Will Pierce de Casanova//McCann
For Will Pierce, EVP and chief strategy officer of Casanova//McCann, results of the 2020 U.S. Census denote one thing only: it’s time for brands to put their money where the opportunity is. “Separating out general market and Hispanic market budgets often forces Hispanics to fall by the wayside as budgets get cut. A ‘total market’ approach tends to whitewash insights and strategies, leaving Latinos and other segments out. More brands should be leading their primary marketing budgets with multicultural insights and strategies, while continuing to carve out separate budgets for unique growth segments like the Spanish-dominant Hispanic consumer. It’s no longer a matter of “either/or,” but an opportunity of ‘and,’” Pierce said. If a brand wishes to reach the emerging multicultural segment, it must do its homework, Pierce added. “Without conducting proper research and partnering with insightful agencies, you could end up doing work that is overdone, outdated, or worse, stereotypical – which can actually work against you. If you truly want to engage with where the population growth is headed, then you need to be on the leading edge of insights that reflect today’s modern Latinos.” The Hispanic boom is the new reality on the map of the United States of America, with the latest U.S. Census figures validating the warning that Hispanic experts have been making for years: “If you want to continue growing your brand and driving sales, you must put Latinos at the forefront. These new numbers should give more marketers the confidence to invest in the Hispanic opportunity and to represent these consumers faithfully, with pride and respect. The brands who step up and step in first will be the first to win big, leaving everyone else scrambling to catch up.”
