Get to Know the 'New Mainstream'

Business success often relies on an ability to attract a mainstream young audience, and in the U.S. that means targeting the Latino population. In fact, the Latino demographic has become so vital that without them America's under-18 population would have declined between 2000 and 2010.

What brands think as “mainstream” may be no more; The rise of the Latino population can easily be shift this demographic to become the “New Mainstream.” As an example, Univision’s Despierta America tops Twitter with more tweets than “traditional mainstream” shows like Good Morning America and TODAY. The influence of Latino is not just limited to morning shows, as they are making impacts in a wide-variety of ways.

 1. Brands, meet the New Latina.

Latinas hold the reins of power when it comes to family purchasing decisions, but also taking steps outside the house to increase what is already an enormous purchasing power (expected to reach $1.5 trillion in 2015). In 2014, Latinas surpassed non-Hispanic females in college enrollment. This is a can’t miss for brands that are looking to market to a population that is not only growing their wallet, but also looking for places to spend it.

2. You don’t need to be a blue-collar brand to sell to Latinos.

In 2012, there were nearly 15 million "Upscale Latinos"—a subdemographic of the Latino population whose incomes ranged $50,000-$100,000 annually, accounting for 29 percent of the whole U.S. Hispanic population. It is expected that this percentage will double by 2015.

3. Market bi-culturally.

The Latino population hit a milestone recently when a USA Today article announced that U.S. births, not immigration, are the key driver behind Latino population growth. With 75 percent of Latinos now use both languages in their daily lives, brands should see this demographic as one that straddles both sides of the proverbial cultural fence.

4. Think digital, not just traditional.

Latinos are prominent on digital platforms and not only over-index when it comes to digital and social media usage, but also are more highly likely to share to recommend social apps to friends and family. Yet their proclivity for digital platforms seems to fall on deaf ears with a lot of brands, as the advertising publication ADOTAS pointed out in a recent article that 95 percent of the $8 billion spent on Hispanic marketing went to traditional media.