the last twenty years, there are still a lot of people
coming from Latin America and being reunited with family or starting new lives
in the United States. [This is a] little bit different than what we saw in the late
1800s. In the late 1800s, when the immigration came from Europe, there was
almost a start and an end to it. At a certain point that immigration stopped. We
don’t see that [from] Latin America. You are still seeing, even though it is in
smaller numbers, you are still seeing a significant number of people coming over.
With them they bring language, culture and new traditions and new lifestyles.
You are never just going to say: well, one day the Hispanic market will just stop
speaking Spanish. That is never going to happen.

Due to sustained immigration from Latin America, the Hispanic demographic will
continue to require specialty marketing that considers language in the context of cultural
insights for subgroups within the community. Despite the current slump in immigration
from Latin America, the influx of Hispanics entering the United States is not likely to
end. Therefore, a portion of the Hispanic community will continue to require marketing
tactics specific to their needs and cultural premises. For at least the next 30 years, the
current group of immigrants, first and second generations will require special attention
Madrigal 10
from public relations and marketing practitioners. These groups should not be overlooked
or oversimplified into outdated cultural assumptions.
In addition, while some portions of ethnic audiences may eventually reach a point
of accessibility through general market approaches, it is also important to remember that
these groups and communities have yet to reach media saturation, according to Azarloza.
Media saturation occurs when a brand or topic is extremely prevalent in the media, and
easily recognizable among audiences. The strategic implications of reaching media
saturation directly correlate with audience engagement. Consumers tune out and
disengage from brands that inundate their media stream, and this forces marketers to find
new ways to attract and thoughtfully engage their targets. The fact that many ethnic
audiences have yet to reach media saturation implies that there is still a considerable
opportunity for brands and products to reach them. Also, if the general market has
reached media saturation, then it would be less prudent for clients to push a product or
service further and run the risk of turning audiences away. Therefore, it is key for
specialty marketing firms to articulate their knowledge of consumers as clients
potentially turn to cross-cultural measures.
Brand consistency can be achieved through client collaboration and
communication with marketing agencies. Brand image is something that does not have to
be lost in translation, per se. So long as clients have a clear brand image, relaying
messaging consistent with the brand would not be impossible. If it were impossible to
keep branding consistent in various markets, then efforts to enter international markets
would have failed throughout history. Consider McDonald’s and Starbucks; both
companies have an international presence. According to McDonald’s website, the fast
Madrigal 11
food chain operates in over 90 different countries and spans across North America, Latin
America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.
13
Starbucks boasts similar
statistics with representation throughout Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, North
America, and South America.
14
This is a clear indication that both American brands have
managed to enter markets around the world, and appeal to varying cultures while
maintaining brand consistency.
While it may be advantageous for some brands to now market to particular ethnic
groups, it is important to consider future implications of industry practices and the long-
term industry landscape. What will specialty firms do to establish market relevance if and
when cross-cultural campaigns drive marketing standards? The author argues that there
may be a need for ethnic-specific marketing due to migrant communities who will require
specific targeted approaches consistently entering the country. On the other hand, it
would be wise for industry professionals to consider how their ethnic market knowledge
can fulfill future increased client demands for cross-cultural marketing. Specialized
cultural knowledge will help better shape campaigns in ways that prove to be organically
diverse and inclusive. Should specialized multicultural firms be interested, there is a
clear opportunity, and advantage, to position themselves as experts with regard to cross-
cultural strategies. While this strategy may already be prevalent among most
multicultural firms, it is an increasingly important advantage to market considering the
rise in cross-cultural campaign requests.
As it is impossible to foresee the exact direction the marketing industry will take,
it is arguable that some industries will still benefit from specialized marketing. In

13
“About McDonald’s,” McDonald’s Around the Globe.
http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/country/map.html
14
“Site Selector,” Starbucks. http://www.starbucks.com/site-selector
Madrigal 12
particular, beauty and personal care, as Boumphrey acknowledges, will continue to
require specialized marketing tailored to particular ethnic consumers. She also notes that
despite a shift towards a more inclusive and culturally mixed general market audience,
there are instances in which general market values are not enough: for example, the
Hispanic market. The U.S. Latino demographic is not homogenous and is comprised of
various subgroups, and thus it is essential to consider, as Boumphrey states, “…income
levels, acculturation, age and lifestyle.”
15

It is critical to remember that the Latino demographic has yet to reach media
saturation, even though certain brands and products may have reached their saturation
point among the general market. Brands such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi understand the
importance of appealing to ethnic markets. For example, in 2014 Coca-Cola launched its
Super Bowl ad “America the Beautiful” as a way to target multiple ethnicities in a single
campaign. The advertisement shows a diverse group of individuals in their day-to-day
lives as the song “America the Beautiful” is sung in seven different languages.
16
While
this is an example of a cross-cultural campaign, it is a clear indication that the company
acknowledges the extent of its media saturation. Coca Cola’s campaign serves as an
example of a brand that understands the profitability of engaging ethnic audiences. So,
why not take advantage of market space? While it is uncertain how long this advantage
will last, given immigration trends, it may not ever become extinct or unprofitable. At
some point, the specialty firm industry will once again have to find its place when the
majority of these markets reach levels of media saturation and are accessible by clients
and firms working at the general market level. Although these issues may not be an

15
Boumphrey, Sarah. “The Majority Minority and Cross-Cultural Marketing.” Euromonitor International,
August 7, 2015, 1.
16
Ibid., 1.
Madrigal 13
immediate reality, specialty firm talent should be prepared to position themselves as
relevant, if not more knowledgeable, in terms of cross-cultural general market campaigns.
In all, the possible future of cross-cultural marketing does not have to be a threat to the
livelihood of specialty multicultural firms; instead, it can be treated as an opportunity to
attract new business.
Boumphrey ends her report on the following note:
Migration, travel and overseas study mean that ethnic diversity will continue to
increase. Social media will play an ever-increasing role in boosting cross-cultural
communications. A cross-cultural approach to marketing has ever-more
importance in an increasingly diverse – but blended – world. Brands which want
to remain relevant must ensure they target and win consumers across all
segments. Acknowledge heritage and identity, but don’t be consumed by it.
Ethnicity is only one aspect of a consumer: just as important are interests,
incomes, family, work, motivations and more. But whatever your approach, a
deep understanding of ethnic consumers is imperative for success. It’s all in the
detail.
17

Consumers don’t live in silos, and neither do ethnic minority markets, but it is key for
public relations practitioners to thoroughly understand all aspects of their targeted
market.
18

17
Boumphrey, Sarah. “The Majority Minority and Cross-Cultural Marketing.” Euromonitor International,
August 7, 2015, 3.
18
Armando Azarloza, interview with author, December 4, 2015.
Madrigal 14
Chapter Three: Industry Diversity
In the book Racism, Sexism, and the Media: Multicultural Issues Into the New
Communications Age, authors Clint C. Wilson II, Felix Gutierrez, and Lena Chao discuss
the importance of diversity inclusion. The authors state that industry diversity starts at the
university level and works its way up. Also, they point out that “The Commission on
Public Relations Education…asserts that diversity in public relations generally takes two
forms: intercultural/multicultural communication and diversity management.”
19
In
essence, the diversity of the public relations industry is dependent on garnering interest in
the field among university students of varying ethnicities, and, later, diversity
management at the employment level.
The author noticed that many specialty multicultural firms are comprised of teams
of practitioners that, more often than not, reflect the particular ethnic group the specialty
firm targets. Bill Imada believes this to be due to a lack of retention of ethnic talent at
larger agencies, while Armando Azarloza believes it is based on genuine interest in using
firsthand experience and market knowledge in multicultural campaigns. While the trend
may be for many ethnically diverse practitioners to flock to multicultural agencies, the
issue remains that there is an overall lack of diversity throughout the industry.
Gutierrez, Wilson, and Chao report that public relations industry diversity has not
changed much from the 1990s to 2010.
20
They do, however, indicate a rise in the number
of Hispanic female talent. Despite this slight demographic shift in practitioners, they are
quick to remind readers – and hiring managers – that ethnic talent has yet to reach the
highest levels of executive management on a large scale in the industry. Overall, the

