More and more Hispanic women are finding new ways to be informed, to access professional information and be entertained in the web through online media, posts, blogs and magazines. And every day more and more editors are discovering that the multi million dollar market that comprises US Hispanic women is here to stay. An explanation to this industry trend is that - as described by Juan Tornoe – “in 2009, Hispanics will account for 9 percent of all U.S. buying power, up from 5.2 percent in 1990. Due to this relatively brisk growth, Hispanic buying power ($923 billion) will exceed African-American buying power ($911 billion) in 2008. Of the many forces supporting this substantial and continued growth, the most important is favorable demographics, but better employment opportunities also help to increase the group’s buying power”.
Some of the targeted magazines that are already in this race and that were born in the last years include:
Nueva: Operating under its U.S. name, Maya Magazines, Mexico city based Notmusa publishing launched Nueva, an English language magazine targeting English dominant U.S. Latinas between 25 and 44 years of age.
Latina Style: Latina broke new ground in 1994 by launching the first national magazine dedicated to the needs and concerns of the contemporary Latina professional workingwoman and the Latina business owner in the United States. Catalina: Tired of the often negative portrayal of Hispanic women by media and entertainment, a Latina journalist, Cathy Areu, decided to show another side of her fellow Latinas. In 2001, Cathy founded CATALINA magazine, a national Hispanic lifestyle publication, to portray Hispanic woman as they are: smart, strong, sophisticated, savvy, and proud!
If you’d like to read a fascinating story about the trials faced in establishing a magazine, read the 2002 interview to Christy Haubegger by Richard Veilleux in which, among other concepts, Christy describes that on a trip to a facial care products advertiser in Minnesota when she introduced her magazine to the advertiser she felt “I wasn't just introducing a new magazine, I was introducing a new species,".
Events Are the Key!
Not only magazines and media but events, seminars and forums are also a great excuse for Hispanic and non Hispanic women to gather and learn from mutual experiences. PINK magazine has organized events in which American women talk about their commitment and focus on Hispanic Women. In Pink's October 2007 edition Ikea’s women Pernille Spiers-Lopez, president of IKEA North America, talks about the brand's expansion to American markets, new projects aimed at Hispanic women and her own Life/Work balance.
What’s Next?
Expect more editor’s to launch blogs focusing in working Hispanic women and Hispanic moms and more magazines to launch special sections focusing in this target market.
Articles and special editions will portrait successful Latina’s stories and will participate in events and awards in which Latinas will have a leading role.
Spanish and English will still coexist for quite a long time, since the market is still enormous and unattended, not only for the acculturated Latinas but for the Hispanic-Americans who were born and raced in the USA as well.
