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Growth in Hispanic purchasing power

Reaching Hispanics

The growth in Hispanic purchasing power between ’00 and ’07 was 80% greater than that of non-Hispanics. It’s a growing list of drool-worthy stats like those that have an increasing number of marketers honing in on the group.

Eclipse Marketing just launched a Hispanic Marketing Division specifically to assist cable ops and program nets. Leading the group is MTVN/Univision vet Karen Habib. Univision teamed with Experian Simmons for extensive data on Latinos to present to advertisers.

What Univision and Experian Simmons found is that while many American consumers are feeling glum about the economy and reining in spending, Hispanics are more optimistic. 29% are more positive about the US economy in the coming 12 months (vs 21% non-Hispanic), 34% are optimistic about their finances in the coming year (vs 25% non-Hispanic); and the Hispanic average consumer confidence rating is 11% higher than non-Hispanics, and has remained constant since ’05, while the non-Hispanic rating has declined.

So why the disparity? Chalk some of it up to less plastic (thus less debt burden). Hispanics are 44% more likely to use cash to pay bills than non-Hispanics. There’s also less stress about potential home foreclosures as the group is almost twice as likely to rent their home as non-Hispanics (44% vs 23%). Following the economic meltdown, Hispanics have rebounded stronger. And many are now looking to buy a new home, or their first home. Experian found that following the economic crash, 7% of Hispanics still plan on buying a home in the next 12 months. Only 3% of their non-Hispanic counterparts said the same.

A few other findings to keep in mind as companies approach advertisers:
· Hispanics are consistently more frequent shoppers than non-Hispanics (34% vs 29%)

· Twice as many Hispanics are willing to pay for branded prescriptions as non-Hispanics (31% vs 15%)

· Hispanics are 38% more likely to buy from an advertiser than non-Hispanics

Source: Amy Maclean – http://www.cable360.net/cfp/just_in/Reaching-Hispanics_36124.html

Older Hispanics a work force to be reckoned with

Growing pool of 55+ workers will need to be tapped: AARP

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — One day the recession will end, workers will be needed and the growing pool of older Hispanics may be a good option to fill job openings, according to a report released Monday by AARP.

The pool of older Hispanic workers is growing faster than the “traditional” labor pool of those between 25 and 54, the report said. And for healthy growth, employers will need to replace and add to the more than 6 million jobs that have been lost since the recession began in December 2007.

Job figures spark optimism. While job losses mounted in May, the numbers weren’t as high as expected and suggest the U.S. recession is close to an end, reports Brian Blackstone of DJ Newswires.

“Once the recession ends, employers may face a scarcity of working-age adults with the necessary skills and experience,” said Deborah Russell, AARP’s workforce issues director. “Hispanics are one of the fastest growing segments of the older population, and they can help in a big way in filling the void.”

In coming years, the traditional labor pool may grow relatively slowly and could be supplemented by older workers. Adults 25 to 54 years old will increase 2% between 2008 and 2020, while the total population grows 12%. Over that same time period, adults age 55 to 69 will increase 34%.

Older workers, who may be overlooked by employers, offer a “mature, experienced, and skilled source of labor,” according to the report.

“By ensuring that their work forces include experienced and knowledgeable older workers, employers could prevent the loss of key skills and institutional knowledge that could damage their organization’s current and future competitiveness,” according to AARP.

Further, using older workers can help employers keep labor costs down, rather than raising wages because of worker scarcity, according to the report.

“In the long term, a stagnant labor pool could slow economic growth and reduce tax revenues needed to finance government services,” according to AARP. “Older adults provide a potential solution to the looming labor shortage.”

And Hispanics are one of the fastest growing segments of the older population — the number of Hispanics 50 to 69 years old is expected to almost quadruple by 2050, according to AARP. Also, Hispanics at age 65 can expect to live three years longer than non-Hispanic whites and four years longer than non-Hispanic blacks, according to the report.

“As employers look at where there are going to be opportunities to recruit and retain workers, [older Hispanics are] a population that ought not to be overlooked,” Russell said.

She added that employers can use special outreach strategies to find these workers, who may be less available through venues such as job boards. To increase the employment prospects for older Hispanics, employers can:

•Develop recruiting materials in English and Spanish.

•Use media outlets and other channels serving Hispanics.

•Use retraining programs to transition older workers in physically demanding jobs into spots that require less physical exertion.

•Offer language and skills training to workers who are otherwise good matches for career opportunities.

