Each year we welcome a summer intern to Captura Group who has the opportunity to apply classroom lectures and case studies to real life brands in real time. Not only do our interns get to work across a variety of Hispanic digital agency projects alongside some of the best in the industry, but we as a team get to learn about them and apply these insights for our clients looking to reach the emerging Hispanic Gen Z market.
Here’s what we learned from Tamara (pronounced Tamara), this year’s summer intern.
Language and Culture Still Matter to Gen Z Hispanics
Even though she has a U.S. passport, there is no stopping the inner Latina in Tamara. She was born in San Diego to Mexican immigrants and was highly interested in interning at Captura Group because of our focus on the Hispanic digital market. She explains, “because of who I am, having that Latina spice, I thought it would be a great opportunity to take everything I have learned inside the classroom to marketing campaigns in a Hispanic digital agency.” When we asked to explain what she meant about her Latina spice, it really comes down to her culture.
“I grew up speaking Spanish at home and English at school. It’s kind of fun, I live life with two distinct cultures. Whenever I am on the phone with a family member or Hispanic friend I alternate seamlessly between English and Spanish. People on the streets look at me like I am crazy because I have the ability to go back and forth without any problem.”
For Tamara, it goes much deeper than language. “Family is the most important for me, I come home every three weeks from college to see my family.” Tamara explains that she is extremely close to her family and for her, there is nothing more important than family time especially when they are enjoying Mexican food. “I love the authentic Mexican food I eat at home. There is nothing like a freshly made pressed corn tortilla with salsa verde and a hint of lime. Homemade food is what I miss most when I am away at my university (just kidding Ma).”
We are glad to see that the importance of language and culture is not unique to Tamara but deep rooted within young Hispanics according to a recent Univision / Nielsen study.
Hispanic children retain roots through family. 54% of those under 18 live with a foreign born parent, via @Nielsen pic.twitter.com/J0AUbZwKqt
— Univision Insights (@hispanic411) September 19, 2016
Hispanic Generation Z are 100% Digital Natives
When we got to know Tamara, we were blown away by her use of technology, and that’s saying a lot coming from a digital agency. From her rapid fire texting, to seamless cataloging of her life and engaging with friends and family via social media, we saw first hand how technology is intertwined with her daily life.
She emphasized that “technology enhances my everyday life. I am the definition of a digital native. For as long as I can remember I have been involved with media such as Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and Tumblr, my iPhone is glued to my hip.”
Not only is technology a critical part of her life, it excites her. “I am fascinated by the things the digital world has to offer. When researching Captura Group I was intrigued to learn that so much more goes into a digital agency then I thought. Captura Group was a great fit not only because of the fact that I am an avid technology user, but also because the agency focused on targeting Latinas like me”.
Tips from Tamara When Targeting Generation Z Hispanics
- Be culturally relevant and use both English and Spanish (it hits home, literally)
- Reach out via mobile
- Avoid stereotypes: Don’t portray us as Cholas, taco lovers, or tequila drinkers
- Incorporate friends and family. We love being social and with our loved ones. We are proud of our culture
- Definitely include comedy; we love a good loud laugh
