Hispanic Market Segments

I wanted to expand a bit on the first myth I mentioned in my last post. That myth was:

All Hispanics have similar experiences and backgrounds.

As HPR grows I believe that the only way it will become successful is by HPR practitioners fully understanding the different market groups within the Hispanic community.

One disparity within the Hispanic population is the term by which they prefer to be identified with. Some Hispanics or Latinos disagree on how they should be identified. Some prefer “Hispanic” while others prefer “Latino” or “Latina”. The term “Hispanic” is sometimes identified with people whose ancestors came from Spain or Portugal while others associate it as an ethnic label issued by the U.S. government. Some pr professionals believe that those who prefer to be identified as “Latino/a” often times are foreign-born or speak Spanish more fluently. A HPR practitioner needs to be aware of this when communicating with their target audience.

This is only one of many differences within the Hispanic population. To get a better idea of the different segments within the Hispanic population I read an interesting report that broke down the Hispanic population by location.

Top 3 Hispanic Markets

• Los Angeles
  
• New York
  
• Miami-Fort Lauderdale
  

When looking at the top three Hispanic markets in the United States you can begin to see how diverse the market is. In Los Angeles almost two-thirds of all Hispanics claim a Mexican heritage while 14 percent come from Central America. In contrast, in New York more than a third are from Puerto Rico or claim a Puerto Rican heritage. Less than ten percent are Mexican. In Miami-Fort Lauderdale however almost half of Hispanics claim a Cuban heritage. Less than ten percent are from Puerto Rico and fewer than five percent are from Mexico.

HPR practitioners must be aware of who they are targeting. Each market holds stronger alliances to their specific nations rather that the overall Hispanic community. Each group has different cultural distinctions and for a successful pr campaign planning, strategy and research into what these differences are is vital in achieving success.