Hispanic Research

  • Hispanic Research
    As the Hispanic population in the United States continues to grow and its influence in the American culture expands, more and more businesses recognize the revenue opportunities that the Hispanic market represents.
    New products and new advertising campaigns are continuously designed to target this segment, but do companies really understand who Hispanics are and what they want?
 
Facts
  • In 2007, more than 45 million U.S. residents identified themselves as Hispanic or Latino.* There are more Hispanics in the U.S. than in Argentina!**
  • The U.S. Hispanic population is growing more rapidly than most other segments of the U.S. population, and Hispanics tend to have larger families.
  • About one-half of the Hispanic population in the U.S. is concentrated in Texas and California,* and soon a majority of school children in these two states will be Hispanic.
  • Close to 70% of U.S. Hispanics are of Mexican descent,* but Hispanics from all over Latin America are immigrating to the U.S.
     

*(www.census.gov)
**( www.cia.gov)

Decision Analyst has a deep understanding of the Hispanic market as a result of years of experience working with this segment in the U.S. and in Latin America. Decision Analyst employs bilingual and culturally savvy research professionals who are involved in every stage of a Hispanic research project to ensure correct design and flawless execution.

Some of the factors that we consider before designing any study among Hispanics are the following:

  • Acculturation/Assimilation: To what degree has the Hispanic target adopted U.S. cultural values and traditions? Some of the factors used to estimate the level of acculturation among Hispanics include Spanish language skills, use of the Spanish language, use of Spanish media, time lived in the U.S., level of education, geographic location, etc.
  • Internet Usage: Although more than half of Hispanics have online access, they are only partially representative of the Hispanic population in the U.S. Depending on the target audience, Decision Analyst typically recommends hybrid methods of data collection that combine online research and more traditional methods such as phone interviews, mall intercepts, or mail surveys.
  • Geography: Hispanics are not one homogeneous group in the U.S. Mexicans are concentrated in California, Arizona, and Texas, for example. Cubans are clustered in Florida, and Puerto Ricans are concentrated in New York.
  • Language: The Spanish dialect spoken by Hispanics varies by country of origin. Decision Analyst uses professional translators from the respective countries to make sure that all Spanish questionnaires and communications are understandable to the target respondents.
     
Data Collection Methods

Decision Analyst conducts research among Hispanics using a variety of data collection methods:

  • Phone interviews—CATI (Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing)
  • Mall intercepts
  • Off-street intercept interviews (i.e., neighborhood, place of work, etc.)
     
Types of Research Studies

Decision Analyst focuses on the following types of studies:

  • Strategy Research: What is the optimal strategic positioning, the optimal target market, the ideal product line, etc., to help ensure success among Hispanics?
  • New Product Concept Testing: What new products are Hispanics most interested in buying and using?
  • Product Testing: What flavors, textures, and sweetness levels do Hispanics prefer?
  • Advertising Testing: What media and messages work best among Hispanics?
  • Promotion Testing: What promotional concepts would be most effective among Hispanics?
  • Qualitative Research: What are Hispanic motivations, behavioral patterns, perceptions, etc.?
  • Innovation Services: Our online panel of Spanish-speaking, creative respondents can help develop new product ideas for the future.
     

These studies tend to be concentrated in the following industries:

  • Automotive and transportation
  • Consumer packaged goods (CPG)—food, beverages, candy, etc.
  • Financial services
  • Healthcare
  • Restaurants
  • Retailing
  • Telecommunications

Hispanic Marketing Research

If you would like more information on Hispanic Research, please contact Jerry W. Thomas, President/CEO, by emailing him at jthomas@decisionanalyst.com, or by calling 1-800-ANALYSIS (262-5974) or 1-817-640-6166.