Hispanic-focused advertising agencies have experienced tremendous industry growth in recent years. Due to the rapidly expanding U.S. Hispanic population—estimated to reach 24 percent of the total population by 2050—many companies are turning to the expertise of Hispanic marketing agencies to sell their products to the Hispanic community.

With Hispanic household spending projected to grow by 2010 to a whopping $1 trillion, businesses would be wise to keep up with Hispanic-focused advertising agencies news and trends. Hispanic marketing agencies understand this diverse market and know the best ways of reaching the Hispanic population effectively. Some important developments to track include:

1. Which channels Latino-focused ad agencies have found to target for the highest response rates. For example, Hispanics tend to be more receptive to email marketing than non-Hispanics.

2. Current events and cultural trends that will affect how, or even whether, to market a product or service to the Hispanic community.

3. Market research and advertising results from Hispanic marketing companies. Know where your Hispanic customers are, what they are buying and how to reach them.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Bookmark websites with current news on Hispanic marketing agencies

There are many top-notch websites covering the latest on Latino-focused advertising agencies and the Hispanic market. Make sure to subscribe to their free email newsletters for breaking news reports and valuable information from Hispanic marketing firms.

I recommend: Portada has in-depth digital media coverage on U.S. Hispanic advertising, as well as print media and public relations articles. HispanicAd.com displays the latest Latino-focused marketing company news right on its home page, along with a link to its blog. For a wealth of free articles covering Hispanic marketing and public relations, visit HispanicMPR.com.

Subscribe to a marketing magazine that covers Hispanic advertising agencies

Many professionals subscribe to business magazines to keep informed of industry news but may be missing out on valuable information that can give them the edge in marketing to the Hispanic population. Make certain that the magazines you get cover Latino advertising agencies and their business practices to stay ahead of the game.

I recommend: Hispanic Enterprise is a general business magazine for Hispanic professionals, which devotes a section of each issue to marketing. A year-long subscription to Hispanic Market Weekly will get you industry snapshots, agency and media directories, market profiles and breaking news.

Attend Hispanic-focused advertising agency conferences and events

Conferences that attract Hispanic advertising agencies are the best places to network, gather valuable advice and be the first to discover what is coming up in the Hispanic marketing world.

I recommend: The Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies, the leading Latino-focused ad agency resource, lists and provides sign-up links to upcoming conferences. The Hispanic Business website also maintains information on Hispanic business events.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  An excellent way to stay in touch with Hispanic marketing news and trends is to read, contribute, or ask questions through a blog or discussion forum that is maintained by a Hispanic advertising agency professional or hosted by a Hispanic media website.

Hispanic people constitute the largest minority group in the United States, with growth showing no signs of slowing down. According to the U.S. Census bureau, 102.6 million Hispanics will call the U.S. home in 2050. Another way to look at it is that one in four people will be Hispanic — a huge market for businesses to attract through Hispanic marketing companies.

You can’t ignore numbers like this. This very significant population makes lots of buying decisions. Their estimated buying power in 2007 was $926.1 billion. With this information, you can expect more businesses to turn to experts at marketing to the Hispanic population.

The benefits of a Hispanic-focused ad agency are many and may include:

1. Communicating more effectively with a Latino population.
2. Spotting market trends as a Latino-focused marketing company.
3. Being considered an expert on marketing to Hispanics by Anglo businesses.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Search for a Hispanic advertising agency

Look at membership in appropriate professional organizations as a sign that your agency really knows about advertising to the Hispanic population.

I recommend: Hire Hispanic advertising agencies by contacting the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies.

Learn more about your target market

There's more to the Hispanic population than the language and Spanish-origin surnames. In addition to hailing from many different countries, U.S. Hispanics range from the recently arrived who speak primarily Spanish to English-speaking Hispanics who have resided in the U.S. for generations. Half of all U.S. Hispanics live in California and Texas, but Florida, New Mexico, Arizona, New York and Illinois have sizable populations as well.

I recommend: A Latino-focused marketing company can help you interpret population trends reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. Other statistics that could impact your marketing decisions can be found at HispaniCare and HispanicAd.

Spot trends

Hispanic agencies can predict marketing trends that affect your business. As with all cultures, it's important to consider different populations within the larger group, ie.e. teens, families and professionals.

I recommend: Ask your advertising professional if he reads Hispanic trade publications. Hispanic marketing companies often look to the Latino-focused publication, Marketing Y Medios, by Adweek.

Ask your Hispanic advertising agency about their media contacts

While Spanish-language newspapers and Spanish-language TV continue to increase, you'll also find Hispanic-focused media in English too. Hispanic marketing firms should know the Spanish media contacts well.

I recommend: An advertising professional should know how to search for Spanish print media in any region with the National Association of Hispanic Publications. Send your news releases to Hispanic PR Wire, a news distribution service of Hispanic media in the U.S.

Talk the talk

Approximately 29 million people speak Spanish at home, with more than half of them bilingual. Increase your marketing impact with advertising messages that reach the bilingual and Spanish-speaking populations.