19
Wilson II, Clint C., Felix Gutierrez and Lena Chao. Racism, Sexism, and the Media: Multicultural Issues
Into the New Communications Age, 4
th
ed. SAGE Publications, 2012, 188.
20
Ibid., 188.
Madrigal 15
industry leadership continues to consist primarily of White males despite the fact that
female practitioners significantly outnumber male practitioners. White males hold 40% of
management positions in the public relations industry, which is interesting considering
that they only account for 20% of PR university program enrollments nationwide.
21

Furthermore, the authors assert that many ethnic individuals in the industry are often
treated as race representatives, and are “hired primarily to communicate with minority
audiences.”
22
The authors state that hiring minority practitioners to fill quotas often
positions these individuals in a difficult place to attain upward mobility or reach higher
corporate employment levels. In essence, hiring ethnic talent for the sake of diversity
hinders the career trajectory of these practitioners.
Bill Imada suggests that a possible reason for lack of diversity in larger agencies,
especially at the executive level, can be attributed to inadequate effort dedicated to
finding ethnic practitioners. Imada further explains this phenomenon in the following
quote:
I think most agencies, most governmental agencies, and most corporations they
recognize the importance of diversity. They actually believe that they should have
diverse talent on their staff. [T]he most common excuses [for lack of diversity
are], “We haven’t been able to find anybody,” “We haven’t been able to hold onto
whoever we hire,” or “They leave us because they often find other opportunities
elsewhere.” So, I often hear that excuse. If they do have somebody of color, or if
they do have somebody with a diverse background, ethnicity, viewpoint, or from
a different part of the country, they don’t always manage to hold onto them. If
they do manage to hold onto them, they become the go-to person for anything
related to diversity. Often times there are only a small number of diverse
candidates, or diverse individuals, within the office. Some companies will say,
“This is the best that we can do. It probably isn’t good enough, but we are just
going to do with what we have.”

21
Wilson II, Clint C., Felix Gutierrez and Lena Chao. Racism, Sexism, and the Media: Multicultural Issues
Into the New Communications Age, 4
th
ed. SAGE Publications, 2012, 188.
22
Ibid., 188.
Madrigal 16
If the core of the issue truly is a lack of diverse talent to choose from, then, as
outlined by Wilson, Gutierrez, and Chao, there is a need for better recruitment efforts at
the university level. Ironically, the issue of diversity in the communications industry may
stem from a lack communication. Imada believes that more agency and firm involvement
in garnering interest among university students from diverse backgrounds to pursue
careers in marketing, advertising or public relations is the most obvious solution. While
he points out that there are some efforts being led by larger agencies, there is not nearly
enough involvement from smaller and mid-sized firms. He further notes the following
importance of industry promotion:
…they have no engagement at all, and they make no effort at all to try to help
faculty, help administrators, and help students advance and choose
communications, PR, or advertising and marketing as career options. I speak at
colleges practically every single week, and part of that is that we have to continue
to promote the industry. Also, it is important for people of color, and diverse
students, to realize that there is an opportunity in communications and PR for
them; that there are people that look like them, and appreciate that diversity.

Industry promotion efforts should cast a larger net that targets high school students in
addition to university students. Many high schools welcome college admission
presentations and go so far as to book tours at local universities in order to expose
students to their local college options. In addition, high schools flock to college fairs to
further their students’ exposure to university and career options. The opportunities for
communications industry promotion are endless, especially if agencies create strategic
partnerships that educate admissions counselors and faculty about the industry and the
skills needed to succeed after both high school and college graduation. Securing interest
in the industry among high school students is a direct way of increasing enrollment in
communications programs at the university level.
Madrigal 17
With college admissions becoming increasingly more competitive, high school
students many times pursue programs that provide them with experience in their chosen
field of study. It would be advantageous for agencies to consider this trend as a
marketable opportunity to foster additional interest in the communications field. Imada’s
argument that ethnic students need to see a diverse talent pool of practitioners highlights
an important partnership that would be beneficial to agencies: partnered programs
between agencies and ethnic professional associations.
There are various public relations societies that cater specifically to the
advancement of certain minority groups in the industry. For example, the Hispanic Public
Relations Association (HRPA) was established in 1984 to empower Latino public
relations and communications practitioners.
23
Its website claims more than 350 members
nationwide and chapters in Los Angeles, DC, New York, and Miami.
24
This is a clear
indication that there are minority practitioners throughout the United States, many of
whom may be willing to participate in partnered communications industry programs for
students. The National Black Public Relations Society (NBPRS) maintains over 500
members.
25
HRPA and NBPRS are only two of the many industry societies throughout
the nation, indicating that there is a fair set of established ethnic networks for
practitioners. The author noticed that many of the current programs outlined on the
websites for HRPA and NBPRS focus on advancing practitioners already in the industry.
While these numbers are encouraging, they pale by comparison to overall association
membership: roughly 22,000 for the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
26
and

23
HPRA, http://www.hpra-usa.org.
24
Ibid.
25
National Black Public Relations Society, http://www.nbprs.org.
26
“About PRSA,” PRSA. https://www.prsa.org/AboutPRSA/index.html#.VtoTSscSBg0.
Madrigal 18
12,000 for the International Association of Business Communicators.
27
Clearly there is a
lot of room for improving the number of minorities in the industry as a whole.
There is a clear lack of programs dedicated to industry promotions at the
university or high school level. While both HRPA and NBPRS offer summits and
workshops that discuss diversity, neither currently promotes programs that educate
students about career opportunities within the communications industry. In order to create
an organically diverse talent pool, the industry, as a whole, needs to promote career
opportunities to a diverse group of high school and college students. Agencies and ethnic
associations alike should encourage students to consider careers in marketing and public
relations, particularly in ways that simultaneously educate admissions counselors and
faculty about career opportunities in the industry.
Circling back to Wilson, Gutierrez, and Chao, the issue is diversity management
coupled with communication. Agencies must develop more inclusive practices that help
to advance the overall talent pool already in the industry. Another opportunity is for
agencies to support ethnic industry associations. Providing speakers or sponsoring events
and workshops demonstrate an agency’s support for helping minority practitioners. This
helps remove reliance on discriminative hiring practices borne out of the notion that there
is a lack of diverse talent that is right for the job. Again, hiring for the sake of diversity is
not the solution. Practitioners should be hired based on candidacy and relevant expertise.
Therefore, by providing additional assistance and showing support for diverse
associations, agencies can begin to help close the diversity gap in a manner that allows
the industry to progress towards an organically more representative standing.

