The Role of Public Relations in Reaching the Latino Market in the United States Today

Nationwide Overview
The Latino market in the United States has emerged as a major purchasing powerhouse representing a substantial source of revenue for those who can reach this key population segment with targeted public relations messages. Before discussing techniques and strategies that can be used to attract consumers in this group, it is important to have a better understanding of the Latino market and its purchasing potential.

In dozens of areas in all regions of the U.S. the Latino population has reached a critical mass that increasingly attracts attention from local retailers as well as national marketers – including financial services institutions, car dealers, supermarkets and service providers in the cable television and telecommunications industry and among Internet service providers.

As of July 1, 2004, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that the Latino population had reached 41.3 million, accounting for nearly half of the growth projected for the entire U.S. population over the previous year (an additional 1.4 million Latinos compared with an overall increase of 2.9 million). The total U.S. population as of July 1, 2004 was 293.7 million. Today the U.S. has the fourth largest Spanish-speaking population in the world after Mexico, Spain and Argentina.

Latinos are the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States, comprising a record number that will probably keep rising due to immigration numbers and birth rate statistics that have surpassed non-Latino population segments (African Americans and whites).