$3.6 Trillion Opportunity Brands Can’t Afford to Ignore
At Hollywood Branded, we’re in the business of cultural connection. That’s why attending the 2025 Hispanic Marketing Council Summit wasn’t just insightful; it was a reminder that the future of brand growth lies in understanding and investing in multicultural audiences, with U.S. Latinos at the forefront.
When you know your audience, you don’t just market - you resonate. In this article, Hollywood Branded shares what stood out and why it matters for every marketer looking to stay relevant in today’s shifting landscape.
The Data That Changes the Game
The statistics shared at the summit were staggering not just for their size, but for what they represent in missed opportunity:
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Latinos make up 19.5% of the U.S. population
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They drove 53% of total U.S. population growth over the past decade
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Their purchasing power exceeds $3.6 trillion, making them a dominant force in consumer spending
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If the U.S. Latino market were a standalone country, it would rank as the fifth-largest economy in the world - larger than France or Mexico
Despite this, brands currently allocate less than 5% of advertising budgets to reach this audience. Less than 1% of media investment goes to Latino content creators. The disconnect is clear: the fastest-growing and most economically powerful demographic in the country is still being treated as an afterthought.
What Leading Brands Are Getting Right
Throughout the summit, some brands stood out not just for acknowledging the Latino consumer but for placing them at the core of their strategies. These companies aren’t simply “checking a box” for multicultural marketing; they’re building growth strategies with culture as the foundation.
Audible
Audible is tapping into themes that resonate deeply within the Latino community: language learning, self-identity, family storytelling, and cultural pride. They’ve created content not just about Latinos but for and with Latino consumers. That distinction is critical. It shows respect for the audience and an understanding that culture drives loyalty and engagement.
AT&T
AT&T has moved beyond segmentation and embraced integration. Their Gigillionaire campaign began with an insight rooted in Latino values, connection, family, and redefining what wealth looks like. But they didn’t stop there. They’ve invested in digital equity and connectivity resources for underserved communities, proving they understand that brand trust is earned through action, not just messaging.
Home Depot
Home Depot recognizes that for Latino consumers, homeownership isn’t just transactional, it’s generational. It’s about building legacy. The company has aligned its messaging and community outreach around this value, while also addressing education gaps in skilled trades and sponsoring major cultural events like the FIFA World Cup. It’s a playbook rooted in relevance.
Credits: Ad Age, 2022
Multicultural Marketing Is Not a DEI Initiative, It’s a Business Strategy
One of the most important themes that emerged during the summit was the need to separate multicultural marketing from the traditional DEI bucket.
As Marla Kaplowitz, CEO of the 4A’s, stated: “This isn’t about ethics, it’s about economics.” And she’s absolutely right.
Multicultural audiences are no longer a “segment,” they are the mainstream. When you look at age, income growth, education levels, and digital engagement, Latino consumers consistently outpace the general market. Brands that continue to view multicultural marketing as an optional initiative risk falling behind, culturally, competitively, and commercially.
Photo Credit: Adweek
Where We See the Most Untapped Potential
True connection happens when you meet your audience in the places and moments that matter. Here are four key areas where we see the most opportunity to better connect with Latino consumers:
1. Sports and Live Cultural Events
Live content is king in the Latino community, particularly around soccer. At the summit, we learned that 95% of Hispanic TV is consumed live, and the 2026 World Cup is expected to reach 8 in 10 U.S. Latinos. Brands that activate around these moments, not just with media buys but with storytelling and cultural relevance, stand to create lifetime value.
2. Influencer Collaborations
Latino creators have enormous influence and engagement power but are massively underfunded. There’s a wide-open lane for brands to collaborate with Latino influencers in authentic, community-driven ways. This is not just about representation, it’s about performance.
3. Branded Content With Heart and Purpose
Themes like well-being, family, and cultural identity resonate deeply. Yet we see very few brand-funded projects that lean into those values with real storytelling. There’s room to co-create content that speaks to lived experiences, generational pride, and aspirational journeys.
4. AI and Personalization at Scale
Technology is finally catching up to cultural nuance. AI tools can now generate dialect-specific messaging like Dominican or Mexican Spanish and even help marketers localize across communities. But for these tools to work well, cultural fluency must be embedded into the strategy, not tacked on at the end.
Photo Credit: HypeBeast
Culture Isn’t a Trend - It’s the Future of Growth
What this summit made abundantly clear is that U.S. Latino audiences are not emerging, they are leading. They are setting trends, driving spending, and shaping the mainstream.
And yet, many brands continue to approach this audience with hesitation, fragmentation, or underinvestment. That’s not just a cultural miss. It’s a commercial one.
At Hollywood Branded, we help brands close that gap through entertainment partnerships, influencer strategies, product placement, and celebrity integrations that are rooted in cultural relevance. Whether it's working with creators, partnering with media platforms, or activating around live events, our work is designed to help brands grow by truly showing up where culture lives.
Photo Credit: Biography
Eager To Learn More?
If you found this post insightful, you’ll love diving deeper into our blog library, where we break down real strategies, case studies, and emerging trends that brands need to know now.
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- Hollywood Branded's Guide to Successful Product Placement
- Navigating the Complexities of Celebrity Branded Partnerships
- The Art of Product Placement: How Luxury Brands Benefit From Movie And TV Appearances
- Television Shows Targeting Hispanics With Top Latino and Latina Talent
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