With Hispanic audiences growing in Chicago, Spanish-language advertisements are natural additions to any brand’s marketing strategy. In order to speak directly to Spanish speakers across Chicago, you’ll need to focus on imagery, make sure the translation is correct, and find the right audience. With OOH, you can reach Hispanic audiences in Chicago and grow your market.
OOH and Spanish Speakers
Why cater to the Spanish-speaking citizens of America? There are many reasons, but the most important one is probably the fact that no matter what your brand sells, you have Spanish-speaking customers. In the United States, 52 million people are Hispanic or Latin Americans. That’s about 17% of the national population. In Chicago, that percentage is twice as large—Hispanics constitute about 33% of the population in the Chicago DMA.
But it’s not just the numbers. Some people of Hispanic descent prefer Spanish over English, even if they speak both. Spanish is a language of comfort for many, and while people may not use it as much as they use English when they’re out and about, they might feel a certain intimacy with the language that can help you reach out to them with a stronger effect. Also, Hispanics might not feel as comfortable with English as they do with Spanish. Only 41% of Hispanics report that they speak English “very well”.
Outdoor advertising stands as a prime option for brands looking to get in front of the Hispanic community of the United States and Chicago. Chicago Hispanics are often young and rely on public transit for their transportation needs—both of those metrics indicate they are more likely to view out of home advertising than the average US traveler.
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Call us today to set up a FREE consultation for your advertising needs. We can show you how we design ads for Spanish-speakers and show you how including Spanish in your strategy could benefit your marketing goals.
The Importance of Images
Images are great tools for marketing, no matter the audience. Studies show they increase page views on image-centered platforms (like Instagram) by 94%. However, when you add a language barrier, images can be your saving grace.
The old adage is true: a picture’s worth a thousand words. The best part of the saying is—you don’t have to translate those thousand words. The viewer does it themselves.
Images tend to be super-effective when targeting to audiences consisting of speakers of multiple languages. It makes sense; images can quickly convey both a message and tone.
When using images, beware of generational differences. Just like any community, The Hispanic community contains stark differences between the older folks and the younger generation. Older Hispanics often prefer to speak Spanish without any English additions, and they also watch and listen to Hispanic media. Studies show that younger hispanic audiences are much more comfortable with “Spanglish” since they speak both languages, and they consume American media. Depending on your target audience, you’ll want to keep in mind the imagery you use.
Quick Facts
Hispanics constitute about 33% of the population in the Chicago DMA.
52% of Spanish-dominant Hispanics say ads in Spanish makes them think a company respects them and wants their business.
53% of Spanish-dominant Hispanics remember an ad better if it is in Spanish.
Don’t Use Google Translate
Make sure you check and double-check your translation. When you translate a branding message, it’s not just important to get the words right, but also the tone, this is where translation programs fall flat. You’ll want to work with a professional translator (or at least a native speaker) to make sure you’re conveying the right connotation, and that you’re associating the images you’re intending to associate, just like we do when we work to create messaging in English.
A great example of the worst-case scenario for translation happened to a company that sold pens. Their slogan, “It won’t leak in your pocket and embarrass you,” is perfectly normal in English. However, the mistake came in the translation. “Embarrassed” was translated to embarazada, a word that means “pregnant” in Spanish. It’s hard to imagine how that could have gone worse.
Another common mistake is to neglect learning about formal (usted) and informal (tu) language. In some Latin American countries, it is considered rude to speak to a stranger in the informal tone, so ads mostly use the formal tone. In others, the formal tone is too stuffy and pretentious, so ads tend to gravitate toward the informal tone.
Language is incredibly important in advertisements. If a Spanish speaker reads the message and feels like the translation is off, they might become convinced your brand does not actually care about them as customers. They may even be dissuaded from buying your products. This can all be avoided if you make sure your translation is accurate.
Going beyond language, also be sure to avoid stereotypes about Hispanic people. We’ve seen it happen, and it’s easier to fall into a stereotype without knowingly doing so. However, these stereotypes are easy for Hispanics to pick out and can harm your campaign. It’s important to understand your audience before trying to ingratiate yourself with them.
Reach the Right Audience
Be aware of the subtle differences between various Hispanic groups. Each country and region of Latin America speaks a little differently, they listen to slightly different music and eat different foods. Even within Mexico, some cultural differences between regions can seem dramatic.
Think about día de los muertos, a holiday celebrated around the time of Halloween that features dancing skeletons. The problem is, that holiday is not celebrated across Latin America. It’s mostly a Mexican holiday, so if you advertise in a predominantly Puerto Rican area, you’re not going to get the same effect. While it might not be possible to reach every community individually, you can speak to the Hispanic community as a whole in ways that transcend regional differences.
The best way to solve this problem is to pair up with a local ad agency who can help you find the locations you need to target. Local Chicago outdoor ad agencies like View Chicago have the knowledge you’ll need to find your audience in the Windy City. In Chicago, we are the neighborhood experts. We’ve always dedicated every moment of our energy to this city, and we know everything about it.
We can help you corner any market you are interested in reaching in Chicago. We can give you specific streets, intersections, and help you use outdoor advertising to work for your needs. And this works both for outdoor ads but also for online ads, since you can target people geographically through social media.
You don’t want to spend all the time and effort translating your message and making sure the images are self-explanatory for the ad to not find the right demographic. Reaching a local audience in a neighborhood is just as important as making sure the translation is correct—it can be make or break.