Since our piece on the rising power of Latinx Gen Z was published two years ago, a lot has changed. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has pushed digital content to the forefront even more than before and the number of people on social media has grown significantly since pre-pandemic times. In a recent joint report from We Are Social and Hootsuite, an estimated 4.2 billion people were on social media in 2021 — an increase of nearly 13% or 490 million from the previous year.
With more users than ever on social platforms, brands and marketers are taking note of the power that diverse communities hold in the digital landscape, especially Latinx Americans. In 2020, the buying power of the U.S. Latinx population was estimated to reach $1.9 trillion by the year 2023. This number was met by the end of 2020—a full three years ahead of expectations. The Latinx community continues to show up and show out, but what types of brands back them up?
Authenticity Matters Most
When it comes to the current buying patterns of Latinx American consumers, 73% report that trusting in brands is most important to them. This desire for authenticity and trustworthiness is only growing stronger as Latinx people of all ages (including Gen Zers) primarily support brands who also support them. One great example of a brand who continues to show support for the Latinx community is Spotify. Last year, the major music and podcasts streaming service launched Sound Up LatinX, a cohort program created specifically to target the lack of U.S. Latinx creators in podcasting. Throughout the year, the brand also uplifts Latinx creatives with their yearly Latinx Heritage Month campaign, work with community partners, and through their global RADAR program.
The Future Is (Still) Multicultural
Since 2020, the demand for Latinx content has also grown. According to Hulu’s recent Generation Stream report, 68% of Gen Z streamers identify as a “citizen of the world.” And with platforms like the Latinx streaming service Pantaya exceeding its own growth forecast in 2021, TikTok launching an incubator program for rising Latinx creatives and popular Spanish Netflix shows like Money Heist (La Casa de Papel) becoming hits with both Spanish and non-Spanish speakers, there’s no doubt that Gen Z wants more diverse content.
The days of homogeneous representation in storytelling are gone, and brands and social platforms must elevate multicultural campaigns if they want to attract Latinx and non-Latinx Gen Z consumers.
