This monthly digest is written primarily for the staff of UC Cooperative Extension. It is produced by the staff of ANR's News and Information Outreach in Spanish (NOS) based on news reported by mainstream news media and reputable research institutions. Inclusion in the digest does not imply endorsement, nor does SBMS assume responsibility for the veracity of the information. We invite our readers to refer to the source to read more of each particular brief; we'll try to always include a link.

While much has been written about the vast marketing value within the U.S. Hispanic market, a closer look reveals a great difference in purchasing power between English and non-English speaking Hispanics. Data collected from in-home surveys conducted across the country by Mediamark Research Inc. reveal that Hispanics can be segmented and targeted based on the language they speak. Language is a far better predictor of Hispanic consumer behavior than simply analyzing country of origin. The data revealed that English speaking Hispanics have different purchase patterns, leisure pursuits and attitudes about life. This tells marketers that looking at demographics as simply Hispanic vs. non-Hispanic leaves out specific details that can signal more detailed media use, product purchases and attitudes.

Source: Susan Nunez, "Media Metrics: Connecting With Hispanics",  MediaPost’s Publication, http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=56247, March 2007 issue