By Eric Loughridge, Sr. Marketing Manager at AudioGO
Music is, without a doubt, one of the pillars of Hispanic culture. The United States is home to thriving Hispanic communities from a variety of backgrounds—each of which has its own preferred sound—adding to the vast cultural diversity of this rapidly expanding demographic.
With the rise of smartphones and music streaming apps in the last decade, digital music ads have also grown in significance when it comes to reaching Hispanic listeners in the U.S., too. And if it’s not yet on your radar as a multicultural marketing channel, then it should be.
Hispanics and Streaming Music
Consider the fact that 85% of U.S. Hispanics use digital streaming services when listening to their music, as revealed by H Code. According to the survey, Pandora (25%) and Spotify (20%) are the most popular apps, although nearly three-quarters (73%) of its respondents prefer to get their content from other outlets also, including favorites like Univision, SBS, and Entravision.
This exemplifies the dramatic shift from traditional radio listeners to music streamers. Hispanics, like the rest of the general market, appreciate the convenience of tuning in to stations that play the genres and artists they enjoy the most on demand, providing a far more personalized music-listening experience.
When Communicating With a Diverse Demographic, Tailored Messages Are Key
Latin music seems to be a part of the culture that the vast majority of U.S. Hispanics share, even though, as we all know, Hispanics are not all the same. There’s everything from Mexican ranchera to Colombian cumbia, Puerto Rican salsa to Dominican bachata, and the eclectic Latin pop genre also. Since this diverse demographic includes communities from so many different backgrounds, it’s clear that marketers shouldn’t talk to them as if they were all the same. That’s important enough to repeat: Hispanics are not all the same and they shouldn’t be treated as though they are. Do so, and you risk one heck of a misstep.
Not only will cultural subtleties differ in terms of musical preference, but also in terms of language differences, given that different dialects stem from different regions and countries.
In light of all this incredibly beautiful diversity, marketers may wonder how they can reach U.S. Hispanics in a way that is all at once nuanced and effective. One of the best solutions to be found lies in the technologies that digital music advertising provides. Using digital audio, marketers can target their audiences based on language, specific music genres, and parameters as granular as ZIP code, allowing for even more customized messaging.
Our Emotional Response to Music Does Unite Us
We are all—at our core—emotional beings, and this fact is something that people from all backgrounds have in common. The vast majority of experts will agree that the majority of our decisions are more influenced by our emotions than our intellect. Despite how logical we may believe ourselves to be, our emotions actually control our every move.
As a matter of fact, listening to music can actually make us feel better; a place to find joy, energy and positivity. It’s also a straightforward opportunity for marketers to create a favorable impression. Leveraging digital audio as a part of larger advertising campaigns specifically directed at Hispanic audiences, brands can engage in the cultural conversations that are taking place among Hispanic consumers in a way that is both relevant and authentic—and respectful, also.
There’s more: Music can increase brand favorability by 46% and music ads can increase recall by 81%. There are now more ways for multicultural consumers to get their music than ever before, and there are more options for advertisers to target these highly attentive listeners thanks to the development of smart devices in our homes, cars, and everywhere else.
Marketers can also use digital audio to select music that matches their brand, message, and target audience. When it comes to boosting engagement, ads that are catered to the musical preferences of Hispanic listeners are highly effective.
Many U.S. Hispanics Have a Cultural Link to the Spanish Language, and We Should Acknowledge That
It’s also worth noting that the vast number of English-speaking Hispanics in the U.S. who consume Spanish-language content and listen to Spanish-language do so because it’s an undeniable part of their heritage and the cultural connection it creates.
That is also why it’s crucial to partner with relevant Spanish-language publishers in order to place your Spanish-language audio ads where they will reach the right audiences.
In essence, adding música to your digital marketing efforts to engage multicultural consumers can deliver wonderful results during Hispanic Heritage Month and all year long.
