Expertise

[SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH]

The Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny kicked off his October 2023 Saturday Night Live monologue by poking fun at skeptics who questioned his ability to host the sketch comedy show in English. He joked, “People are wondering if I can’t host this show because English is not my first language. I don’t know if they know, but I do whatever I want.” The already enthusiastic crowd loudly sounded their approval. Bad Bunny, whose name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, continued, “So…I can host this show in English,” and proceeded to list other things he could do in English. He then seamlessly switched to Spanish, with subtitles on screen reading: “SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH.” Once the rapper “noticed,” he asked for the show to fix it, only for the caption to read, “SPEAKING A SEXIER LANGUAGE.” The moment humorously referenced his Grammy performance earlier this year, when the closed captioning similarly read “SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH” when he performed in Spanish. Bad Bunny’s playful commentary on language, culture and “doing whatever I want” underscores a larger point about the importance of language diversity in the U.S. market. In fact, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the percentage of English and Spanish speakers is 13.7%, representing over 43 million people. Here are some key takeaways from the 2024 Hispanic Marketing Council’s Marketing Guide, with a focus on language.

Pedro Pascal and Bad Bunny stand smiling on the Saturday Night Live stage, lit by spotlights with a live band behind them.

A $3.2 trillion market opportunity

The Hispanic market comprises almost 20% of the U.S. population, and represents a $3.2 trillion marketing opportunity. This makes the U.S. Hispanic market the fifth largest economy in the world.

Language reflects a dual identity

Language is not a strategy—it’s a tool to help marketers understand their customers. It is the bridge to creating emotional connection by recognizing and better reflecting the dual identity many Hispanic customers navigate daily. 63% use both English and Spanish every day

‍59% use both languages on social media‍
59% use both when interacting with ads
‍69% agree that bilingual ads make them feel seen and represented

Language as culture

There are more than 11 million child translators in the U.S.—children who translate complex, personal and often sensitive information for their families, including health care and finance. Often, these children are expected to explain subjects far beyond their understanding.

A campaign that stood out in this context was U.S Bank’s launch of “Asistente Inteligente,” the first Spanish language virtual banking assistant in the U.S. This initiative allowed Spanish-speaking customers to manage their banking and finances more easily. As part of the launch, U.S. Bank sponsored the documentary, “Translators,” which tells the untold story of children who bridge this language gap for their families.

Language as a personalization tactic

AI presents a unique and previously only imagined opportunity to build language-based models that reflect community-specific nuances to reach clients.

‍78% of consumers are more likely to make repeat purchases from companies that personalize their experience‍
96% of marketers report improved business outcomes as a response to personalization

Hack the culture

Finding meaningful spaces for Hispanic communities is key to effective marketing. Take the Dallas Mavericks’s “Los Mavs” campaign, which celebrates Hispanic culture authentically, and pushes creative content that resonates with Hispanic communities. Their strategy not only increases fan engagement, but also demonstrates the Mavericks’ commitment to creating inclusive communities while mirroring the demographics of their region.