The Nuance of Behind Cultural Duality: How to Embrace Identity for Growth

Understanding the concept of cultural duality–or the dual representation of two cultures as part of consumer identity–can help brands demonstrate cultural relevance, authenticity, and inclusivity.

Hispanic consumers in the U.S. represent a rich tapestry of diversity, with roots extending to numerous countries of origin. While the majority are U.S. born, a strong bond to their cultural heritage persists. This dynamic cultural duality allows individuals to effortlessly merge their Hispanic heritage with their American identity.

This cultural versatility is a defining feature of the Hispanic market, and understanding it is vital for businesses aiming to effectively engage with this demographic. The world’s leading brands turn to Collage to learn how to build trust with the Hispanic consumer segment, as the inherent diversity within the community presents a unique opportunity for businesses to forge connections through authentic and inclusive marketing campaigns.

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Maria Twena, Chief Marketing Officer of Adsmovil, joined me for a celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month to dive deeper into the topic of cultural duality with a focus on Hispanic consumers, while simultaneously providing brands with a primer to leverage insights to fuel brand growth through authentic campaigns.

Here are four key takeaways from our discussion that can help your brand kickstart growth and fuel Brand Love:

1. Understanding Hispanic Consumers: Brands that understand the importance of the nuances of Hispanic consumers, including their cultural duality, positivity, engagement, and trailblazing traits, will have an easier time emphasizing the importance of cultural, not just linguistic, translation in marketing initiatives.

2. Hispanic Consumer Terminology: To guide current and future research, we shared new terminology to describe the acculturation of Hispanics in the U.S.: U.S. leaning, bicultural, and heritage leaning. According to our latest insights, most Hispanics identify as bicultural: using both English and Spanish languages and have a shared Hispanic and American identity.

3. Hispanic Consumer Drivers: Underlying drivers of Hispanic consumers, such as their desire to preserve their ancestors’ cultural traditions, and their strong personal connection to the U.S., are strong examples to activate on to authentically engage the segment.

4. A Case Study on Cultural Duality: U.S. Bank shed light on the responsibility children of non-English speaking parents take on in “Translators,” a documentary that illuminates the parentification of Hispanic children. This activation demonstrated how brands can engage with the cultural duality of Hispanic consumers by offering translation services to alleviate the burden on younger family members who often act as translators.

A key opportunity for brand growth lies in comprehending and embracing the cultural duality of the Hispanic market. Businesses can effectively engage by creating authentic campaigns that resonate with the unique blend of influences characterizing this group. A deeper connection and increased engagement can be fostered by acknowledging these cultural intricacies.

The future marketplace will favor businesses that can skillfully navigate this cultural complexity, especially as the U.S. continues to diversify. Brands that use cultural and linguistic cues relevant to their target audience and facilitate content or product information sharing will enable them to connect more dynamically with this diverse demographic, fueling further growth.

Contact us to learn how you can take a deeper dive into our research and discover how embracing consumer culture is a key component of brand growth. We look forward to partnering with you and continuing our contributions to authentic brand engagements that elevate diverse consumer voices year-round.