Have you ever traveled to a foreign country where you didn’t know anyone and didn’t understand the language or culture? If so, you probably felt alone and a bit anxious about your situation. But once you connected with someone who shared your language or culture, there was a sense of relief and community that was absent before. The country felt less unfamiliar and more welcoming.
This experience is similar to what many U.S. Latinos feel when they are in a society that doesn’t speak their language or understand their culture. They often feel isolated. And if they aren’t reflected or mirrored in the media, they may feel invisible and unwelcome.
Cultural relevance in media matters a lot to Hispanic TV viewers. Seeing themselves or people from their cultural backgrounds engaging in behaviors they understand or can relate to give them a sense of belonging and validation – a fundamental human psychological need.
Consider the most basic cultural differences between the U.S. and Hispanic markets. The U.S. ethos is based on individualism and self-reliance. Independence is valued, while interdependence is frowned upon. In contrast, the Hispanic market is largely governed by collectivism. This value system prioritizes family and community over individuals. It’s more tribal in nature. All behaviors, good or bad, reflect the collective. Programs and content in English that feature individualism and characters who aren’t Hispanic or living a relatable Hispanic experience may lack authenticity and relevance to a Latino consumer, especially a Spanish-dominant one.
Recent research from Collage Group (Multicultural Consumer Media Habits & Channels, fall 2023) shows that Hispanics are particularly drawn to artists, characters, and creators who share their race or ethnicity. In fact, 23% of Hispanics are more likely to watch or listen to media content (movies, TV shows, music, etc.) if it includes people who share their race or ethnicity. Additionally, unacculturated Hispanics overwhelmingly prefer media content in Spanish (92% prefer podcasts in Spanish and 78% prefer their TV shows and movies in Spanish). This might explain why Hispanics lead all other multicultural segments in online streaming while watching video content at home. They can access more linguistically and culturally relevant content from a larger library, including content from their countries of origin, through streaming services.
In short, staying true to the culture and language when creating content for a Hispanic audience is crucial. It’s also important to understand that cultural adoption and assimilation can vary across acculturation levels, influencing the preferred cultural context and language(s).
