The Hispanic Persona Project provides innovative insights for marketers eager to tap the ever-expanding Hispanic population and its use of digital technology - Web, social media, mobile - to connect with family, friends and extended social circles. Hispanic marketers used customer research for decades to create segments that model the complex demographics of the U.S. Hispanic consumer. Similarly, software developers and digital marketers used ethnographic research to create Personas to understand the behavior and motivations of “users” to create optimal user experiences. The session will present the results of a comprehensive primary research study combining Hispanic demographic segmentation with digital ethnographic research in the form of comprehensive digital Personas for the U.S. Hispanic consumer market. Multicultural and digital marketing thought leader José Villa will introduce attendees to 4 Hispanic Personas and facilitate a thoughtful discussion on Hispanic digital behavior.
The Hispanic Persona Project SXSW Interactive 2012 Presentation
1. THE HISPANIC PERSONA PROJECT
A new model for understanding &
engaging digital Hispanics
March 11, 2012
@jrvilla
#HisPersona
2. Jose
… I’m the President of Sensis…
an ad agency specializing in
integrated digital-traditional and
cross-cultural marketing.
2
3. A little about Sensis…
we were founded to address two
shifts taking place in society– the
growing cultural diversity of the
country and the rapid adoption of
digital technology.
In this new world, culture changes
everything… which is how we
approach marketing
3
7. … the U.S. Hispanic population has seen
unprecedented growth…
7
8. More than 50 million
Hispanic population in the US: 1970 to 2050
102.6
in Millions
87.6
73
59.7
50.4
35.3
22.4
14.6
9.6
1978 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
8
9. More than 50 million
Hispanic population in the US: 1970 to 2050
102.6
43% increase
in Millions
16% of population
87.6
73
59.7
50.4
35.3
22.4
14.6
9.6
1978 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
9
10. More than 50 million and growing…
Hispanic population in the US: 1970 to 2050
102.6
in Millions
87.6
73
59.7
23% of children in
50.4
U.S.
35.3
14.6
22.4
25% of U.S.
9.6
population by 2050
1978 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
10
12. 63 is more important than 50
63% of U.S. Hispanics were born in the U.S.
This is infinitely more important than the size (50.5
million) of the Hispanic population.
12
13. a large and growing population
of immigrants is quickly
becoming a large and growing
ethnic group
13
14. The simple language / acculturation model
Acculturated 20%
2nd / English-dominant
3rd gen
Partially
Acculturated 30%
long-time residents /
2nd generation Bilingual
Unacculturated 50%
Recent immigrants
Spanish-dominant
14
15. The simple language / acculturation model
is being flipped on it’s head
2nd / Partially
3rd gen Acculturated 50%
Bilingual
Recent immigrants Acculturated
English-dominant 30%
Long time
residents
Unacculturated
20%
Spanish-dominant
15
16. … and the Hispanic market is in for some big
changes in the next 10 years
Non-Hispanic
White
85+
80-84
75-79
70-74
65-69
60-64
55-59
50-54
45-49
40-44
35-39
30-34
25-29
20-24
15-19
10-14
5-9
0-4
6 4 2 0 2 4 6
16
17. … and the Hispanic market is in for some big
changes in the next 10 years
Hispanic Non-Hispanic
White
85+
80-84
75-79
70-74
65-69
60-64
55-59
50-54
45-49
40-44
35-39
30-34
25-29
20-24
15-19
10-14
5-9
0-4
10 5 0 5 10 6 4 2 0 2 4 6
17
18. We need to figure out the Hispanic
market, but old models don’t
work…
What are we to do?
18
19. We need to figure out the Hispanic
market, but old models don’t
work…
What are we to do?
Use (or create) new models.
19
20. We need to figure out the Hispanic
market, but old models don’t
work…
What are we to do?
Use (or create) new models.
This is why we undertook the
Hispanic Persona Project
20
23. What is a persona?
Profile of an archetypal user
Represents the needs of many
Based on ethnographic research
Emphasize behavior, motivations, and mindsets
23
24. A Primer on Personas
Invented by and made famous by Alan
Cooper’s “The Inmates are Running the
Asylum” (1999)
Personas have been derided
But good personas are based on real data
and defined by goals
Commonly used in digital advertising
and user experience (UX) design
But quickly being adopted across the
enterprise
24
25. How do we create personas?
Synthesized from ethnographic interviews
Presented as real people with descriptions
Behavior patterns
Skills
Attitudes
Environment
25
27. Hispanic Personas
They focus on behavior, mindsets, and
goals, not demographics
Provide important texture to plan
earned media initiatives, particularly in
interactive and two-way social
environments
27
31. But we added a twist…
We evolved the persona model by incorporating:
Psychographic details
Differences from other ethnic
and general market users
Ways to reach them
31
33. The Research Methodology
Sample to reflect the composition of U.S. online Hispanics
60 ethnographic interviews across the country
Three key variables
Acculturation
Age
National origin
33
34. TECH-FLUENTIAL
“I’m always online,
Ivan
always connected.”
