LAS VEGAS — The 16th annual HISPANIC MARKET OVEVIEW state-of-the-industry report for Hispanic marketing, advertising and public relations professionals, produced by Adam R Jacobson, has been released exclusively by longtime sales and distribution partner HispanicAd.
This year’s report features in-depth interviews and insight from the top leaders in the U.S. Hispanic marketplace, including Isaac Mizrahi from Alma; GroupM Multicultural President Gonzalo del Fa; Omnicomm Media Group’s Michael Roca; Tony Hernandez of the Immigrant Archive Project; Liz Castells of INFUSION by Castells; Jorge Ulla and Louis Maldonado from d expósito & Partners; Fernando Romero at TelevisaUnivision; Ingrid Otero-Smart at Casanova McCann; Lopez Negrete Communications’ Alex and Patrick Lopez Negrete and Sonny Villarreal; and Hispanic Marketing Council executive director Horacio Gavilán. Inside, they share the Voz of the American Consumer. As you will read, the need to target Hispanic consumers in the most efficient way possible has not changed, despite changes in Washington.
The Hispanic Market Overview 2025 digital publication’s release comes as the HMC annual summit begins on Tuesday (4/8) in New York.
“It’s interesting how digging up an old song that once struck a chord with you, a classic track you haven’t heard in ages, can suddenly stop you in your tracks, as if you’ve just had a giant lightbulb delivered by an invisible drone appear above your head,” the report begins in its prologue. Jacobson says, “As we started production on the 16th annual edition of Hispanic Market Overview, the mood of the station was as fickle as an infant in a high chair. In Palm Beach County, Fla., the high temperature was the coolest for a late March day that anyone could remember. On Wall Street, ‘volatility’ was the word of the day — again. In Washington … yeah, that.”
Since the return to the White House of President Donald J. Trump, there’s been a lot of noise. A lot of it. This led us to ask one simple question to Hispanic marketing and advertising industry leaders: What NOW? The answers were positively reassuring, and while starting the editing process, we went to a mix of songs that were popular 35 years ago. “Oye Mi Canto” — or, “Hear My Song,” from Gloria Estefan — came on the Bluetooth speaker. Her words, in Spanish, were divine. In 1990, it was seen as a “return to her roots” by one publication. If one were to hear her song today, it means so much more.
Until we heard the lyrics to “Oye Mi Canto,” we were going to devote this space to the epic achievement “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” by Bad Bunny.
And, if you’ve not listened to that album from start to finish, we urge you to. Right now. Then come back to this and understand why a largely forgotten 35-year-old song is relevant today. Why? In 1990, “Latin Music” was in its most transformative moment. Only, the “total market” had no knowledge of this. In Spain, Mecano had just peaked while Héroes del Silencio were soaring, ending an era when “La Movida” meant rock en español. In Latin America, Soda Stereo had conquered the continent. In the U.S., a quarter-page in Billboard Magazine put a spotlight on Juan Luis Guerra y 4.40, Luis Enrique and Gilberto Santa Rosa at pivotal moments in their respective careers. The seeds were planted, but Gloria Estefan was the face of Latin music across the globe. Singing in English, after a formidable run in the early 1980s as a popular Spanish Pop act in a handful of places including Puerto Rico, Estefan and Miami Sound Machine rocketed to fame in Europe with “Dr. Beat” and then conquered the U.S. with “Conga.” Then came “Oye Mi Canto.”
The lyrics largely reflect a Cuba under Fidel Castro from the point of view of exiles in Miami. But, after the first stanza when hearing the song in 2025, it takes on a whole new meaning. In English, she says:
Free… free to express
What I feel in my heart
I don’t have to keep quiet
You have… that freedom too
That’s hard to share
And you know it well
The Hispanic community in the U.S. today is at a pivotal moment today. One may argue if there is any “community” within the Hispanic community, with a host of nationalities all lumped into a singular category, and all experiencing different challenges amid the triumphs and celebrations.
While it may not be seen or heard, it exists. It persists. The U.S. Hispanic community, one comprised of individuals with a variety of socioeconomic levels and a bevy of backgrounds, is one. Now, it needs to be heard. With English-language advertisements airing on the radio warning undocumented immigrants to pack up and leave before getting caught in a raid, a non-Hispanic may believe that Latinos across the U.S. are living in fear. Not true. One may believe that an effort to dismantle Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs being waged by the White House is squelching any actions designed to appeal to the Hispanic consumer. Not true.
But did all of the cacophony from the Nation’s Capital drown out the Hispanic voice in the U.S.? Are the leaders of Hispanic-focused marketing and advertising shops muted, or in a bind?
“Agencies that truly understand the power of multicultural marketing are not muted, but they are navigating a more complex landscape,” says Luis Miguel Messianu, President and CEO of multicultural shop MEL. “The bind is that many brands see Hispanic outreach as an optional initiative rather than a core strategy. Agencies are often tasked with pushing for authentic representation while also addressing brand concerns about political repercussions. But we are not muted. The agencies that thrive are the ones helping brands understand that speaking to the Hispanic community isn’t just about inclusion — it’s about growth, loyalty, and long-term success.”
Messianu has more to say, as do others who have long advocated for more attention — and bigger budgets — from CMOs and brand managers across the U.S. To be clear, the end of the DEI Era has many asking questions about what’s next for their U.S. Hispanic marketing efforts. “The dismantling of DEI frameworks has undoubtedly created confusion, but it hasn’t and shouldn’t neuter multicultural marketing,” Messianu says. “DEI was never synonymous with marketing — it was a corporate commitment to equity and inclusion. Multicultural marketing, on the other hand, is about understanding consumer behavior, recognizing purchasing power, and respecting cultural nuances. While the political winds may shift, the market realities do not. Brands that pull back from Hispanic marketing aren’t just losing cultural relevance — they’re giving up billions in potential revenue.”
Others across this edition of Hispanic Market Overview 2025 express similar thoughts. In the end, we must remember to “hear our song” as we call on Hispanics to unite. There’s a story that will continue to be told. To paraphrase Bad Bunny, we cannot forget. We cannot erase.
That era begins today.
