6.9.08  I Read An Ad Today, Oh Boy! "Higher Food Prices = Stomach Bands?" 

First, know that I wrote this headline to be sung to the opening of the Beatles tune, “A Day in the Life”.  (Again, all those born after 1980, never mind.)  Anyway, I read an internet banner ad today that read, “Food Costs Rising, Eat Less, Get A Stomach Band.”  Does that sound right to you? No it doesn’t! This isn't necessarily an Hispanic thing, because everybody's getting hit with higher gas and grocery bills and hunger knows no race/ethnicity, but DAMN!

It’s true that food costs are rising: going through the roof globally. And, people are being forced to choose between gas vs. food and generic brands vs. name brands and Wal-Mart vs. real grocery stores, like my client H-E-B!  (Interestingly, beer sales seem to be holding firm. Go figure!) But come on, playing that socio-economic/emotional card is just wrong.   

Does anyone really think that people are going to say, “Hey that sounds like a GREAT idea!  Why waste money on food, when I can cut down on grocery bills AND lose those extra 200 pounds that I’ve been meaning to get to.” Just because we, as advertisers, can use the web to reach out and touch billions of people in a relatively inexpensive manner doesn’t mean we should. Not every message is a good message.

I know there’s no Judith Martin (Miss Manners, again for you “young ones”) for the internet, but I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw that one. In any case, I for one am going to stay slightly short for my weight in protest.  And, I suggest that all who read this (both of you) do the same.  Top  

5.13.08  USA Today Shocker: “Mexicans Immigrants Slow to Assimilate”

I read an interesting article in today’s USA Today flying back from Houston to Austin.  The Headline read, “Immigrant Assimilation Varies: Some foreign-born embrace U.S. culture faster than others”. Using Census data going back to 1890, the piece shows Mexicans have a lower assimilation rating (13) vs. people who came here from Canada (53), the Philippines (49), Cuba (43), Korea (41) or Vietnam (41) among other countries. The article further states that, of all immigrant groups in the study, Mexicans are the slowest to assimilate. Go figure!   

However, in defense of modern day immigrants, the story also notes that at least those that ARE assimilating are doing so a lot faster than immigrants to the U.S. did 100 years ago.  And, USA Today quotes Pew Hispanic Center demographer Jeffrey Passel explaining that it’s the children and grandchildren of immigrants that really make progress in assimilation.         

The only problem I have with the report is that it doesn't say WHY Mexicans don't assimilate as quickly as others.  WHY is it that, even if Mexicans are behind the curve, that overall assimilation is occurring quicker now than ever before?  The why’s are the interesting part of this story. In my opinion, there are three main causes affecting assimilation rates: geographic proximity, technological advances and people like me (or at least in Hispanic marketing). 

Traditionally the reason Mexican immigrants haven’t assimilated more quickly vs. the European model is that, while the Irish and Italians and Germans and Polish, etc. crossed an ocean to get here, most of our immigrant forefathers walked (or swam) across the border (and the swim was probably more of a wade than a real swim).  It’s just not that far to get here, or to go back home.  The ease, constancy and sheer number of people going back and forth obviously delays assimilation.  If you’ve ever been to Brownsville, it’s hard to tell where Brownsville ends and Matamoros (Mexico) starts (although the line of cars at each of the bridges provides a clue).  And, you could say the same thing about Laredo and Nuevo Laredo, El Paso and Juarez.  You get the picture. 

Technology is also having an enormous impact on keeping the culture strong among immigrants.  In the past 10 years, technology that is much more advanced, easier to use, widely available and affordable has transformed our market.  Who doesn’t have a cell phone these days? Not just here but in Mexico too. There was a time when having a phone in Mexico was a luxury few people could afford, and even then you had to bribe someone to get it installed.  Not anymore. In addition, mobile's not just for talking either, you’d think Latinos invented texting as much as we're texting back and forth.  OMG! (My daughter told me what that means.)

Talk about closing the techno gap, even computers are getting more common and affordable. Recently, I interviewed a low-income recent immigrant Mom on a client project.  Some of her kids were here, but her older son still worked back in Mexico.  She “saw” him at least once a week on a $15 webcam and a $499 desktop.  Today, geographic proximity is cyber-based. You don't have to lose your culture anymore.  It goes where you go.

Finally, yes, it’s guys like me in advertising and marketing and media that make it easy for immigrants (and U.S.-born Hispanics too) to stay close to their roots.  The past 10 years have seen a proliferation of advertising, marketing, promotions and media focused on Hispanics.  Just count the growth in media vehicles across all channels – TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, on-line, mobile.  It’s HUGE.  The growth has been mostly in Spanish, but culturally-relevant English-language media is also growing.  Why aren’t Mexicans assimilating?  Well, because they really don’t have to.  At least not from a cultural perspective.   

But, while Hispanics now find it easier to hang on to their heritage, what IS changing is their consumer behavior.  OK, newly arrived Moms are still loyal to their Suavitel and Ariel.  But, the same technology that is keeping them culturally connected is also seducing them with new product and service alternatives.  Bigger, better, brighter, “mas barato”.  It all gets their attention and if it’s on TV it “just has to be true”.  The growing media blitz, the constant intro of new products and brands, the kids asking for products they've tried at friends' homes and at school.  It all ads up and Mom strays.   And, it's not just the Moms.  Dad’s already moved on to Bud-Light, Domino’s Pizza and ESPN DEPORTES on a big screen TV.  (These just happen to be brands I work on, but that’s my version of product placement.)  The point is that this is how, in some ways, assimilation is ALSO speeding up.  For me, the whole dynamic of WHY what's happening is happening is the most interesting part of the story. Top