27
“Membership,” IABC. https://www.iabc.com/membership/.
Madrigal 19

Benefits of Industry Diversity
As mentioned by Bill Imada, the industry clearly desires diversity. While
management may be grappling with how to ethically create more diverse teams, the
demand for diversity indicates that there are unique benefits of having diverse sets of
practitioners working collaboratively.
Wilson, Gutierrez, and Chao note that the “…PRSA did not start its own
Multicultural Communications Section until 1997, as an outgrowth of its National
Multicultural Affairs Committee, which began in 1980.”
28
Yet, multicultural PR agencies
date back to the early 20
th
century, indicating that the industry acknowledged the need to
target ethnic consumers early on.
29
Who better to bring consumer knowledge than
practitioners from diverse backgrounds?
While it is unethical to expect individuals from diverse ethnicities to serve as
representatives for an entire people, an organically diverse team of practitioners opens the
door for truly inclusive marketing campaigns that speak to the changing general market
demographic and values. Furthermore, recruiting more ethnic talent to the industry is not
just the right thing to do, but allows practitioners to apply their personal market
knowledge to ethnic campaigns, of their own volition.
In research conducted for this thesis, the four interviewees were asked to rank the
frequency with which race-representative hiring occurs in the industry. The scoring scale
was a 1 to 10 range with 1 as “occurring least often” to 10 as “occurring most often.”
Three of the four practitioners gave a ranking of 5 or higher. This means they believe the

28
Wilson II, Clint C., Felix Gutierrez and Lena Chao. Racism, Sexism, and the Media: Multicultural Issues
Into the New Communications Age, 4
th
ed. SAGE Publications, 2012, 196.
29
Ibid., 196.
Madrigal 20
frequency with which ethnic practitioners are hired as race representatives occurs fairly
often. Despite this scoring, many of the interviewees clarified that they did not believe
that the practice of race representation is as prevalent an issue as it once was. In
particular, Juan Lezama stated “most practitioners are hired due to their expertise.”
Additionally, Bill Imada noted that “[p]eople want diversity and they recognize it [as
important].” If hiring practices at larger agencies do not necessarily condone hiring race
representatives, then why is there a higher level of diversity among specialty
multicultural firms over their larger counterparts?
The allocation of ethnic minority professionals demonstrates a clear diversity
divide between larger agencies and smaller multicultural firms. This divide is an inherent
product of the current industry structure. On the surface, it seems as though ethnic talent
is flocking to multicultural firms. The author believes that this is a trend worthy of further
research in order to better understand larger agency shortfalls in attracting and retaining
diverse talent.
Juan Lezama mentions another possible solution, one modeled after his firm,
Mosaico. Practitioners there move fluidly between this smaller specialty firm and the
larger umbrella agency, Fineman PR, which gives them the opportunity to work on larger
general market accounts. This is a possible practice that could prove to be advantageous
among specialty firms that are affiliated with larger agencies. This method would allow
practitioners, especially ethnic talent, to gain additional opportunities for mobility
through the agency and acquire a larger skillset working with varied clients and not just a
singular market demographic.
Madrigal 21
In all, diversity is not as simple as ensuring that the “right” ethnicities are
represented on a team. True diversity stems from actions and programs that show the
communications professionals the extent to which a firm believes in advancing diversity
firm-wide and industry-wide. It is a process that requires dedication to industry
recruitment at the university and high school levels. Without dedicated recruitment
efforts, industry diversity is likely to remain limited.

Madrigal 22
Chapter Four: Outdated Market Assumptions

It is the responsibility of marketers and public relations practitioners to
thoroughly understand their targeted audiences, even if the knowledge is spread at
varying degrees throughout teams of practitioners. According to Lezama, the Latino
demographic continues to be misconstrued as solely comprised of only recent immigrants
without voting or spending power. Lezama adds, “[t]here is a missed target of college
educated upper and middle class Latinos. [The] wealthy Hispanics are being left out.”
Despite the economic significance of U.S. Hispanics, the community continues to be
viewed in an outdated manner that disregards the varying levels of income and lifestyle
among Latinos today. If storytelling through cultural influence is the overall goal of the
industry, then why is it so difficult for practitioners to push past outdated views of the
Latino market and focus on how generations and subcultures of the community engage
with products and brands?
The Pew Research Center’s report “Hispanic Nativity Shift,” by Jens Manuel
Krogstad and Mark Hugo Lopez, indicates that from the 1990s to 2000s, the rate of
foreign-born Hispanic populations has decreased; inversely, the rate of native-born
populations has increased.
30
This shift in birth rates directly undermines the notion that
the majority of U.S. Hispanics are recent immigrants. Furthermore, “[a]mong all
Hispanics, the share foreign-born was 35.5% in 2012, down from about 40% earlier in
the 2000s.”
31
It can be surmised that less than half of the current Hispanic population is
foreign-born, as seen in Figure 1.

30
Krogstad, Jens Manuel and Mark Hugo Lopez. “Hispanic Nativity Shift.” Pew Research Center, April
29, 2014. http://www.pewhispanic.org/2014/04/29/hispanic-nativity-shift/.
31
Ibid.
Madrigal 23
Figure 1 – Hispanic Population Growth

Source: Krogstad, Jens Manuel and Mark Hugo Lopez. “Hispanic Nativity Shift.” Pew Research Center,
April 29, 2014. http://www.pewhispanic.org/2014/04/29/hispanic-nativity-shift/.

Krogstad and Lopez add that the Latino adult demographic is changing
dramatically due to the decrease in immigration, and increase in native-births. “Today,
some 800,000 young U.S.-born Hispanics enter adulthood each year….”
32
A steadily
growing demographic of marketable consumers is reaching adulthood, which implies that
a large portion of the Latino population is quite young. As stated by Lezama,
“[M]illennials have the largest Hispanic group, and they are also bicultural.” As many

32
Krogstad, Jens Manuel and Mark Hugo Lopez. “Hispanic Nativity Shift.” Pew Research Center, April
29, 2014. http://www.pewhispanic.org/2014/04/29/hispanic-nativity-shift/.
Madrigal 24
practitioners would agree, the Millennial demographic is a major target that clients are
attempting to reach. Why, then, are practitioners overlooking the fact that the most sought
after demographic indcludes the largest Latino group?
The fact that the Hispanic Millennial demographic is bicultural is, once again, an
opportunity to creatively engage consumers in a way that touches on additional cultural
premises other than just those based on knowledge of the general market. It is fair to
assume that the Hispanic Millennial segment falls in line with digital and mobile
consumption patterns of general market Millennials. Such a large Hispanic segment with
growing purchasing power is a demographic that would be unwise for marketers to miss,
especially with the added opportunity of a wider set of cultural touch points from which
to choose to attract an inherently bicultural audience.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the percent of U.S. Latinos that
are college graduates has risen from 13.4% in 2000 to 16% in 2010, showing a clear
increase in the number of educated Hispanics entering the workforce.
34
In addition, the
U.S. Census Bureau’s 2012 report shows that in 2010, 62% of Hispanics had obtained a
high school degree or more.
35
In addition, the same report indicated that Hispanic
females who have obtained a higher education now outnumber their male Latino
counterparts. These statistics are a clear indication that the Latino demographic is shifting
in an upwardly mobile direction and entering the American workforce at increasing rates.
These significant educational shifts highlight a new group of consumers with rising
income levels. A higher income translates to an opportunity for brands and marketers to
tap into a demographic with greater purchasing power. Although male Latinos out-earn

34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment and Earnings Online. Washington, DC: GPO, 2011
35
U.S. Census Bureau. Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2012, Washington, DC: GPO, 2012.
Madrigal 25
their female counterparts, the fact remains that there is an obvious increase in disposable
income that makes the educated Latino demographic an even more appealing market for
clients. Latino earnings are further outlined below in Figure 2.
Figure 2 – Mean Earnings by Highest Degree Earned: 2009
Table 232. Mean Earnings by Highest Degree Earned: 2009
[In dollars. For persons 18 years old and over with earnings. Persons as of March 2010. Based on Current Population Survey; see text, Section 1,
Population, and Appendix III. For definition of mean, see Guide to Tabular Presentation]
Characteristic
Total
persons
Mean earnings by level of highest degree (dollars)
Not a
high
school
graduate
High
school
graduate
only
Some
college,
no
degree
Associate's Bachelor's Master's Professional Doctorate
2009

