Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, which ends this week, can carry many different meanings within a diverse demographic, which makes it difficult for marketers to know the best course of action in celebrating the month.
Some, like Pinterest, have opted to rebrand the recognition as something else. This year, the brand championed the term “Latiné,” as more inclusive than the currently in-vogue “Latinx.” Latiné is aimed to challenge the perception of a monolithic, Hispanic or Latinx, identity, said Luis Aguirre, Vice President of Development for Todos Pincluidos, Pinterest’s internal employee resource group.
“We wanted to choose a word that best fit the community and represented our community, which is incredibly diverse,” Aguirre said in a phone interview. “Pinterest is all about inspiration, and we wanted to create a place where everyone can be inspired. We want to showcase that everyone can be represented here.”
To that end, the brand has been highlighting Latiné allies, creators, and merchants. Among those being featured are Nena & Co., which makes bags capturing the Maya culture; LatinUS Beauty, which makes hair products formulated specifically for Latiné hair textures, and Volta Atelier, which produces upcycled bags and partnerships with local non-governmental organizations to provide income for refugees.
Similarly, Verizon is taking this opportunity to showcase its Latinx employees and connections to the Hispanic community Earlier this year, the company launched Entérate con Verizon, a content platform created in-house designed to showcase the happenings around and inside Verizon of from the perspective of and of importance to the LatinX community. Entérate, which means “find out,” is a bilingual, bi-monthly channel with 10-15-minute segments hosted by former network news correspondent Dian Alvear.
In addition, the company’s Latinx Employee Resource Group has been conducting a number of activities intended to inspire all employees to learn more and celebrate the diversity of the Latinx community. The theme of these activities is SOMOS, One familia. Many cultures
For other brands, Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to showcase its own ties to the Latinx community. Hornitos tequila, for instance, is partnering with Hispanic civil-rights organizations The League of United Latin American Citizens and We Are All Human to create the “A Fair Shot” program to support immigrants on their journey to becoming US citizens.
“In 1873, the founding family behind Hornitos Tequila crossed the border from Mexico to the United States, taking their shot to become the first family to bring tequila to the U.S. market,” said Rashidi Hodari, managing director of tequila at Hornitos parent Beam Suntory. “As a brand, we consider it our purpose to inspire, celebrate and enable those pursuing their own shots in life, especially those in the Latino and immigrant communities.”
The multi-year initiative will provide resources to those seeking citizenship and address other needs within the community. This year, one of those needs has been helping with pandemic relief, including providing vaccination information and resources in Spanish.
“We’re grateful to our partners at LULAC and We Are All Human who are helping us contribute in ways that are the most meaningful in real-time. [including our] effort to help increase the rate of vaccinations among Latinos who – as a community – continue to suffer health impacts of COVID-19 at disproportionately higher levels,” Hodari said.
Ultimately, these brands are hoping these efforts extend beyond the October 15 end date of Hispanic Heritage Month, even as they focus on other demographics throughout the year. “We wish we didn’t have to highlight a different culture every month,” said Pinterest’s Aguirre. “But that’s just how it is in the United States.”
