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Jewish World Review May 4, 2005 / 25 Nisan , 5765 Corporate America sees what's coming even if politicians don't By Ruben Navarrette Jr.
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Just in time for Cinco de Mayo, some of America's largest corporations are gearing up to make a pitch to Hispanic consumers:
The California wine industry is going after Latino customers by relying on everything from bilingual wine labels, a Spanish-language winery tour, wine promotions at Latino markets, and Latino cultural events sponsored by wineries. There's even a Spanish-language radio show focused on food and wine.
Discovery Networks — which already produces ''Discovery en espanol'' — is now branching out with two new offerings in an attempt to tap into the rapidly expanding U.S. Hispanic cable market. ''Viajar y Vivir'' (Travel and Living) is a lifestyle channel aimed at Latinas, and ''Discovery Kids en espanol'' will offer educational programming.
In what is believed to be the first-ever partnership between a major retailer and a Hispanic-themed media partner, Sears is teaming up with Latina Magazine to launch a line of clothing specifically aimed at Hispanic women. Dubbed ''Latina Life,'' the clothing line hopes to tap into the Hispanic apparel market, which rang in last year at $6.6 billion.
I wonder how all this will go over with the culture cops who complain about the ''Latinization'' of the United States. Maybe they won't notice since many of them are busy flipping their lids over a cheesy billboard in Los Angeles promoting a Spanish-language television network. The billboard's message is that the City of Angels is really part of Mexico.
Well, there's certainly no mistaking the Mexican influence in Los Angeles. And why do you suppose that is? Show me a city with a strong presence of illegal immigrants and I'll show you a city full of U.S.-born citizens who feel entitled to the ready availability of cheap immigrant labor.
Still, some people I know bristle at all the attention being paid to Latino consumers and what they see as an attempt by companies to make special accommodations for what is now America's largest minority. Others worry about anything that might help Latinos put off the assimilation process, and ask why the country's institutions should change to suit Latinos and not the other way around.
That line of thinking hits a dead end on Madison Avenue. Eager to get their chunk of a market that is estimated to reach $1 trillion a year by 2010, the country's most successful companies have no qualms about speaking the language of the Latino consumer.
I don't mean Spanish. It's a myth that the only way to reach Latino customers is by advertising en espanol. Surveys show that Latinos are still more likely to converse in English than Spanish. If you have a product that Latinos don't find appealing, putting together Spanish-language ads or a Spanish-language Web site won't do much good.
Forget language. What I mean is that companies are honing in on ethnic tastes and cultural nuances and spending a lot of time, effort and money developing, testing and marketing products intended to make Latinos feel right at home in the American marketplace.
As a Mexican-American who already feels at home in the American marketplace — and in America, for that matter — I'm not sure how to take that. I've decided it's a sign of progress, especially when compared to what's happening in the world of politics.
In Washington, you can still get into an argument with smart but arrogant people about whether institutions should try to adapt to an ever-changing customer base.
One of the latest arguments involved the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). In a March 17 meeting, members of the caucus asked Emanuel to hire a high-level Hispanic to help the DCCC focus on Hispanic issues and help keep Hispanic voters in the Democratic fold. Emanuel balked at the suggestion and in the process offended caucus members, who described him as dismissive and disrespectful, according to The Hill newspaper. The lawmakers threatened to withhold their party dues until Emanuel and other party leaders gave into a ''laundry list'' of demands. It may have worked. Emanuel appears to be caving, according to The Hill, saying a compromise is near. But Hispanic lawmakers say they'll believe it when they see it, and negotiations continue.
That seems like a lot of trouble to go to just to get the Democratic Party to do something it should be doing anyway, and for its own good.
You don't see that very often in the corporate world. In that arena, there is no argument. Most people seem to agree: Change is just another price of doing business.
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Mitch Albom | |||||||||||