All persons \1 42,469 20,241 30,627 32,295 39,771 56,665 73,738 127,803 103,054

Age:
..25 to 34 years old 36,595 19,415 27,511 31,392 35,544 45,692 58,997 86,440 74,626
..35 to 44 years old 49,356 24,728 33,614 39,806 42,353 65,346 80,593 136,366 108,147
..45 to 54 years old 51,956 23,725 36,090 44,135 46,413 69,548 86,532 148,805 112,134
..55 to 64 years old 50,372 24,537 34,583 42,547 42,192 59,670 76,372 149,184 110,895
..65 years old and over 37,544 19,395 28,469 29,602 33,541 44,147 45,138 95,440 95,585

Sex:
..Male 50,186 23,036 35,468 39,204 47,572 69,479 90,964 150,310 114,347
..Female 33,797 15,514 24,304 25,340 33,432 43,589 58,534 89,897 83,708

White \2 43,337 20,457 31,429 33,119 40,632 57,762 73,771 127,942 104,533
..Male 51,287 23,353 36,418 40,352 48,521 71,286 91,776 149,149 115,497
..Female 34,040 15,187 24,615 25,537 33,996 43,309 58,036 89,526 85,682

Black \2 33,362 18,936 26,970 29,129 33,734 47,799 60,067 102,328 82,510
..Male 37,553 21,828 30,723 33,969 41,142 55,655 68,890 (B) (B)
..Female 29,831 15,644 22,964 25,433 29,464 42,587 54,523 (B) (B)

Hispanic \3 29,565 19,816 25,998 29,836 33,783 49,017 71,322 79,228 88,435
..Male 32,279 21,588 28,908 35,089 38,768 58,570 80,737 (B) 89,956
..Female 25,713 16,170 21,473 24,281 29,785 39,566 61,843 (B) (B)

SYMBOL:
B Base figure too small to meet statistical standards for reliability of a derived figure.
FOOTNOTES:

\1 Includes other races not shown separately.
\2 For persons who selected this race group only. The 2003 Current Population Survey (CPS) allowed respondents to choose more than one
race. Beginning 2003 data represent persons who selected this race group only and exclude persons reporting more than one race. The CPS in
prior years only allowed respondents to report one race group. See also comments on race in the text for Section 1, Population.
\3 Persons of Hispanic origin may be any race.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, unpublished data.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2012, Washington, DC: GPO, 2012.

Madrigal 26
Furthermore, Latinos’ voting power is steadily increasing. According to a
collaborative report from the Center for American Progress and the Centro de
Investigación y Docena Económicas, “…40 million [U.S. Latinos] are expected to be
eligible to vote by 2030.”
36
This projected statistic further underscores the growing
agency of the Hispanic population in the United States. Another important consideration
is a significant change in language patterns among Latinos. In many instances, Hispanics
are considered to be Spanish dominant with regard to language; therefore, it is many
times assumed that solely translating a campaign to Spanish will suffice in reaching the
demographic. Armando Azarloza describes the following shift in language choice among
U.S. Hispanics:
[W]e are definitely seeing changes in language patterns. Right now, I would say
the market is about 50% Spanish dominant, and 50% either English language or
bilingual. That is a pretty big shift in the last seven or eight years. Seven or eight
years ago it was 80% Spanish language [dominant] and about 20% to 25%
bilingual or English dominant.

It is important to realize that this major shift in language preference has occurred in less
than a decade. Thus, relying solely on traditional Spanish language translation tactics to
reach Hispanic audiences represent an outdated marketing approach, and a highly risky
mistake to make. Azarloza furthers his point by calling for stronger campaigns based on
innovation and cultural insights in order to create more meaningful engagement. Given
the growing power of the Latino demographic, it is irresponsible for public relations
practitioners today to fall back on outdated market assumptions when targeting Latino
audiences. In other words, a straight English-to-Spanish translation has never been an

36
“Latinos Are Shaping the Future of the United States: How the United States and Mexico Are Growing
Together.” Center for American Progress and Centro de Investigación y Docena Económicas. November
2015. https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/23114334/CAP-CIDE-report2-
WEB.pdf.
Madrigal 27
accurate way to market to the demographic and now there is statistical evidence to prove
that it is actually an insulting, wildly inaccurate approach.
Another archaic assumption of marketing to Hispanics is that, overall, they
demonstrate higher levels of brand loyalty. Again, Azarloza quickly corrects the belief by
pointing out that this market stereotype stems from a possible lack of options available
prior to coming to the United States, but once here Latino consumers find that they have
a wealth of product options available to them. Moreover, with increasing levels of U.S.-
born Hispanics, it can be presumed that Latinos adopt general market consumption
patterns that do not necessarily demonstrate strong brand loyalties.
The following question still begs to be answered: What causes public relations
and marketing practitioners to, in many cases, view the Hispanic market in an outdated
fashion? Mario Flores of Sportivo sheds light on the answer by identifying that
“…there’s a lack of understanding and/or budgets allocated to targeting the Latino
community. It’s not necessarily overlooked, it’s just not serviced properly.” A lack of
funding allocated to servicing the Latino market is a clear indication that many clients do
not fully comprehend the economic significance of this demographic. This leaves
practitioners without the necessary funds to better research the targeted Hispanic
audience and use appropriate cultural insights. It is, again, the responsibility of specialty
marketing firms to educate clients on the profitable opportunity represented by the Latino
market in order to secure sufficient funding for these accounts.
It can be concluded that the Latino market is underserved due to the use of
outdated market assumptions that are perpetuated due to a lack of sufficient account
funding. The solution to this vicious cycle falls on the shoulders of specialty marketing
Madrigal 28
firms. They must find ways to convince clients about the profitability of marketing to
Latinos, underscoring the importance of segmented marketing over cross-cultural
marketing approaches. Only then can practitioners further focus on understanding the
many subgroups and cultures that make up this diverse demographic.

Madrigal 29
Chapter Five: Latino Market Diversity

In many instances, it is wrongly assumed that language is the most important
consideration when marketing to Latinos. Culture is easily set aside, and, at times,
forgotten. Cultural premises and insights are the most critical component of a campaign
that targets Hispanics. Azarloza outlines this notion in the following quote:
Language is a consideration, right? It’s something that you have to consider, but
language should not be the determining factor for how you communicate with
Hispanics. I think that the most important thing that you have to think about is
culture. You have to figure out a way to devise the proper cultural strategy to
reach that consumer. So, what I mean by that, I mean that there are certain
cultural cues that we grew up with that will resonate with us because they are
familiar, because they remind us of some tradition, some value, or some story that
we’ve been told over the years growing up with parents that weren’t born in the
U.S. and lived most of their lives outside of the United States. So I think that’s
really the key thing. It’s not language, but rather culture.

While cultural insights should drive any campaign efforts to target Hispanics, it is
important to note that the Latino demographic is not homogenous. Cultural
considerations vary among the different groups of Latinos throughout the United States.
The points of diversity span across factors such as education, country of origin, income,
political views, age, acculturation, and religion.

