David Tardío of Warner Bros. Discovery US Hispanic, Michael Roca of Omnicom Media Group, Daniela Martínez of A+E Networks Latin America, Rob Vélez of Vevo, and Adriana Waterston of Horowitz Research
With the rise of streaming, marketers are increasingly eager to connect with Hispanic audiences in more meaningful ways. “On one hand, it’s easier due to the proliferation of options. Data and technology have enabled precise audience targeting, making it simpler to reach and segment viewers based on nuanced preferences. However, on the other hand, this fragmentation can also make it more challenging,” said David Tardio, Head of Advertising Sales and Integrated Marketing at Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. Hispanic, at CTV Days US Hispanic & Latin America 2024, hosted by Dataxis at the Novotel Brickell hotel in Miami.
Tardío joined Michael Roca, Executive Director of the Cross-Cultural Center of Excellence (Elevate) at Omnicom Media Group; Daniela Martínez, SVP of Advertising Sales and Corporate Strategy at A+E Networks Latin America; and Rob Vélez, VP of Inclusive Network Sales at Vevo, on the panel, “Targeting Hispanic Audiences with CTV Advertising.”
Adriana Waterston, EVP of Insights & Strategy Lead at Horowitz Research, moderated the panel, commenting that “the new culture is static in a polycultural environment like the US.”
For Martínez of A+E Networks Latin America, in the U.S., there isn’t a clear distinction between different Latino groups, and the US Hispanic is as diverse as Latin America itself. “You have to understand these demographics to leverage data effectively and target the right content,” she said.
Tardío highlighted brand safety as a significant concern in today’s CTV landscape. He added that Warner Bros. Discovery previously addressed audiences in silos, but now employs a more integrated approach. “We need to be mindful of how content performs across different media and how Hispanics consume it, whether it’s long-form or short-form. We’re constantly evolving our strategies to effectively reach the U.S. Hispanic audience,” he said.
Roca at Omnicom Media Group emphasized that content will always reign supreme and that one of the key differences of the Latino consumer is their significantly younger demographic. “The average age of Latinos is 11 years old, compared to the general market’s 57. Half of all brands lack media plans specifically targeting Hispanics. There’s a lot of misinformation and educational work to be done to help clients effectively reach this segment,” he said.
Roca suggested that brands neglecting Hispanic America under the guise of resource constraints should be reminded that progress is better than perfection. He emphasized that even with existing resources, they can take steps to reach this valuable audience.
“Spanish language is a crucial part of our business, yet it’s often underrepresented in data. We need to address this issue. Within our company, we’ve developed a tool that has registered 250 billion identities in the U.S. to bridge this gap and enable more precise targeting of Hispanic audiences,” Roca explained. He noted that companies like Walmart and Target possess exceptional data capabilities. “This is why the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry is thriving, as they directly see the impact of their efforts.”
Vélez from Vevo noted that Latinos have had such a significant impact on the music industry that artists now often prefer to keep their original language rather than create versions in other languages. “Even Anglo artists like Justin Bieber and Beyoncé are now singing in Spanish,” he pointed out.
The panelists concurred that the U.S. Hispanic population should not be underestimated. They noted that recent elections served as a stark reminder of the demographic’s growing political and social influence.
