Jordan P. Kelley, Content Director, BrandStorytelling
As the Latino population in the United States continues to grow, so does its impact on culture, prompting a reevaluation of how brands engage with the demographic. At the nexus of this cultural convergence lies Gen Z Latinos, who are not just consumers but arbiters of the authenticity with which their culture is reflected at them commercially. Their unique blend of tradition and innovation demands brands embrace the many facets of their heritage, acknowledging the nuanced differences across Latin American and Caribbean nations and condemning monolithic caricatures of the Latino experience.
BrandStorytelling recently hosted representatives from TelevisaUnivision to take the stage at SXSW and discuss how the Mexican American media company is working with brands to amplify the voices of young Latinos in a session titled, ‘Connecting with Gen Z Latinos through La Cultura’. Later, BrandStorytelling sat down with Cat Gallego, Senior Director of Social Strategy, and James Heath, Senior Director of Influencer Strategy & Analytics, both integral figures at TelevisaUnivision. Their insights delve into how TelevisaUnivision’s approach to creator content has become a cornerstone in bridging brands with Latinos in the U.S. From strategic partnerships with industry titans like Walmart and Expedia to a laser-focused commitment to in-language, in-culture engagement, Gallego and Heath offer a nuanced perspective on navigating the intersection of marketing, culture, and community, demonstrating how TelevisaUnivision is not just adapting but pioneering the future of brand relevance in an increasingly diverse and interconnected world.
As directors of social and creative strategy, how do you perceive the influence of Latino culture on American mainstream culture, especially concerning the Gen Z demographic?
James Heath: You can see the influence of Latin culture everywhere you look. Shakira just shut down Times Square for a surprise concert with 40,000 people. Lionel Messi’s move to Inter Miami was the biggest sports story in 2023; Copa America will be one of the biggest cultural moments in the U.S. this year. Latin culture is the magnetic force leading mainstream culture.
Cat Gallego: Latin culture is influencing so many aspects of mainstream American life, and music is a great example. As Gen Z embraces multicultural voices, Reggaeton and bachata have skyrocketed in popularity and artists like Bad Bunny, Shakira, and Rosalía are commanding massive social media followings.
Growing up in Colombia and Miami, I had a front-row seat to the evolution of Latin Music in American culture. I witnessed how Spanish-language singers had to cross over into English to gain recognition in the U.S. market; Shakira’s first English language album, ‘Laundry Service’ in 2001, was like a badge of honor for U.S. Latinos.
But now, the situation has reversed! Bad Bunny opened the GRAMMYs with a Spanish-language performance, while Machine Gun Kelley performed with Don Omar in Spanish at our Premio Lo Nuestro awards show. This is especially exciting because it really reassures music lovers that it’s totally normal to love both Spanish-language and English-language artists.
With Gen Z Latinos driving cultural shifts, how do you strategize to ensure brands acknowledge and resonate with their heritage and experiences effectively?
CG: To drive impact among Gen Z Latinos, brands must speak directly to U.S. Hispanic consumers in a way that is authentic, inclusive, and culturally sensitive. It’s more than just surface-level recognition; it’s representing the diverse tapestry of Latino experiences.
90% of Hispanic teens say that their cultural background is important in their personal lives. Drawing from my own journey as a Colombian immigrant growing up in the U.S., I appreciate when brands strive to tell genuine stories that resonate with the community, seamlessly weaving cultural elements into their branding.
At TelevisaUnivision, we leverage trusted personalities including relatable creators and our own talent, to spark an emotional connection between brands and our young Hispanic audience.
JH: Great question. This is where our branded content studio – Asi Studios – is key. Advertisers might assume that being in-language is enough, but U.S. Hispanics aren’t a monolithic block defined by just language. It’s vital that advertisers engage our audience both in-language (whether bilingual or Spanish) and in-culture. Asi is comprised of a diverse mix of over 75 award-winning creators, storytellers, and production gurus hailing from 16+ different Hispanic countries. The result is content that reflects the wealth of experiences in the U.S. Hispanic community.
Creator content seems pivotal in connecting with Gen Z Latinos. Can you elaborate on how your strategies leverage creator content to establish meaningful connections?
JH: What makes our strategy unique is the use of IP in creator content. These campaigns are anchored in significant moments across music and sports. We observe creators building relationships organically with their audience, where their success becomes a win for their audience too – ‘chase that bag’ as my Gen Z team tells me. When a campaign’s payoff is the creator walking the red carpet at the Latin GRAMMYs, we see our audience relating to these moments and feeling like they are coming along for the journey. This fuels a 63% increase in “pride” for our social campaigns, compared to the U.S. media average.
Trusted voices play a significant role in brand perception. How do you identify and leverage trusted voices within the Gen Z Latino community to amplify brand messaging?
JH: The short answer involves a combination of tools and our team’s in-culture expertise. We utilize proprietary tools to identify robust data signals for Hispanic creators, including engagement, followers, and audience demographics. However, there’s value that tools alone can’t discern. Consider audience demographics as an example: did you know that U.S. Spanish-language creators have less than 28% of their social audience in the U.S., on average? Brands that engage Spanish-language creators for organic campaigns may not be reaching their U.S. target audience. That’s the advantage that we have at TelevisaUnivision; we can identify relatable and highly engaging Latino personalities, whether they have massive U.S. followings, and scale their reach by tapping our 73 million U.S. social media followers. This is something brands cannot do on their own and underscores the importance of our team’s expertise in identifying authentic voices that can be amplified through TelevisaUnivision’s social capability.
Can you discuss any specific campaigns or initiatives where your team successfully tapped into Latino culture to drive engagement and loyalty among Gen Z consumers?
CG: Absolutely! Our team recently raised awareness of Lay’s among young Latino audiences by leveraging our complete TelevisaUnivision ecosystem, instilling a sense of FOMO among young Latinos and driving extensive awareness, retail sampling, and social engagements through exclusive creator content by Maria Legarda. This culminated in the ultimate VIP ticket: Lay’s Uforia private experience featuring reggaeton star Farruko.
During this exciting musical event, we also showcased a culinary experience curated and prepared by a Latina-owned business, featuring Lay’s-inspired recipes for consumer sampling.
Our creative strategy for this campaign was aligned with the brand objectives and exceeded expectations across all metrics, resulting in over five million impressions across social content. By leveraging cultural buzz and an exclusive moment with Farruko, we anchored Lay’s messaging in fun and interactive ways, strengthening the brand’s connection with US Hispanics.
Looking ahead, how do you foresee the role of Gen Z Latinos evolving in shaping popular culture and driving business growth, and how does your team plan to continue to evolve your strategy accordingly?
JH: To continue reaching U.S. Hispanics in a fun and meaningful way, we aim to do what we’ve been doing – adapting content to trends and collaborating with new voices in the U.S. Hispanic community. I’ve been working with creators since 2016; nobody predicted that TikTok would explode the way it did in 2020, but we were ready to experiment and adapt to new platforms. Social media is constantly evolving, and Gen Z Hispanics will shape future behaviors. We’ll be prepared to react where the culture takes us.
CG: Businesses must adapt their strategies to meet the demands of young Hispanic consumers who value their cultural identities, consume media in different ways and have an entrepreneurial spirit. Gen Z Latinos are seeking authentic representation from the brands they support. By fully embracing the lifestyle and trends of this audience, brands can inspire brand loyalty among young Hispanics that will pay off for years to come!
