Bilingual, bicultural and more

Editor’s note: Mary Baroutakis is a partner at MBC, a New York research and consulting firm.

As a researcher who works in both the general and Hispanic markets, I am constantly being asked about Hispanic teens and what similarities and differences they exhibit vs. their Anglo counterparts. Actually, there are many similarities between Hispanic and general-market teens. This should not be surprising, as Hispanic teens are exposed to almost everything that Anglo kids are exposed to and these exposures, of course contribute to making them much more alike than ever before.

All teenagers want to belong, to be part of a group, to not be singled out in any negative way. Hispanic teens are no exception. This means that, for the most part, Hispanic teens follow many of the same trends as other teens in their area, especially when it comes to fashion (hip- hop clothes, low-risers); entertainment (movies, clubs, concerts, hanging out with friends, Internet); music (R&B, rap); TV shows (The O.C. ) and sports (basketball, rollerblading, skateboarding).

There are, however, also many differences to take into consideration when marketing to Hispanic teens. These differences come into play when Hispanic teens decide to mix their Hispanic heritage into the equation. And they do this very often. For example, Hispanic teens who listen to rap and R&B will also listen to salsa, bachata and rock Latino. Hispanic teens will use a Spanish chat room instead of an English-language one. And, yes, Hispanic girls will watch The O.C., but they will also watch a Spanish novela with their mother or grandmother. Hispanic boys will listen to an R&B radio station but they will also tune in to a Hispanic station to hear the latest Latin beats.

In most instances, Hispanic teens feel part of their city, especially those who live in big multicultural cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Miami. They don’t see themselves as outsiders. Although a large portion of their friends tend to be Hispanic, they do embrace other cultures as well, especially those teens that were born in the U.S. and/or live in multicultural neighborhoods. Hispanic teenagers hang out with African-Americans, Asians, Anglos (and even with Russians, if they live in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn). Their Hispanic friends may also be from Latin American countries other than their own. So although there might be a strong affinity with someone of the same ethnic background, there is no rejection of other nationalities. Hispanic teens tell us that “all kids are basically the same.”

Hispanic teens also tend to be much more open-minded and tolerant than their parents. They are more accepting of abortion, homosexuality, people with different views and cultures, etc. Their perspective has been colored by an outside environment that is quite different from that of their parents and, certainly, grandparents.

Optimistic

By and large, Hispanic teens tend to be optimistic about life and about their future. They feel that they have many opportunities available to them in this country - probably many more than what they would have had in their parents’ native country. Their aspirations are quite mainstream. Most say that education is their No. 1 priority. They want to go to college, study something that they like, which hopefully will get them a good job. Eventually, they hope to have a family. The vast majority feel that money is necessary but not the most important thing in life. To have a good family and feel satisfied with life in general is deemed to be much more important.

Hispanic teens look up to their parents. Although many feel that their parents tend to be more old-fashioned and more strict than Anglo parents, they also describe them as more caring than the parents of their non-Hispanic friends. For most Hispanic teens, their parents, especially their moms, are their role models. This should not be surprising given what their parents went through to get to this country and the type of work they do in order to achieve what they have today. Their parents’ sacrifices have not gone unnoticed by their children.

Although Hispanic kids worry about discrimination, this is not one of their primary concerns (as it may be with their parents). They know that discrimination exists, that it is out there, but they feel that they can fight it and that they can win. Certainly, they are more optimistic about the range of opportunities available to them compared to those that are or were available to their parents.

One great advantage

Interestingly, the vast majority feel that they have one great advantage over Anglo teens: biculturalism. They believe that the fact that they speak another language and know another culture is quite important in this country. Hispanic teens are quick to point out that the U.S. is increasingly becoming more Latin-conscious, especially when it comes to jobs, politics, food and music. They feel that they will be able to capitalize on this.

Hispanic teens are proud of their heritage. Unlike some teens of other ethnicities who ignore their background and even refuse to speak their parents’ native language, Hispanic teens embrace their heritage. Music is one powerful way of savoring their culture. Although, they like to listen to R&B and rap, they also listen to Latin rock, salsa, cumbia and bachata.

Food is another way they identify with their culture: hamburgers, pizza and KFC when they go out with their friends; arroz, frijoles and platanos when they are at home. It should be noted, however, that increasingly more and more teenage girls, especially those who live in more upscale Hispanic markets such as Miami, tell us that they try to watch their weight and have become more health-conscious. Consequently, they report pressuring their moms to reduce consumption of fried foods and buy more fat-free, low-fat and sugar-free products for in-home use.

Most Hispanic teens use Spanglish when they speak with their Latin friends. Although they recognize that Spanglish is not the best use of language, they themselves cannot help using it. Some use it all the time, others use it some of the time depending on what they want to express, where they are, how well their friends speak either language, etc. Use of Spanglish in advertising, contrary to what some advertisers may think, is not widely accepted by teens. While everyone admits that this form of expression is reality, many Hispanic teens prefer not to see it in advertising, saying that it degrades the Spanish language.

Internet usage among Hispanic teens is almost at the same level as among general-market kids. They have access to it at home, at school, in the library or at their friends’ homes. Hispanic teens use e-mail and instant messaging to communicate with their friends, visit chat rooms, download music and lyrics, visit product Web sites for information on fashion, sport events, concerts, celebrities, etc. It has become a way of life for many.

Some problems

As many other teens, Hispanic teens also face some serious problems. Hispanic girls, in particular, lag behind in education and currently have the highest high school dropout rates in the U.S. Teen pregnancy as well as cigarette and drug use are other common problems. On the other hand, Hispanic teens are not drinkers the way that their Anglo counterparts are. Getting drunk is not considered cool. One reason for this is that drinking has never been a common way of bonding among people in the Latin culture.

Most Hispanic teens have little exposure to some of the “finer” things in life: attending classical music and dance performances, visiting museums, going to the theater, traveling abroad to places other than their own countries, reading serious books, learning other foreign languages. Some of these shortcomings are directly related to the low socioeconomic level of their parents. They also have to do with their parents’ lack of vision and knowledge. In other words, their parents are not aware that exposing their kids to such things will make them more well-rounded and more desirable in a world that’s increasingly more competitive.

Because Hispanic kids are bicultural and know what is going on in both the Hispanic and the general market advertising environments, they cannot help notice how kids are courted in the Anglo media vs. how they are courted in the Hispanic media. Hispanic teens have told us time and again that while most advertising targeted to Anglo teens is cutting-edge and original, most Hispanic advertising targeted to teens is commonplace, boring and safe.

Hear it firsthand

So how do you reach Hispanic teens? Do your homework via good marketing research. Hear what the Hispanic teens have to say firsthand. Target them in both general-market and Hispanic media and reflect who they are: bicultural kids in a society that is increasing less insular and more curious and accepting of others. And, finally, be bold with your Hispanic advertising. Remember, these kids are exposed to everything that is out there and have the same standards as all other kids their age.