Cultural Sustainability
According to Rob Walker’s article, “Cultural Relevance Key to Wooing U.S.
Hispanic Consumers,” cultural sustainability is strong among Latinos.
37
This means that
Hispanics, even those native-born, cling to the cultural premises associated with their
Latino identity. Although acculturation is a factor, Latinos continue to straddle two

37
Walker, Rob. “Cultural Relevance Key to Wooing US Hispanic Consumers.” Euromonitor International,
October 2, 2014, 1.
Madrigal 30
cultures. This demographic lives a bicultural reality that borrows from both general
American as well as Latino cultural values.
In addition, the report released by the Center for American Progress in
conjunction with the Centro de Investigación y Docena Económicas states, of the over 55
million Hispanics in the United States, roughly 34 million identify as Mexican American.

38
The following percentages are representative of other groups Latinos identify with, and
this Latino demographic is broken down in the report as follows:
- 9% Puerto Rican
- 4% Cuban
- 4% Salvadorian
- 3% Dominican
- 16% all other (combined)

According to the Pew Research Center’s report, “When Labels Don’t Fit:
Hispanics and Their Views of Identity,” a staggering 51% of U.S. Latinos identify as
their family’s country of origin.
39
This puts into perspective the importance of
understanding the aforementioned list of Hispanic nationalities. Practitioners must
consider cultural nuances that may be unique to particular segments of the Latino
demographic. This is especially true considering that 69% of survey respondents said that
“the more than 50 million Latinos in the U.S. have many different cultures rather than a
common culture.”
40
While the cultural diversity of the Latino demographic may be rather
large, campaigns that strategically use shared cultural connections and premises across
the different cultures stand to reach a broader Hispanic audience. However, this does not

38
“Latinos Are Shaping the Future of the United States: ‘How the United States and Mexico Are Growing
Together.’” Center for American Progress and Centro de Investigación y Docena Económicas. November
2015. https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/23114334/CAP-CIDE-report2-
WEB.pdf.
39
Taylor, Paul, Mark Hugo Lopez, Jessica Martinez, and Gabriel Velasco. “When Labels Don’t Fit:
Hispanics and Their Views of Identity.” Pew Research Center, April 4, 2012.
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2012/04/04/v-politics-values-and-religion/.
40
Ibid.
Madrigal 31
imply that the cultural diversity should be disregarded. Careful consideration of the fact
that cultural nuances vary across each group segment can significantly reduce the risk of
campaign messaging inconsistencies.

Historical Nuance
Cultural premises also can be influenced by historical nuance; therefore, it is
imperative that practitioners consider the historical context of the different subgroups
within the Hispanic demographic. According to Imada, dates and numbers can carry
nuance and symbolize important historical events for a group, as he describes in the
following example:
The number eight is, to an average English speaking American, just a number. It
is eight digits, eight items. The number eight in Chinese has a nuance to it; it
sounds very close to the word for prosperity. So, when people hear the number
eight in Chinese it has the same sound, or similar sound to, the word for
prosperity. It is similar to the number nine. Nine sounds like longevity. Or, there
might be a different nuance that might include something like 1947 in an ad. Most
Americans will say, “1947 doesn’t mean anything. Maybe it is just part of four
digits of a telephone number.” [1947] is the year India became independent from
England; Pakistan became independent from England. So when people see the
number, they immediately have this feeling of warmth, “Our country grew up at
that time, it became independent of the British Empire.” So, there is nuance
behind that. You can’t just translate that.

When these additional nuances of historical significance are overlooked, brands and
practitioners run the risk of making socially irresponsible references. Take, for example,
Disney Japan’s seemingly innocent tweet to Japan from its corporate account in 2015.
The corporate handle tweeted a reference from the film Alice in Wonderland that did not
translate as originally intended. The tweet wished followers “A very merry unbirthday to
you!” on what was thought to be a randomly selected date. As it turned out, Disney Japan
faced harsh criticism for not realizing the historical significance of that particular day,
Madrigal 32
August 9
th
, which happened to be the 70
th
anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of
Nagasaki.
41
Additionally, the faux pas was made worse by the translation that read
“congratulations on a not special day.” This irresponsibility stemmed from a lack of
cultural awareness that easily could have been avoided had historical nuance been
considered. According to an article by CNBC, “Japan holds solemn ceremonies each year
to mourn the more than 74,000 people killed in the bombing of Nagasaki on August 9
th
,
1945, three days after the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.”
42
August 9
th

holds a very specific cultural significance among the Japanese, and this example
powerfully shows that nuance is not limited only to language.
As Imada so eloquently points out, a simple language-to-language translation will
not work. Professor Jennifer Floto of the University of Southern California further
illuminates this notion in a misinterpretation of a class assignment in USC Annenberg’s
PR Studies Program. “I regularly resort to clichés when explaining coursework or
concepts,” she noted. This particular one resulted in mass confusion among non-native
English speakers during a midterm. “I instructed the students to explain why a crisis
ensued because company spokespersons ‘jumped to conclusions.’ The confused students
started thumbing through the document, thinking that I meant ‘hop to the end,’ and that
there was some clue at the end of the test.” So, as Floto noted, “This example was pretty
benign, but because English is full of jargon, homilies and cultural/historical references
readers, viewers, listeners, buyers, voters can misconstrue language or consider it
insulting/damaging.”

41
“Disney apologizes over tweet on Nagasaki A-bomb anniversary.” CNBC, 10 Aug 2015. Web.
http://www.cnbc.com/2015/08/10/disney-apologizes-over-tweet-on-nagasaki-a-bomb-anniversary.html
42
Ibid.
Madrigal 33
Political and Religious Diversity
The complexity of the Hispanic demographic can also be noted in the differing
political views across the market. For example, Lezama notes that Cuban-Americans tend
to skew more Republican while Mexican Americans skew more Democratic in their
political views. While this is a generalization of the two groups, it is a clear indication
that the overall Hispanic demographic does not ascribe to a singular political viewpoint.
To further note the diversity of political views, consider Figure 3 from the Pew
Research Center’s report, “When Labels Don’t Fit: Hispanics and Their Views of
Identity.”
Figure 3 – Political Views Among Hispanics

Source: Taylor, Paul, Mark Hugo Lopez, Jessica Martinez, and Gabriel Velasco. “When Labels Don’t Fit:
Hispanics and Their Views of Identity.” Pew Research Center, April 4, 2012.
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2012/04/04/v-politics-values-and-religion/.

Madrigal 34
According to the report, “…Hispanics are no more or less likely than the general public
to describe their political views as conservative.”
44
It is clear that the Latino population
does not collectively represent a singular political stance and is just as diverse as the
general population with regard to political ideology.
In addition, the Pew Research Center’s report demonstrates the religious diversity
among Hispanics. As seen in Figure 4, while the population of Latinos is predominantly
Catholic, there are clear decreases in religious affiliation between Native-born, second
generation, and third generation Hispanics. By contrast, roughly 69% of the foreign-born
population identifies as Catholic. Yet, only 40% of third or higher generations identify as
Catholic.
45
Inversely, rates among Hispanics that identify as Protestant or Evangelical
show a clear increase over generations born in the United States.
Figure 4 – Generational Religious Affiliation

Source: Taylor, Paul, Mark Hugo Lopez, Jessica Martinez, and Gabriel Velasco. “When Labels Don’t Fit:
Hispanics and Their Views of Identity.” Pew Research Center, April 4, 2012.
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2012/04/04/v-politics-values-and-religion/.

44
Taylor, Paul, Mark Hugo Lopez, Jessica Martinez, and Gabriel Velasco. “When Labels Don’t Fit:
Hispanics and Their Views of Identity.” Pew Research Center, April 4, 2012.
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2012/04/04/v-politics-values-and-religion/.
45
Taylor, Paul, Mark Hugo Lopez, Jessica Martinez, and Gabriel Velasco. “When Labels Don’t Fit:
Hispanics and Their Views of Identity.” Pew Research Center, April 4, 2012.
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2012/04/04/v-politics-values-and-religion/.
Madrigal 35
Thus, it is clear that religious preferences among the Latino population are changing from
generation to generation, especially in comparison to foreign-born segments.