•Train managers to encourage them to appreciate workplace diversity and the value of diverse viewpoints for employers.

The report is being released as part of AARP’s Diversity and Aging conference being held in Chicago this week. The report, commissioned by AARP and prepared by the Urban Institute, uses the terms Hispanic and Latino interchangeably.

 

Uncovered Facts About Online Hispanic Women and their Media Usage
72 percent of Hispanics use their mobile devices for overall movie planning | Hispanic mobile Consumers Study
Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population 2010 - Pew Hispanic
Elianne Ramos is the principal and CEO of Speak Hispanic Communications and vice-chair of Communications and PR for LATISM.
Do you know about people from Ecuador?
Letting go means to come to the realization that some people are a part of your history, but not a part of your destiny #inspiration #quotes

Letting go means to come to the realization that some people are a part of your history, but not a part of your destiny #inspiration #quotes

Source: MarketWatch

Growth in Hispanic purchasing power

Reaching Hispanics

The growth in Hispanic purchasing power between ’00 and ’07 was 80% greater than that of non-Hispanics. It’s a growing list of drool-worthy stats like those that have an increasing number of marketers honing in on the group.

Eclipse Marketing just launched a Hispanic Marketing Division specifically to assist cable ops and program nets. Leading the group is MTVN/Univision vet Karen Habib. Univision teamed with Experian Simmons for extensive data on Latinos to present to advertisers.

What Univision and Experian Simmons found is that while many American consumers are feeling glum about the economy and reining in spending, Hispanics are more optimistic. 29% are more positive about the US economy in the coming 12 months (vs 21% non-Hispanic), 34% are optimistic about their finances in the coming year (vs 25% non-Hispanic); and the Hispanic average consumer confidence rating is 11% higher than non-Hispanics, and has remained constant since ’05, while the non-Hispanic rating has declined.

So why the disparity? Chalk some of it up to less plastic (thus less debt burden). Hispanics are 44% more likely to use cash to pay bills than non-Hispanics. There’s also less stress about potential home foreclosures as the group is almost twice as likely to rent their home as non-Hispanics (44% vs 23%). Following the economic meltdown, Hispanics have rebounded stronger. And many are now looking to buy a new home, or their first home. Experian found that following the economic crash, 7% of Hispanics still plan on buying a home in the next 12 months. Only 3% of their non-Hispanic counterparts said the same.

A few other findings to keep in mind as companies approach advertisers:
· Hispanics are consistently more frequent shoppers than non-Hispanics (34% vs 29%)

· Twice as many Hispanics are willing to pay for branded prescriptions as non-Hispanics (31% vs 15%)

· Hispanics are 38% more likely to buy from an advertiser than non-Hispanics

Source: Amy Maclean – http://www.cable360.net/cfp/just_in/Reaching-Hispanics_36124.html

Older Hispanics a work force to be reckoned with

Growing pool of 55+ workers will need to be tapped: AARP

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — One day the recession will end, workers will be needed and the growing pool of older Hispanics may be a good option to fill job openings, according to a report released Monday by AARP.

The pool of older Hispanic workers is growing faster than the “traditional” labor pool of those between 25 and 54, the report said. And for healthy growth, employers will need to replace and add to the more than 6 million jobs that have been lost since the recession began in December 2007.

Job figures spark optimism. While job losses mounted in May, the numbers weren’t as high as expected and suggest the U.S. recession is close to an end, reports Brian Blackstone of DJ Newswires.

“Once the recession ends, employers may face a scarcity of working-age adults with the necessary skills and experience,” said Deborah Russell, AARP’s workforce issues director. “Hispanics are one of the fastest growing segments of the older population, and they can help in a big way in filling the void.”

In coming years, the traditional labor pool may grow relatively slowly and could be supplemented by older workers. Adults 25 to 54 years old will increase 2% between 2008 and 2020, while the total population grows 12%. Over that same time period, adults age 55 to 69 will increase 34%.

Older workers, who may be overlooked by employers, offer a “mature, experienced, and skilled source of labor,” according to the report.

“By ensuring that their work forces include experienced and knowledgeable older workers, employers could prevent the loss of key skills and institutional knowledge that could damage their organization’s current and future competitiveness,” according to AARP.

Further, using older workers can help employers keep labor costs down, rather than raising wages because of worker scarcity, according to the report.

“In the long term, a stagnant labor pool could slow economic growth and reduce tax revenues needed to finance government services,” according to AARP. “Older adults provide a potential solution to the looming labor shortage.”