34
35. “I’m always online, always connected.”
TECH-FLUENTIAL
Psychographic Info
Name: Ivan
Age: 27
Acculturation: Mid / High
• Early adopter of technology
• Internet “junkie”, always connected
• Does everything online
• Lifestyle built around technology
• Voracious appetite for information
• Heavy mobile user How do we reach him?
• Takes pride being “in the know”; • Behavior-based advertising (long-tail sites, FB ads)
teaches friends and family about tech • Retargeting
EGO
35 BE DIFFERENT BE CONNECTED
CURIOSITY INFLUENCE STATUS
36. SOCIAL TECHIE “I like to know what
Sandra my friends are up to
all the time.”
36
37. “I like to know what my friends are
up to all the time.”
SOCIAL TECHIE
Psychographic Info
Name: Sandra
Age: 33
Acculturation: Mid
• “First follower”
• Not concerned with how tech works; but
must have the latest
• Online 24/7
• Lives her social lives online
• Loves to share content How do we reach her?
• Uses multiple devices to stay connected • Social media advertising (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
• Has to know what everyone is doing at all
times
• Online video ads
POPULARITY “EVERYONE IS DOING IT”
37
BEING HEARD STAY IN TOUCH FRIENDS AND FAMILY
38. “The Web allows me
NOSTALGIC NEWBIE to stay in touch with
Mariana family and friends in
Mexico and adapt to
life in the U.S.
38
39. “The Web allows me to stay in touch with family
and friends in Mexico and adapt to life in the U.S.
NOSTALGIC NEWBIE
Psychographic Info
Name: Mariana
Age: 39
Acculturation: Low
• Entry-level user
• Still exploring the capabilities of the
internet
• Still connected to the home country, and
everything she does online reflects it
• New to social media; Facebook is the “all- How do we reach her?
in-one” social connectivity solution • Spanish-language portals and long-tail websites
• Uses the web as a tool to learn and to
adapt to life in the U.S.
• Instant Messenger ads / Facebook ads
OPPORTUNITIES
39 EXPLORE
HOME COUNTRY ADAPT
40. UTILITARIAN EXPLORER
“I think it’s important
to have a balance and
Armando
not spend too much
time online”
41. “I think it’s important to have a balance
and not spend too much time online”
UTILITARIAN EXPLORER
Psychographic Info
Name: Armando
Age: 44
Acculturation: Mid
• Life doesn’t revolve around the Web
• Uses social media daily but are for the
most part “passive listeners“
• Knows what they want and leave once
they get it
• Uses internet as an important channel for
entertainment (after TV + radio + print) How do we reach him?
• Uses mobile mostly for calls/texts • English and Spanish-language portals
• Tends to visit the same sites, not too • Paid Search / Facebook / YouTube ads
adventurous
EASE EVERYDAY TASKS RESERACH
41
STAY IN TOUCH CONVENIENCE
44. Choose one
1. Using Hispanic Personas for the Enterprise (e.g.
customer service, designing products)
2. Using Hispanic personas to plan / develop owned
media (e.g. Websites, social media properties)
3. “Futurecasting” the Personas
4. Differences between Hispanic and “other”
personas
44
45. 1) Using Hispanic Personas for the Enterprise
Customer Service
Call Center scripts, IVRs
Sales Strategy
Custom Portals
45
46. 2) Using Hispanic personas to guide owned media
Information Architecture
Taxonomy
Content Strategy
Planning Functionality
46
47. 3) “Futurecasting” the Personas
Trends changing the Hispanic market Result on Personas
A younger population, that is more More Social Techies and Tech
acculturated Influentials (potential hybrid persona)
A geographically diverse market – that More “Nostalgic Newbie” motivations
is quickly growing in the South and and behavior
Midwest
A group of consumers that is spending Need to address novice behavior /
more and more time consuming digital potential new persona representing
media (in many cases for the first time) Hispanic boomers
And a consumer base that is pushing
the technological envelope, leading the Tech Influential on steriods
adoption of new devices such as
tablets, 4G smartphones, and emerging
gaming platforms.
47
48. 4) How are Hispanic Personas different?
What if you already have personas?
Should you create a separate set of Hispanic personas?
Should you make sure some of your personas are “Hispanic”?
48
51. Social Media Usage
Almost all of interviewees noted that the first thing
they do when they go online is check email and
Facebook – very often from mobile devices.
52. “The young teaching the old”
Younger Hispanic ‘super users’ are teaching the late
adopters how to use new technology and
introducing them to new digital trends.
53. Online Advertising
Interviewees mentioned they are likely to click on
online ads if they are relevant to their interests or
contextually relevant, particularly hyper-targeted
Facebook ads.