Targeting Latino Consumers
Walker’s article, “Cultural Relevance Key to Wooing U.S. Hispanic Consumers”
states “…brands that satisfy the culturally relevant needs of Hispanic consumers are those
likely to do the best.”
46
Public relations and marketing practitioners must consider the
extent of diversity among Latinos in the United States, and not fall prey to outdated
assumptions. Walker also argues that trust is a major factor behind successfully
marketing to Latinos. This is especially important given that Latinos, particularly foreign-
born, have higher levels of distrust than the general market.
47
In addition, he underscores
the importance of nostalgia for “homeland.” These clear overarching Latino values are
examples of cultural premises that can clue into insights for practitioners to utilize
strategically in order to speak from a place of authenticity.
Cultural values aside, Lezama calls for a better understanding of “the practices
and consumption of information [among Latinos].” Identifying the media through which
messages are delivered to audiences is the next step, and just as important as having
accurate cultural insights behind a campaign. Understanding which audience segments
are reachable through television as compared to those reachable through digital are
crucial for success. Lezama also points out the importance of educating the media that

46
Walker, Rob. “Cultural Relevance Key to Wooing US Hispanic Consumers.” Euromonitor International,
October 2, 2014, 1.
47
Taylor, Paul, Mark Hugo Lopez, Jessica Martinez, and Gabriel Velasco. “When Labels Don’t Fit:
Hispanics and Their Views of Identity.” Pew Research Center, April 4, 2012.
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2012/04/04/v-politics-values-and-religion/.
Madrigal 36
reach these target audiences on topics that are most pertinent to the community,
particularly those tied to the campaign.
With the advent of digital communication, there is a wealth of information online
is available for marketers to create consumer profiles. Azarloza describes Axis Agency’s
use of its Cluster X approach as a means of fostering a better understanding of consumer
habits and preferences.
Cluster X allows us to build a profile of that Hispanic target and build it with
much more than just language and surname. We look at it with how people are
engaging with content online. What are they liking? What are they posting on?
What are their levels of interest? With the tools today available through digital
media, through Facebook and Twitter and other social platforms you can pretty
easily develop a profile by understanding what the person likes, how they post,
what they talk about, what they like on certain platforms. You can begin to pull
together a profile. And that’s the information we need in order to really begin to
develop a very strategic campaign because it goes well beyond the obvious. It
goes now into what that person does on a regular basis. That’s what brands want
to know.

Social media and online consumer behavior provides information that is sufficient for
marketers to discover trends and additional consumer insights related to Hispanics. In
turn, these additional insights may provide additional opportunities or inspire creative
ways to further engage Latinos.
The Latino demographic is highly diverse, and discovery of subcultures may lead
agencies to avenues for new business and the attraction of new clients not previously
considered. What’s to say that younger Latinos are not heavily invested in heavy metal
music or anime cosplay conventions? According to Azarloza, Latinos do not live in silos.
Hispanics, especially those native-born, progress into varying lifestyles and preferences
that may prove to be profitable for marketers. Niche markets may be waiting to be
discovered.
Madrigal 37
Chapter Six: Language as a Vehicle
While language should not be the primary consideration when targeting Latinos, it
is a relevant aspect of marketing to U.S. Hispanics who live in an increasingly bicultural
world. The Pew Research Center’s report, “When Labels Don’t Fit: Hispanics and Their
Views of Identity” demonstrates that English proficiency increases among subsequent
native-born generations, yet roughly 95% of adult Latinos “believe it is important for
future generations of Hispanics in the U.S. to be able to speak Spanish.”
48
Thus, Spanish
language usage remains a significant cultural premise among Latinos, even those who are
English-dominant or native-born Americans. The following two charts show the inverse
language trends of English as well as Spanish fluency among varying levels of nativity
among Hispanics.
Figure 5 – English Speaking and Reading Ability

48
Taylor, Paul, Mark Hugo Lopez, Jessica Martinez, and Gabriel Velasco. “When Labels Don’t Fit:
Hispanics and Their Views of Identity.” Pew Research Center, April 4, 2012.
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2012/04/04/v-politics-values-and-religion/.
Madrigal 38
Source: Taylor, Paul, Mark Hugo Lopez, Jessica Martinez, and Gabriel Velasco. “When Labels Don’t Fit:
Hispanics and Their Views of Identity.” Pew Research Center, April 4, 2012.
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2012/04/04/v-politics-values-and-religion/.

It is evident that a significant percentage of later generations of Hispanics still
resort to and value Spanish language, even if language proficiency has declined.
According to the Pew report, “…more than six-in-ten (61%) Latino adults in the U.S. say
they can carry on a conversation in English ‘very well’ or ‘pretty well.’ A similar share
(60%) say they can read a newspaper or book in English ‘very well’ or ‘pretty well.’”
49

Thus, both English and Spanish prove to be useful vehicles for delivering messages to
Latino audiences. It is, however, important to note which generational segment is the
primary target in order to decipher which language is used most prominently and will be
more likely to increase message resonance.
Figure 6 – Spanish Speaking and Reading Ability

49
Taylor, Paul, Mark Hugo Lopez, Jessica Martinez, and Gabriel Velasco. “When Labels Don’t Fit:
Hispanics and Their Views of Identity.” Pew Research Center, April 4, 2012.
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2012/04/04/v-politics-values-and-religion/.
Madrigal 39
Source: Taylor, Paul, Mark Hugo Lopez, Jessica Martinez, and Gabriel Velasco. “When Labels Don’t Fit:
Hispanics and Their Views of Identity.” Pew Research Center, April 4, 2012.
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2012/04/04/v-politics-values-and-religion/.

Additionally, language patterns among Latinos vary with regard to television and
other media consumption. Similar to language proficiency trends among the different
nativity groups, the number of Latinos who listen to music mostly in Spanish decreases
among native-born second and third generations. Roughly 35% of the overall Hispanic
market listens to music mostly in Spanish, 27% listen to music in both languages equally,
and 36% listen to music mostly in English.
50
These consumption trends show a clear
indication that while Spanish-language is culturally significant, the music tastes among
Latinos is diverse.
Inversely, a significant portion of television consumption among Latinos is
primarily English language programming. Spanish-language programs have a much
higher viewership from first-generation audiences (40%), but viewership steadily
decreases generationally to as low at 5%.
51
This underscores the importance for
marketers to thoroughly understand consumption patterns among their targeted audiences
and build profiles use the right channels to reach the right audiences.