And Hispanics are one of the fastest growing segments of the older population — the number of Hispanics 50 to 69 years old is expected to almost quadruple by 2050, according to AARP. Also, Hispanics at age 65 can expect to live three years longer than non-Hispanic whites and four years longer than non-Hispanic blacks, according to the report.

“As employers look at where there are going to be opportunities to recruit and retain workers, [older Hispanics are] a population that ought not to be overlooked,” Russell said.

She added that employers can use special outreach strategies to find these workers, who may be less available through venues such as job boards. To increase the employment prospects for older Hispanics, employers can:

•Develop recruiting materials in English and Spanish.

•Use media outlets and other channels serving Hispanics.

•Use retraining programs to transition older workers in physically demanding jobs into spots that require less physical exertion.

•Offer language and skills training to workers who are otherwise good matches for career opportunities.

•Train managers to encourage them to appreciate workplace diversity and the value of diverse viewpoints for employers.

The report is being released as part of AARP’s Diversity and Aging conference being held in Chicago this week. The report, commissioned by AARP and prepared by the Urban Institute, uses the terms Hispanic and Latino interchangeably.

 

Uncovered Facts About Online Hispanic Women and their Media Usage
72 percent of Hispanics use their mobile devices for overall movie planning | Hispanic mobile Consumers Study
Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population 2010 - Pew Hispanic
Elianne Ramos is the principal and CEO of Speak Hispanic Communications and vice-chair of Communications and PR for LATISM.
Do you know about people from Ecuador?
Letting go means to come to the realization that some people are a part of your history, but not a part of your destiny #inspiration #quotes

Letting go means to come to the realization that some people are a part of your history, but not a part of your destiny #inspiration #quotes

Source: MarketWatch

Attorney: Why are Hispanics ‘last in, first out’ of jobs?

The Hispanic population in the United States has been growing substantially in recent years, providing businesses with burgeoning workforces.  The Census Bureau expects that by 2015, 17% of the American population will be of Hispanic origin. Demographically, no group of Americans is growing faster than Hispanics. Hispanics are now 8% of the workforce and by 2050, that number is expected to reach 25% of the workforce.

The sooner the debate begins to expose some of the major problems Hispanics face, the better. Hispanic immigrants, both documented and undocumented, are bearing the brunt of the new unemployment number spike. This unemployment spike is statistically significant for Hispanics, and not just the impact of recessionary unemployment among undocumented Hispanics, but among all Hispanics.

Specifically, unemployment rates for Hispanics and whites from 1976-2008 show that the unemployment gap between Hispanics and whites is stubborn, large, persistent, and is not solely related to their documentation or legal status to work in the United States.

Many places across the United States have been profoundly affected by the arrival of Hispanic immigrants – most notably the South – where documented and undocumented workers took jobs in construction and factories. While the economic troubles are widening the gap between illegal immigrants and Americans, studies show that this phenomenon occurs for all Hispanic workers, not just illegal immigrants.

According  to studies conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center and U.S. Census Bureau, Hispanic unemployment rates for the past 32 years, show a mean unemployment rate of 8.9% while the unemployment rate for whites is only 5.4%, and during this period the rates for Hispanics is always higher than for whites.

Hispanic and white unemployment rates move up and down together, with higher rates corresponding to periods of economic downturns, like the one we’re in now, and lower rates to periods of economic growth and prosperity. The unemployment rate for Hispanics is noticeably more volatile than the rate for whites.  Evidence shows that Hispanics become unemployed sooner in economic downturns that whites, experience longer periods of unemployment, that is, leave the ranks of the employed at slower rates than whites, and generally face a “riskier” labor market than whites.

Policy makers need to pay more attention to the fact that it will likely take 30 years for the Hispanic unemployment rate to equal the white unemployment rate. The slow trend and high degree of persistence suggest that closing the gap will not necessarily occur by itself (i.e. by market forces), at least not any time soon.

Politicians will need to address the forces that are causing the unemployment among this group through policy actions. Measures such as focusing on job training in industries and occupations that are traditionally less sensitive to the business cycle (e.g. education, health care, government and public service, to name a few) would be a good place to start.

Another opportunity for policy makers to close the gap, would be to focus on providing better educational opportunities for Hispanics as they are significantly underrepresented in managerial and professional occupations. Since unemployment can be subject to “last-in, first-out,” educating Hispanics on the importance of job tenure could also help close the Hispanic – white unemployment gap sooner than the 30 years market forces will take.

