| business beat |
| Una audiencia que cambia |
Cinco de Mayo is the only major Hispanic holiday that we even halfway celebrate in the United States. That is the case, thanks to some savvy food and beverage advertisers who are answering to the boom in that market. It's also interesting to note that May 5 is not the date of Mexican independence, but of a positive collaboration between the U.S. and Mexico. On May 5, 1862, Mexican troops defeated Emperor Napoleon III's invaders. The U.S., in spite of the Civil War, aided Mexico against the French. The results, in the long term, was a stronger Mexican state and a preserved American union.
This history lesson is important because the relationship among the Americas has been, all in all, a positive and profitable one. We have learned much from each other. Now that 40 million people of Hispanic descent reside in America, it's more important than ever to pay attention and to respond to that audience.
Some of the fastest Hispanic population growth is happening in the South. The other numbers speak for themselves:
- Hispanic consumers will account for $1 trillion in annual retail sales by 2008
- By 2050, Hispanic Americans will make up 25% of the U.S. workforce
- $3.5 billion a year spent targeting Hispanic consumers
When it comes to trying to keep their messages clear to consumers, more and more marketers are using some form of Spanish. This is especially true in the areas of crucial services and utilities. We salute our clients, including York Electric Cooperative, who have established bilingual websites (see www.yorkelectric.net) as well as other materials targeted toward the Latino market.
Look around you in the grocery store, flip through your cable TV channels and see a world that is worth being a part of-for many, many reasons.
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