Bilingual Messaging
According to Manuel Garcia-Garcia, Roberto Ruiz, and Esther Franklin’s article,
“The Bilingual Brain: Maximizing Impact with English-and-Spanish-Speaking
Millennials,” Spanish language elicits best message resonance when used during
moments of utmost importance in an ad. The authors state that “[o]verall, Spanish-

50
Taylor, Paul, Mark Hugo Lopez, Jessica Martinez, and Gabriel Velasco. “When Labels Don’t Fit:
Hispanics and Their Views of Identity.” Pew Research Center, April 4, 2012.
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2012/04/04/v-politics-values-and-religion/.
51
Ibid.
Madrigal 40
language does a better job of connecting with bilingual Millennials[.]”
52
The article notes
that, given the estimated growth of the Hispanic population and bilingual subgroups,
language will become an increasingly important factor when determining how to reach
Millennials.
53
The use of Spanish language is a useful tool for marketers, but should still
be used in conjunction with rich cultural insights in order to truly reach Latino audiences.
The article draws from a collaborative study conducted by Nielsen, Univision
Communications and SMG Multicultural that researches language preferences.
The article explains that “[b]ecause cognitive resources are diverted during
language switches, key messaging or branded moments may escape comprehension,
decreasing the effectiveness of the advertisement.”
54
This means that campaigns and
advertisements should refrain from using language switches during pivotal messaging
moments or face the risk of its audience losing key message memory retention. Spanish is
proven most impactful when used during moments of emotion, social interaction, and
branding.
55
In the study outlined in the article, eight identical English-only and Spanish-
only advertisements were compared for neurological effectiveness. The findings
demonstrated that no language specific advertisement performed better than the other.
However, participants demonstrated higher levels of connection with Spanish-language
advertisements with “content [that was] emotional in nature.”
56
Strategic use of Spanish
language throughout a campaign can help to invoke key message recollection among

52
Garcia-Garcia, Manuel, Roberto Ruiz and Esther Franklin. “The Bilingual Brain: Maximizing Impact
with English-and-Spanish-Speaking Millennials.” WARC, April 2015, 3.
53
Ibid., 2.
54
Ibid., 4.
55
Ibid., 6.
56
Ibid., 3.
Madrigal 41
Hispanic audiences, if used appropriately. Thus, bilingual campaigns can prove to be a
powerful marketing tactic that evokes deeper levels of engagement among Latinos.
Additionally, Spanish-language ad memory is increased when following Spanish
programming.
57
For this reason, it is imperative to consider campaign placement in terms
of medium and context. Another factor to consider is that bilingual Latinos are natural
translators; therefore, translating for these audiences creates redundancy that may
dissuade viewership and resonance.
58
Lezama notes that one possible factor for higher
levels of message resonance may stem from the fact that “You are speaking their
language or the language of their parents. They are appreciative of the consideration and
relevance.” In essence, language can function as a tool for cultural relevance and foster
deeper levels of engagement among audiences when used appropriately. Spanish
language usage may serve as a way for brands and marketers to show cultural
appreciation and consideration while still speaking to audiences in a way that is
meaningful.

Bilingual Campaign Management
For practitioners who find it beneficial to utilize Spanish throughout a campaign, it is
imperative that messaging reflects the best delivery of the intended nuance. In order to
ensure that nuance is not lost in translation, both Lezama and Imada agree that a native
Spanish-speaker who is in tune with the cultural insights should develop the messaging.
Imada goes on to say, “What happens is that we write it in English, and somebody would
say, ‘Just translate this.’ People don’t capture the nuance of that language.” Relying on

57
Garcia-Garcia, Manuel, Roberto Ruiz and Esther Franklin. “The Bilingual Brain: Maximizing Impact
with English-and-Spanish-Speaking Millennials.” WARC, April 2015, 3.
58
Ibid., 6.
Madrigal 42
simple translations is one of the biggest mistakes that can be made in the communications
industry; consider again the case of Covered California. Simple translations can very
easily turn well-meaning messages into remarks that do not hold any meaningful value to
audiences. This lack of consideration inevitably reflects poorly on the agency behind the
campaign and the brand involved. Simple faux pas can almost immediately corrode
audience trust of a brand, and even client trust of an agency.
Lezama believes that the first step to a successful bilingual campaign is to
conduct an audit across media in both English and Spanish, aside from just the obvious
networks Univision and Telemundo. Next, he notes that it is important to determine
which areas demonstrate a lack of awareness among audiences. Consider again the case
of Covered California. The Latino demographic was not aware of the new service;
therefore, marketers had to find ways to educate this audience about healthcare insurance
options. Together, these two steps allow practitioners to decipher if there is a lack of
awareness across a particular medium based on language. Practitioners can then decide
which language-based target group may require additional efforts in order to enhance
awareness of the intended message or brand. Exposure can be created based on an
understanding of market needs and media patterns in both languages. Cultural insights
should be at the base of the campaign, but proper strategic use of language and media are
additional tools that are important for effectively reaching Latinos. Understanding the
Spanish-language based media landscape helps to better paint the reality that Hispanics
live, and issues they are exposed to aside from what is solely covered in English-
language media.
Madrigal 43
According to Mario Flores, it is imperative to employ a team of practitioners who
understand how to make a campaign resonate; a thorough understanding of the Latino
market is not complete without comprehension of both English-and-Spanish-language
media. According to a report released by WARC, “Lessons from the World’s Best
Campaigns,” the leading media used in 2015 among the top campaigns was social media.
Campaigns that used digital-led models were some of the most successful. Additionally,
the most used soft metrics were social media/buzz and awareness.
59

Understanding the media landscape for Latinos is imperative to discovering areas
where media saturation has yet to occur, and which of these areas provide the most
opportunity for clients.. The increasing levels of education and income among Hispanics
translate into better accessibility in the digital space, especially through smartphone
usage.

59
“WARC 100: Lessons from the World’s Best Campagins.” WARC, 2015.
Madrigal 44
Chapter Seven: Latino Digital Consumption
Technological advances have allowed Internet usage to become more widely
available among all Americans. This, coupled with rising levels of education and income
among Hispanics, implies that they are not without access to digital media. According to
the Pew Research Center’s report, “Closing the Digital Divide: Latinos and Technology
Adoption,” Internet usage and cellphone ownership has drastically increased since 2010.
As seen in Figure 7, Internet usage along and cellphone ownership rates among Hispanics
have changed dramatically in less than a decade.
Figure 7 – Internet and Cellphone Trends

Source: Lopez, Mark Hugo, Ana Gonzalez-Barrera and Eileen Patten. “Closing the Digital Divide: Latinos
and Technology Adoption.” Pew Research Center, March 7, 2013.
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2013/03/07/closing-the-digital-divide-latinos-and-technology-adoption/.

It is evident that a significant spike in cellphone ownership along with Internet
usage has occurred, most drastically among Latinos. Both trends occurring
simultaneously imply an increase in Internet access through mobile phone use. This is a
Madrigal 45
clear indication that Hispanic online digital consumption is close to matching that of the
general market, if not already on par in particular segments.
According to the Pew report, nearly half (49%) of Hispanic adults reported
owning a smartphone.
60
Also, adult Latinos access the Internet on a mobile device at a
higher rate than their White counterparts; roughly 76% of Hispanic adults reported using
a cellphone, tablet or handheld device occasionally to access the Internet.
61
They do not
shy away from accessing social networking sites on a mobile device; their social media
usage nearly equals usage among White adult Internet users, as seen in Figure 8.
Figure 8 – Smartphone Ownership, Mobile Internet Use, and Social Networking Site Use

60
Lopez, Mark Hugo, Ana Gonzalez-Barrera and Eileen Patten. “Closing the Digital Divide: Latinos and
Technology Adoption.” Pew Research Center, March 7, 2013.
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2013/03/07/closing-the-digital-divide-latinos-and-technology-adoption/.
61
Ibid.
Madrigal 46
Source: Lopez, Mark Hugo, Ana Gonzalez-Barrera and Eileen Patten. “Closing the Digital Divide: Latinos
and Technology Adoption.” Pew Research Center, March 7, 2013.
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2013/03/07/closing-the-digital-divide-latinos-and-technology-adoption/.