Quote of the Day

you only live once

you only live once

Source: Orlando Sentinel – By Angel Reyes
Angel Reyes is an attorney, Hispanic immigration expert and author of Hispanic Heresy: What is the Impact of America’s Largest Group of Immigrants? (Mead Publishing, January 2009) He is the founder and managing partner of Heygood, Orr, Reyes, Pearson & Bartolomei law firm in Dallas, Texas. He also blogs at http://www.angelreyesblog.com.

Economy doesn’t stop Hispanic retailers

TUCSON, Ariz. – Two major retail chains looking to cash in on Spanish speakers are opening stores in Tucson – demonstrating the growing buying power of Hispanics, even during tough economic times.
El Super, a Los Angeles-based grocer, and La Curacao, an electronics and appliance retailer that styles its stores to resemble Mayan and Aztec pyramids, are setting up at the Southgate Shopping Center.
El Super, owned by privately held Bodega Latina Corp., had its grand opening Wednesday, said its president and CEO, Carlos Smith.
La Curacao, also L.A.-based, plans to open by August.

Both Hispanic retailers target consumers who are most comfortable doing business in Spanish. Same plaza no coincidence.  Hispanic consumers have large families and strong social networks, Garcia said. They spend more money at grocery stores, but they’re drawn more toward staples than prepackaged foods, he said.

They are also looking to stretch every dollar.
“They’re very vulnerable to the recession, but their social structure allows them to survive,” Garcia said.
And their numbers are growing.
Pima County’s share of residents who say they are Hispanic rose from 29.3 percent in 2000 to more than 33 percent now, the U.S. Census Bureau says. The rate of change could soon accelerate, as many Hispanics are younger than 5, the data show.
The Hispanic population has emerged as a powerful force among retailers because it’s young, said Maricela Solis de Kester, president of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Hispanics, like all other segments of the population, have cut back on discretionary spending, but young families still need groceries, she said.
“We have to spend the money, especially on the very basics and necessities, compared to non-Hispanic communities whose children are older and out of the house,” de Kester said. “It’s a different purchase power.”
Now is the right time for any business – whether or not it targets Spanish speakers – to expand if it has the financial backing to do so, said Greg Furrier, a principal with Picor Commercial Real Estate Services in Tucson.  Rents are low and property owners are willing to offer lucrative deals to entice tenants to commercial developments, he said.
Even businesses that target the growing demographic aren’t immune to the recession, however. La Curacao pushed back its opening to weather the rough economy, said Nancy McClure, a first vice president with CB Richard Ellis in Tucson. The company had originally announced a fall 2008 opening.
McClure, who brokered the Southgate deal for La Curacao, said the company began the process of moving to Tucson more than two years ago and selected Southgate – though it was quite run down at the time – because it’s in the heart of the Hispanic community.
El Super made the decision to move to Tucson before the recession, said Smith, and the economic turbulence wasn’t going to stop those plans. Bodega Latina has 15 locations in California and one in Phoenix. The company has plans to expand in Arizona, California and Nevada through the next year.
“El Super’s primary target market is the Hispanic consumer,” Smith said in an e-mail. “And similar to the Phoenix market, we believe the Tucson market presents an opportunity for us, given its demographic composition.”
All signage in the store is in Spanish and English. The company has already hired the 130 to 140 employees needed to staff the store, Smith said. For its storefront, El Super razed an existing building at Southgate, which had fallen into disrepair, and started from the ground up. The center has undergone a $41 million renovation to attract new tenants. Now, a bbb! Fashion store is at the center and _ in addition to La Curacao – Subway, Oasis Insurance and On Net Wireless have signed deals to move in, said Dave Hammack, a senior associate with Volk Co. The supermarket’s opening is welcome news for Spanish-speaking consumers looking for Mexican products. Although they are bilingual, Juan and Margarita Cisneros said they feel more comfortable being assisted in Spanish.
“This is what we needed. We shop for groceries almost every day and it’s better if it is in Spanish,” Juan Cisneros said. “We interact better with Spanish-speaking employees at the store. It is part of our roots.”
The couple, who shop at Food City regularly, said the opening of El Super is good because it will increase competition and, they hope, drive down prices.
“When they opened in Phoenix, it affected all the stores in that area,” said Edgar Cuevas, who works with both stores as a wholesale distributor in Tucson for Mojave Foods. “When people hear about a new place like El Super that is targeting people with fresh food and products, people just go.”
For many, the store’s name is a household word. “El Super” in Spanish is a general phrase for supermarket, and Bodega Latina capitalized on that when selecting the name.
“`My mom never said, ‘Let’s go to Bashas’, let’s go to Costco,’ or something like that,” Cuevas said. “She used to say, ‘Let’s go to El Super.”
Bashas’ Inc., which owns Food City, doesn’t comment on its competition, company spokeswoman Kristy Nied said.
But she did acknowledge that both stores share the same demographic. “Our core customer for Food City is Hispanic families,” she said.
With the downturn in the economy and more families looking for bargain prices, Food City has ratcheted up its marketing toward English speakers, too.
“It’s been a solid niche for us in terms of serving the needs of the community,” she said.
De Kester, of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, also downplayed the impact El Super will have on local grocers, including carniceria meat markets. If Hispanic families love a certain place, she said, they’ll keep going.
“As a population,” she said, “we tend to be very loyal.”