I recommend: A Hispanic advertising agency can help you figure out the best way for your product to reach Hispanic consumers. Take a look at successful advertising in Spanish. Translate them to English to understand the messages.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Ask Latino advertising agencies to keep work for your company in their portfolios. That way you'll bring your product to the attention of other Hispanic market outlets.
• •  Many of the more than 100 Hispanic marketing agencies are located in places like New York, California and Florida. If you notice a growing Hispanic or Latino population in your region, you may have first crack at an untapped market.
• •  Get your marketing message out by participating or sponsoring cultural events. Many take place during Hispanic Heritage month, which begins on September 15.

To secure competitive jobs with Hispanic-focused advertising agencies, it is important to look for the best education and training opportunities. The most successful Hispanic-focused advertising agency professionals not only have the right academic degrees, but also increase their advertising capabilities through continuing education opportunities.

In most cases, Hispanic advertising agencies require at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. If you desire to begin a career or want to advance your career at a Hispanic marketing firm, consider the following Hispanic focused advertising agencies education and training recommendations:

1. Earn a degree in advertising, marketing, communications or graphic design, preferably from a college or university dedicated to Hispanic higher education success.

2. Attend classes and conferences offered by industry associations to gain knowledge about Hispanic advertising and marketing trends.

3. Learn from Hispanic marketing agency peers by studying case histories and advertising campaigns.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get a job with Hispanic marketing companies through appropriate college programs and scholarships

To secure a job with Hispanic marketing or advertising agencies, look to scholarships for Hispanics. For college programs that focus on Hispanic education and culture, consider higher education institutes that are members of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.

I recommend: Check out the scholarship program for Latino advertising students from The Lagrant Foundation. Check out the Department of Latino and Hispanic Caribbean Studies at Rutgers University to get a versatile major that is attractive to Hispanic marketing agencies.

Attend industry training events to get current info about Hispanic focused ad agency trends

The U.S. Hispanic population is the nation's youngest and fastest-growing population, so it is important to stay current with Hispanic advertising trends. Several advertising industry associations offer training classes and seminars to help professionals at Hispanic marketing firms learn the latest trends and tactics. Some educational opportunities are continuing education classes designed for experienced ad executives, while others are basic workshops focused on those just beginning a career in advertising with Hispanic marketing firms.

I recommend: All Hispanic advertising professionals, from interns to executives, can benefit from classes, workshops and conferences sponsored by the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies. SAVisión, which is the Hispanic arm of the San Antonio Chapter of the American Marketing Association, offers professional development courses geared specifically to Hispanic advertising and marketing professionals.

Research Hispanic advertising agency ads, case studies and articles to learn from your peers

Learn about successes and challenges encountered by Hispanic advertising agency peers in real work situations by researching ad campaigns and case studies. Also read up on relevant articles addressing current Hispanic advertising tactics and strategies.

I recommend: Access a wealth of advertising training resources and review the best Hispanic advertising TV spots at Marketing My Medios. Learn about the latest Hispanic direct marketing and advertising trends with the educational article at Direct Marketing Association.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you would like to begin a career in advertising, seek internships with Hispanic advertising agencies. Internships are an effective way to get hands-on advertising training and education.

You may want to work with Hispanic marketing agencies if you're trying to reach the Hispanic market, which is becoming a huge percentage of the U.S. population. These agencies know how to reach Hispanics in a way that gets results.

You should read up on some Hispanic-focused advertising agencies basics before signing with a Latino-focused agency. That way you will be educated enough to make a smart choice. Three things to keep at the top of your mind are:

1. What makes an award-winning Hispanic marketing firm;

2. How to find an Hispanic-focused marketing agency in your area;

3. An overview of the Hispanic market and how to reach people in this segment.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Do some research on award-winning Hispanic marketing companies

It helps to learn from agencies that are considered to be the best, especially if you want to figure out how to get the best out of an Hispanic advertising agency. While you don't have to work with one of the top agencies to get great results, it certainly helps to see what they've been up to so you can gain inspiration from their ideas.

I recommend: Hispanic Business has published a list of the top Hispanic agencies, complete with contact information. The article about the list provides a lot of industry insight. Dieste, an Hispanic-focused agency, was Ad Agency's Multicultural Agency of the Year in 2008. It is located in Dallas, Texas.

Learn how to find an Hispanic-focused marketing agency in your area

If your business isn't anywhere near Texas, or any of the other top agencies' locales, it may behoove you to find Hispanic advertising agencies in your area. Luckily, since this is a growing market, there are a lot to choose from.

I recommend: Look at companies that are members of the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies. There are dozens located around the country. Most are based in areas with large Hispanic populations, such as California and Florida. Look at HispanicAd for a more widespread compilation of agencies. Their website lists agencies in Washington, D.C. and Minnesota, for example.

Read about the Hispanic market so you can choose your Hispanic marketing agency wisely

A lot of the things representatives of Hispanic marketing firms tell you may go right over your head unless you've done your homework. You will be better prepared to make a smart agency choice if you have a good grasp on what you want your Latino-focused marketing company to do for you.

I recommend: Read Killian's article on how marketing to Hispanics requires much more than just doing verbatim translation from English to Spanish. Also, Hispanic Market Weekly has a very insightful special report on event marketing targeting Hispanics. Keep the text of these articles in mind, plus any other research you find, when you question prospective agencies.