1. We Have a Problema:
The Misrepresentation of Hispanics in American AdvertisinG
New York-based journalist and blogger, Laura Marti-
nez, published an article in 2007 about a Tecate beer
advertisement that caused uproar amongst the Latino
community. The advertisement displayed a picture of
an ice-cold bottle of Tecate beer and the words, “Final-
ly, a Cold Latina” (Martinez 2007: 18-19). The Latino
community’s reaction to the campaign was so nega-
tive that a California congresswoman pushed to have
the advertisement removed, and within the space of a
few days, it was taken down (Martinez 2007: 18-19).
While creative campaigns can often be controver-
sial, this story highlights a deeper problem that exists
within American advertising: the misrepresentation
of Hispanics. This article will discuss (a) the common
stereotypes associated with Hispanic peoples, (b) the
economic opportunities that the Hispanic market
provides, and (c) the steps advertisers are taking to
better represent this ever-growing American minori-
ty.
Common Forms of Hispanic Misrepresentation
Societal changes often come as the result of minority
groups being introduced into popular media. Howev-
er, while diversity is amplified, accompanying stereo-
types never lag far behind. Joan Voight, a writer for
Brandweek, addresses this issue further in her article
“DON’T BOX ME IN.” According to Voight, groups
such as African Americans, Hispanics, gays, and se-
nior citizens are the common recipients of negative
stereotypes and patronizing (Voight 2003: 14).
Focusing in on the Hispanic demographic, Voight
explains that many advertisements often portray His-
panic peoples as salsa dancers and soccer players liv-
ing in low-income neighborhoods and cooking ethnic
foods in their kitchens (Voight 2003: 14). Additional-
ly, the Hispanic actors chosen to star in television and
print advertisements are usually selected based upon
Caucasian beauty standards. They are depicted as tall,
slender individuals with sharp features (Voight 2003:
14).
By taking this one-sided approach, advertisers fail to
represent the large number of Hispanic nationalities
that exist within the United States. The following
graphic represents the cultural makeup of the United
States’ Hispanic population.
Opportunities Within the Hispanic Market
An awareness of the Hispanic demographic will provide
advertisers with several economic opportunities. Su-
san Menke, the Senior Multicultural Analyst at Mintel,
explained the importance of the Hispanic demograph-
ic in their October 2013 report. Menke stated that the
Hispanic population continues to experience growth as
a result of high birthrates, which she believes will have
a significant impact on the American cultural makeup
(Menke 2013).
A 2013 Census Bureau report further proves Menke’s
ideas. According to the report, by approximately 2020,
more than half of US children are expected to be part of
a minority or ethnic group (Colby & Ortman 2015: 1).
Additionally, by 2060, the nation’s foreign-born popula-
tion is projected to reach 19 percent, a 6 percent increase
from 2014 (Colby & Ortman 2015: 1).
As Hispanic populations continue to rise, advertisers
will need to shift in order to cater to these markets.
However, Hispanic-minded advertising attempts will
not prove fruitless. According to a report from the
Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University
of Georgia Terry College of Business, Hispanics spent
roughly $1.3 trillion on purchases in 2015, and they
are expected to spend over $1.7 trillion in 2020 (Mc-
Carthy 2016: 3). Understanding the Hispanic pres-
ence not only now, but in the future will provide ad-
vertisers with great opportunity to increase sales.
*Information comes from US Census Bureau Estimates

2. Steps Towards Improved Representation
Despite often portraying Hispanics through negative
stereotypes, several agencies are making strides to
represent the Latino demographic. For example, com-
panies are looking for ways to better understand and
connect with the various Latino cultures and ethnici-
ties. In a recent interview, Aleena Roeschley, Research
Director and Multicultural Expert for Communicus,
explained how marketers are beginning to “do [their]
homework on the specific nuances within each [His-
panic] region” (Roeschley 2015).
Roeschley continued by saying that McDonald’s has
made significant progress in regards to understand-
ing its target audience. She referenced a recent ad
that used a popular Spanish song called “Vamos a La
Playa” that was able to connect with Hispanic youth
and their parents through nostalgia. She believes such
tactics will prove more effective than following tradi-
tional Hispanic stereotypes (Roeschley 2015).
Softer approaches are also being taken to build bet-
ter relationships between Hispanics and advertisers.
According to Juan Mantilla, Senior Vice President of
Cultural Insight at LatinWorks, the best thing brands
can do to improve their messaging towards Hispanics
is to focus on the current issues the market is facing
(Mantilla 2015). Mantilla believes that brands have
the power to cover difficult topics such as immigra-
tion in a way that will personally connect with the
market.
Conclusion
Many things have changed since Julia Martinez pub-
lished her article in 2007. Not only has the Hispanic
demographic continued to grow, but the Latino rep-
resentation in advertising has also seen significant
changes. While several ethnic misconceptions still
exist, agencies will be successful as they (a) become
aware of Hispanic misrepresentations, (b) adapt their
strategies to the diversifying market, and (c) gain intu-
itive and personal insights through in-depth research.
By completing these steps, advertising agencies will
not only increase their profits, but will also improve
the perceptions of the Hispanic minority group.
Greg Ballif
References:
Martinez, Laura. 2007. “Latinos hot and bothered about
the wrong image.” Advertising Age 78 (36): 18-19
Voight, Joan. 2003. “DON’T BOX ME IN.” Brandweek 44
(31): 14
Menke, Susan. 2013. “Issues and Insights.” Hispanic Atti-
tudes towards Advertising
Colby, Sandra L., and Jennifer M. Ortman. 2015. “Projec-
tions of the Size and Composition of the U.S. Pop
ulation: 2014 to 2060.” Current Population Reports:
1
McCarthy, Alison. 2016. “Who They Are, What They’re
Doing on Digital and Ad Spending to Reach Them.”
US Hispanics 2016: 3
Roeschley, Aleena. Interview with Alison McCarthy. eMar
keter, November 23, 2015.
Mantilla, Juan. Interiew with Alison McCarthy. eMarketer,
July 30, 2015.