Intelligent Technologies You Should Know About
Managers' Hiring Practices Vary By Race, Ethnicity Says University of Miami Study
U.S. Census Facts for Features: Hispanic Heritage Month 2009

influence quotes

influence quotes

Source: Associated Press (May 24th, 2009 @ 10:40am)
Image Credit : Peg Fitzpatrick

The Recession As Hispanics See It

Very interesting article from Patricia Graham, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Knowledge Networks.

The Recession As Hispanics See It

by Patricia Graham, April 23, 2009, 11:30 AM

It is no secret that the struggling economy is affecting everyone in one way or another. But how, specifically, are Hispanics viewing and weathering the downturn? Data sources abound about the general population — polls from various sources that may or may not be statistically representative of that or any group. But those who need to make marketing and business decisions taking into account Hispanics and the economy need something more substantial.

New data from a representative cross-section of all Americans — including Hispanics — is providing just that, along with some surprising insights, with greater reliability, on the recession as Hispanics see it.

Knowledge Networks asked 28,754 people (ages 18 and above) — including 2,511 Hispanics — on our nationally representative KnowledgePanel® the following question: “Do you consider the state of the economy to be better, worse, or about the same relative to one year ago?” In the general population, 88% said “worse,” and 10% said it’s about the same, with no differences appearing by ethnicity — indicating a common view: “It’s worse.” It seems that we see ourselves as sharing the same boat.

The future: Optimism versus pessimism

When it comes to optimism about the future, however, clear ethnic and racial differences do emerge. Hispanics and African Americans are envisioning the health of our economy one year from now very differently from Caucasians.

In their survey responses, Hispanics were less likely than the general population or African Americans to say that the economy would get worse — 29% for Hispanics, versus 37% for African Americans and 34% for Caucasians. In fact, 38% of Hispanics think there will be no change in the economy one year from now, a stasis view that African Americans do not share (29%).

What behaviors would they change?

Nationally, attempts abound to predict how people will behave in the marketplace, given differences in economic psychology among different ethnic and racial groups. In short, what might people change if the economy gets worse … or if it gets better?

Let’s look at what Hispanics and other groups said they would do, as a consequence of the economy getting worse. Almost everyone who self-evoked the “worse” scenario will change how much they spend. Yet, there are differences in predicted saving and investments by ethnicity. Hispanics (42%) and African Americans (44%) are less likely than Caucasians (49%) to change how much they save. They also are less likely to change how much they invest; 24% of Hispanics said their investment level would change, versus 30% in the general population.

And if things got better . . . ?

With an improving economy, it seems there is reason to believe that spending will bounce back. When asked, “Which of the following do you think you might change as a result of the economy improving?” Forty-one percent of the general population said they would change how much they spent; a drop of thirty-seven points relative to their spending behavior ‘if the economy was worse.’ So average people in the U.S. will be much less likely to reconsider their spending habits if the economy improves.

However, we again have a difference in the self-predicted behavior of Hispanics (and African Americans) compared to Caucasians under the improved economic scenario. The difference between their “economy gets worse” and “economy gets better” spending predictions was smaller for Hispanics (30 point difference) and African Americans (26 points) than it was for Caucasians (37 points).

This supports the conclusion that Hispanics may be among the last to have their spending habits change drastically as the economy improves — because they predict a smaller change in their spending for a positive economy. Ongoing online survey research using a representative sample can illuminate whether this is indeed the case.

Intelligent Technologies You Should Know About
Managers' Hiring Practices Vary By Race, Ethnicity Says University of Miami Study
U.S. Census Facts for Features: Hispanic Heritage Month 2009

Thought of the Day

time is an illusion

time is an illusion