Hispanic Marketing in the U.S.A.

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This is about a feeling.

I'm going to be documenting what I mean by this post, but anyway, for those who live in the U.S.A. and know a little of marketing, media and Mexican culture, it is evident.

The Mexican market in the U.S.A. has been historically ignored. Yeah, I admit that it has been better attended to in the latest years, but given its fast growth and its increasing buying power, the offer from companies, TV, film industry and government is sadly poor.

Come on, if adding some mariachi sound to an ad is targeting Mexicans, that's so naive.

Putting sombreros, or mexican typing on every advertisement and celebrating 5 de Mayo with folkloric dances is far from what I think is the real mexican soul. How can you expect to send the right message to a person you are mocking?

Almost every piece of Spanish written text for Hispanic readers has an entire universe of mistakes, syntaxis faults, grammatical errors and strange words, that even Mexicans need a translator to understand what in the world they are trying to say.

TV?

Eventough nearly every Mexican home in the U.S.A. turns on their TV from dusk 'till dawn, it's funny to hear them say "look at what they made for mexicans!". They automatically step aside from the supposed effect the content of TV shows, series and soap operas should have in them because it's something they can't relate to.

Speaking of Hispanic radio is different. Radio is the loyal companion during those hard working hours to people in the fields, construction sites, kitchens, and factories. Spanish radio approaches real people with more flexibility and freedom thorough their music and heroes, featured in the way they used to back in their hometowns.

Remember Spanish radio was the promotor of the gigantic immigrant marches this year.

But unfortunately radio has limited resources, and its audience is reduced to male adults in most cases.

Hispanic Newspapers?
At least in the Dallas-Forth Worth area, the leading newspaper, Al Día, is an appendix of Dallas Morning News, and reflects its interests and editorial position. Abundant in typos and lacking of relevant local personalities.

There is much to do. But the first thing is getting feedback about what people really want to say. When media contents as well as marketing concepts (many times both are mixed up) become an echo of what real people feel, and not just a desk decision, many things will change, incluiding relationships between Hispanics and Non-Hispanics.

What do ya think?