Latinos Are Not A Monolith

Marco Lopez
12 hours ago
2 min read

The myth to retire

Brands still treat Latino audiences as identical. They are not. Heritage, region, language, and acculturation vary widely. One message for all leads to missed revenue and broken trust.

I have seen this from public service to private strategy. As a former mayor of a border city in Arizona, former Director of the Arizona Department of Commerce, and former Chief of Staff at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, I learned that listening first prevents costly mistakes.

As CEO of Intermestic Partners, an international business advisory firm founded in 2011, I help teams design market approaches that respect culture and deliver results. Intermestic Partners specializes in cross border trade and development and works with top national and international companies.

More than half of Latinos in the United States are US born. Treating them as recent arrivals erases reality and opportunity.

Why nuance wins

Latino buying power is large and growing, but growth is not uniform. Messaging must reflect local roots in places like Arizona, Texas, California, Florida, New York, and the Southwest. Generational identity, bilingual fluency, and country of origin shape what feels real.

What effective looks like

Segment with care. Build creative for heritage, region, and life stage.
Localize, do not translate. Adapt storylines, references, and humor to the market.
Hire the voice. Involve Latino strategists, creators, and researchers from brief to launch.
Choose the right channels. Blend Spanish, English, and bilingual media where audiences already gather.
Measure what matters. Track cultural relevance, not only clicks.

Proof points to study

Culturally specific campaigns in food, beverage, and sports have outperformed generic efforts when they reflect real community stories and cast talent from the audience they serve. The through line is credibility.

The road ahead

Expect more creator partnerships, community based events, and nostalgia that honors roots without stereotypes. Keep learning and refine every quarter. Authenticity compounds.

Call to collaborate

If you want strategies that respect Latino diversity and move the needle, let us talk. Intermestic Partners can help your team segment smartly, localize creative, and build partnerships that last.