"We refer to them as "fusionistas.' They see themselves as 100%
Latino and 100% American. They're perfectly comfortable navigating
both worlds. They have a sense of pride from back home even if
they're born in the U.S."
There are 14 million Hispanic millennials -- 28.3% of the total
U.S. Hispanic population. Of those millennials, 15.6% are U.S.-born
and 12.7% are foreign-born. And they are more like their
general-market counterparts than other generations, said Andy
Hasselwander, VP-professional service and product development for
Latinum, a business network that helps brands reach Hispanics.
"Most immigrants are coming over for work, so most recent
immigrants are millennials, and that 's why the group is so
diverse," he said.
In the 18-to-34-year-old demographic they belong to, the number
of U.S.-born Hispanics is growing about 5% a year while the number
of foreign-born Hispanics is dropping almost 3%, Mr. Hasselwander
said. By 2020, U.S.-born Hispanics in that age group will outnumber
immigrants almost 2 to 1.
"It's a diverse segment in the middle of the media landscape,
and people struggle with how to get at it," said David Wellisch,
Latinum's co-founder.
Whichever language or media they use, marketers should keep
their messages consistent, because millennial consumers are often
navigating both English and Spanish-language media.
That's why Volkswagen's two spots for the Passat TDI feature the
same family, shot in both English and Spanish versions. In one
spot, a little girl asks her parents, from the backseat, where
babies come from and they nervously try to distract her by talking
about the car's features, like GPS -- "Look, we're almost
there!"
"When you see the same cast, it's an additional nice way of
getting the target to identify because they also live in both
worlds," said Daniel Marrero, founder of Creative on Demand,
Volkwagen's Hispanic agency. "They're bilingual, too. When
targeting millennials, it's another way of making it
relatable."
"They eat tamales and burgers, and watch football and
futbol," said Graciela Eleta, senior VP-brand solutions at
Univision Communications. "It's a la carte acculturation, they pick
and choose which part of Latino culture they get to keep. It's less
about language fluency and more about cultural fluency."
"Because of technology, Spanish-language media and travel back
[to home countries], and sheer critical mass -- that linear journey
to full assimilation -- is no longer taking place."
Even young Hispanics born in the U.S. tend to identify
themselves by where their families are from. In research by the Pew
Hispanic Center, 52% described themselves by their families'
country of origin, 24% as American, and 20% as Hispanic or Latino.
And when Hispanic millennials have children, their interest in
Latino culture, and sometimes language, deepens. Yankelovich
Hispanic Monitor 2010 found 79% of respondents said that Spanish
was more important to them than it was five years ago.
"Because they're living in two languages and completely plugged
in digitally, messages will resonate. It's a stretch strategy [for
marketers],"said Mr. Hasselwander. They sit between groups of very
different people and messages travel."
Latino habits are increasingly being introduced to the larger
market. For instance, in Mexico, limes are often added to beer,
paving the way for Miller Chelada (Chill) and Bud Light Lime in the
U.S. And Nestlé this summer introduced Aguas Frescas,
keeping the Spanish name for waters in traditional flavors such as
tamarind and hibiscus. "It's completely millennial and-cross
cultural," Ms. Eleta said.