Clearly, Hispanic audiences are reachable through various digital media; their digital
consumption is on par with that of the general market. According to the report, “…84%
of Latino internet users ages 18 to 29 say they use social networking sites such as
Facebook and Twitter, the highest rate among Latinos.”
62
Not surprisingly, the report
notes that smartphone ownership and Internet usage rates are lowest among foreign-born
Latinos as well as Latinos aged 65 or older. Although usage is less among foreign-born
Hispanics, only 54% of the demographic that uses social media is native born.
63
This can
be interpreted to mean that social media presence is not limited to native-born Latinos.
While the percentage of social media users may be smaller among foreign-born
Hispanics, this does not mean that they are not in the digital sphere. The author posits that
this number will clearly continue to rise.
According to the Pew Research Center’s report, “[a]mong Latinos who use social
networking sites, 60% say they do so mostly or only in English, 29% say they do so
mostly or only in Spanish and 11% say they use both English and Spanish equally.”
64

Not surprisingly, language usage patterns continue to vary depending on nativity. U.S.-
born Hispanics primarily use English on social networking sites, while foreign-born
counterparts primarily interact using Spanish. It is, however, important to remember that
language is culturally significant for Latinos, as mentioned earlier. While U.S.-born

62
Lopez, Mark Hugo, Ana Gonzalez-Barrera and Eileen Patten. “Closing the Digital Divide: Latinos and
Technology Adoption.” Pew Research Center, March 7, 2013.
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2013/03/07/closing-the-digital-divide-latinos-and-technology-adoption/.
63
Ibid.
64
Ibid.
Madrigal 47
generations use English more often than Spanish in social interactions, particularly
online, there is still a connection to Spanish language usage that is consistent.
The author infers that, given the social media usage among young adult Latinos
coupled with smartphone ownership rates, this demographic may very well also be
reachable on social media channels such as Snapchat. Currently, Snapchat offers
sponsored filters that coincide with entertainment-related events, cities, festivals, etc. The
digital presence of Latinos across multiple social platforms is an opportunity for public
relations practitioners and marketers alike to consider additional creative avenues for
reaching Hispanic audiences in relevant ways. Outdated market assumptions hinder
practitioners and muffle moments of creativity. It is evident that the Latino reality is as
diverse in its consumption patterns as it is culturally and economically. Considering the
increase of Internet usage among Latinos, even foreign-born, the possibilities for
reaching consumer targets are endless. Therefore, appropriate language deployed through
strategically chosen channels can be used as a vehicle for delivering a relevant message
based on cultural insights.

Madrigal 48
Conclusion

With the wealth of information available, it would be highly irresponsible for
practitioners to overlook the growing overall market as well as the diversity of
consumption patterns in the Latino demographic. The surest way to better serve U.S.
Hispanics is to develop strategies that are based on insights that reflect the issues and
cultural values that are most pertinent and are considerate of the diversity within the
group. Practitioners should not shy away from using modern marketing practices to reach
Hispanic audiences, but these approaches should not be used in conjunction with
outdated market perceptions. It is imperative to comprehend the reality that Latinos live
today, and uncover cultural insights that go well beyond superficial cultural
understandings. In addition, Latino advertising does not imply solely marketing in
Spanish. The Millennial generation and others who have further acculturated speak
English, are naturally bicultural and function at a bicultural capacity. They straddle two
cultures, so while it may be advantageous to create touch points using nostalgia for a
home country or culture, that shouldn’t limit creative output when developing campaigns.
Although segments of the Latino market group may eventually reach a point where
general market tactics are successful at targeting them, it would be advantageous for
practitioners to consider niche markets today and engage them in ways that create
relevancy. This can be accomplished through the use of unique cultural insights which
allow for brand touch points and messaging to audiences on a more meaningful level.
Language should be used as a vehicle for delivering a message based in cultural insights.
However, language should not be the sole driving factor behind a campaign.
Madrigal 49
Digital and social media usage rates among Latinos match that of the general market.
It is the responsibility of marketing and public relations practitioners to tap into the
wealth of consumer information that available through digital sources in order to
thoroughly understand the breadth of diversity and subcultures within the Latino
demographic. Lack of research and insights will only perpetuate the use of outdated
market assumptions that do not reflect the reality that Latinos live today.
In addition, while the industry looks to solve the riddle of diversity, the supply of
public relations professionals from diverse ethnic backgrounds will not significantly
increase until agencies make an effort to better promote the industry at the university and
high school levels. Authentic diversity should start at the core; having a larger pool of
diverse talent entering the workforce directly from the university allows for the creation
of organically diverse teams. This is important in order to continue to hire the best person
for the job, ideally also one who brings unique expertise to the team. Additionally,
current industry practices serve to further divide the allocation of ethnic talent. The
excuse that there is not enough ethnic talent to choose from is only a reflection of a lack
of effort to formulate better recruitment tactics that reach the university level, and
inadequate attempts to help students understand and garner interest pursuing careers in
the industry. The numerous associations that work towards the professional development
of ethnic talent also lack representation at universities. This is a clear opportunity for
agencies to demonstrate a desire for diversity by partnering with associations to create
programs that solve the supply issue.

Madrigal 50
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Madrigal 54
Appendix: Industry Interview Questions

1. In your opinion, what is the greatest weakness in the PR industry’s management
of multicultural communications?

2. On a scale of 1 to 10, how often are professionals hired onto teams as “race
representatives?” (1 least often, 10 most often).

3. What key strategies should practitioners consider when developing a campaign
that switches between two languages?

4. Is there a way for agencies to create diverse teams of practitioners without
creating or falling into discriminatory hiring practices?

5. What role do you believe the industry’s current diversity standing plays in the
way multicultural campaigns are created and executed?

6. Describe any current industry practices to target or address subgroups within
targeted cultural audiences.

7. Which communities, if any, do you feel are largely overlooked by the public
relations industry?

8. The firm Added Value has coined terms such as “cultural vibrancy” and “cultural
traction” to describe the way brands connect and interact with audiences. What
are your thoughts about his?

9. Are the cultural differences from varying Latin American countries large enough
to influence the development of a campaign?

10. What is the leading factor behind failed bilingual campaigns?

11. In what ways are bilingual audiences more receptive to bilingual campaigns over
campaigns that are only in English?

12. Considering current industry hiring practices, to what extent do you believe that
the management of specialty multicultural firms serves to further divide the
allocation of ethnic minority PR professionals?

Abstract (if available)

Abstract While the public relations industry has come a long way in understanding the importance of targeting Latinos, practitioners continue to “miss the mark,” so to speak, and develop campaigns that lack cultural relevance. As a response to the growing pockets of minority markets, specialty firms that focus on multicultural campaigns have emerged to help bridge the communication gap between clients and ethnic consumers. Now, more than ever, it is imperative that specialty firms realize ways to determine relevance and importance among clients, and translate ethnic minority cultural touch-points into terms that promote profitability. This thesis focuses on the Hispanic market, 55 million strong in the U.S.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Madrigal, Alexis S. (author)

Core Title Multicultural campaigns: outdated approaches to reaching the modern U.S. Hispanic consumer

School Annenberg School for Communication

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Strategic Public Relations

Publication Date 04/27/2016

Defense Date 04/26/2016

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag bilingual campaigns,cultural relevance,Hispanic,Hispanic market,Latino,Latino market,multicultural campaigns,OAI-PMH Harvest,outdated marketing,U.S. Hispanics,U.S. Latinos

Format application/pdf (imt)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Floto, Jennifer (committee chair), Castaneda, Laura (committee member), Jackson, Laura Min (committee member)

Creator Email alexis.madrigal@live.com,asmadrig@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c40-244539

Unique identifier UC11276493

Identifier etd-MadrigalAl-4382.pdf (filename),usctheses-c40-244539 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-MadrigalAl-4382-1.pdf

Dmrecord 244539

Document Type Thesis

Format application/pdf (imt)

Rights Madrigal, Alexis S.

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA