Music
Another interesting shift is the exponential growth of Latin music. This is not only evident with the popularity of Reggaeton among the general population, but also its impact on Hispanics themselves.
When asked to choose their number one passion point from a list of eight options, a whopping 38% of Gen Z Latinos chose music. To put this in perspective, this was the choice of only 17% of Boomers, for whom sports remains their go-to entertainment. Brands should employ strategies to capitalize on this trend, including deals with up-and-coming Latin artists, experiential activations and weaving chart-topping Spanish-language tracks into creative across paid, earned and owned channels.
Furthermore, marketers should consider partnering with startups focused on Latino music to engage authentically. One celebrated new entrant is Ntertain, a vertically integrated venture launched by music icons Tommy Mottola and Lex Borrero, which includes talent management, label, promotion and concert production.
TikTok
Our Latino Mosaic study also found that 48% of Latinos are daily users of TikTok, as compared to only 36% of the general market. More remarkably, 20% of Latinos go to TikTok to “discover new brands,” which is nearly double the percentage for the broader community. Major brands such as Toyota, ESPN and the NFL have leveraged Spanglish ads with great success, ensuring the trend will only increase.
As the social media paradigm shifts, marketers should follow a few simple guidelines:
- User-generated content continues to grow exponentially. Rather than “sales marketing,” brands should consider including creator partnerships in their strategy, which combines a product attribute with authentic messaging that originates directly from social influencers.
- The data is in and crystal clear in telling us that language is fluid for younger generations who toggle back and forth between English and Spanish, sometimes in the same sentence. Brands should artfully adopt this approach to become organic participants in the conversation.
- The number-one passion point for Gen Z Latinos is music, which is a departure from Gen X and Boomers who favored sports by a wide margin. Brands should turn the volume up and connect with the rhythms of the next generation.
Whether in entertainment, marketing, politics or business, a new way of communicating is emerging. Rather than run away from these rapidly shifting trends, brands should sprint towards engaging this target-rich environment that represents 25% of every birth in America today.
