by Rdoke
The numbers of the 2010 Census are starting to be released and while the overall count was predictable, it is the state by state data that is showing the impact of the Hispanic population. In reading a recent article ( The Super Bowl of Demographics ) by Gustavo Razzetti on the meaning of Census data for marketers, it was clear to me how the numbers go way beyond the task of being counted. The following are three key changes I believe the numbers will bring:
Greater Political Influence
Latinos are leading the growth on a large number of states, many of which will be undergoing the redistricting process. An article published by the Washington Post last December, best points out the significance of gained influence and the legal challenges. It emphasizes the fact that “many of the states that stand to gain seats in Congress and electoral votes in presidential elections are growing because of Hispanics” and even “in states that will lose seats, Hispanics could still stand to gain. The Hispanic population in Illinois grew by almost 90 percent even as the overall population remained relatively stagnant. Latino lawyers will be pushing to keep their representation strong even as the state’s congressional delegation shrinks.”
Expansion of Hispanic Media
Gustavo Razzetti’s article stated that“Spanish media follows the Hispanic population long before the Census data is released and it’s surprising to note that cities such as Kansas City, Little Rock, Minneapolis, Oklahoma City, and Nashville are all fully-equipped with Spanish-language newspaper, radio, and broadcast.” The numbers will justify greater expending from marketers and as a result we will see growth in Hispanic media. Even giant Univision is planning to capitalize on Census figures and is exploring the launch of additional networks including a novela channel, as cited on a recent article published on MediaDailyNews.com.
The question is, how soon will we see greater representation of Hispanic content on general market media outlets?
Better U.S. Hispanic Analytics
Measurement is by far the most important component to any initiative. Marketers require an understanding of the impact their dollar spent has created. While, there have been some improvement in monitoring U.S. Hispanic online conversations, acquiring analytics and analyzing interactions, there is a need for the market to access resources that go deeper into measurement and beyond language within the U.S. Hispanic audience. The census and growth of the industry it brings, should act as a driving force in fulfilling this need.
Who will lead the way? comScore, Radian6…
Will the new industry effort to “Make Measurement Make Sense” also drive to bringing Hispanic measurement up to par?
Share your thoughts!
