Hispanic consumers’ market clout grows despite Trump's Spanish-language pullback

Article by Jeremy Goldman | Jan 24, 2025

The news: The Trump White House's removal of the Spanish-language version of its website highlights risks for brands that neglect Hispanic consumers' $2.8 trillion purchasing power. While possibly unintentional—the administration did remove the Constitution page as well—this incident underscores the importance of meaningful engagement with diverse audiences beyond superficial communications.

Market dynamics: Hispanic consumers demonstrate significant engagement and expectations:

Hispanic Americans outpace other demographics in spending growth, with purchasing power increasing 80% over the past decade.
41.6% of Hispanic consumers expect brands to support social causes, compared to 31.6% of non-Hispanic consumers, according to MRI-Simmons.
34% of Hispanic consumers spend $50 to $99 annually on publisher subscriptions, versus 29% of non-Hispanic consumers, per CivicScience data.

Language matters: Language and representation significantly affect brand relationships.

Cultural authenticity and language accessibility directly influence purchasing decisions and brand loyalty. Despite that, just 27% of Hispanic consumers feel accurately represented in English-language media always or often.
While 54% of US-born Hispanic adults prefer English news content, immigrant audiences strongly value bilingual or Spanish options, per Pew Research.
Hispanic consumers demonstrate higher engagement across digital content categories, from technology to lifestyle topics.

Our take: As with some companies rolling back DEI initiatives in the wake of Trump’s victory, the removal of Spanish-language resources serves as a cautionary tale for brands considering similar moves.

Companies must recognize that Hispanic Americans represent not just a key demographic but loyal consumers with significant buying power expecting a degree of inclusivity.
Success requires understanding the nuanced relationship between language preference and cultural identity, while recognizing that investment in representation represents both an ethical imperative and a strategic business decision.

Brands that fail to embrace this demographic risk significant financial and reputational consequences. Conversely, initiatives like NBCUniversal and Telemundo's investment in Spanish-language Super Bowl rights stand to win (Hispanic viewership of the game has grown 51% since 2021). Hispanic consumers are a young cohort—and brands will be advertising to them for decades to come.