What Nonprofits Must Know About Hispanics: Insights from Advance Auto Parts

“We’re kind of in the infancy stage, maybe the toddler stage, of going after the Hispanic target,” said Wendy Blume, Vice President of Marketing at Advance Auto Parts.

Her company has taken the step of launching a multicultural marketing strategy, a step that may feel risky to nonprofits with limited resources. Was it worth it? Here’s what Wendy shared with Kerux Group about the early stages of a concerted effort to reach Hispanics.

What you know, and what you don’t

“It really starts with in-depth understanding of who this cohort is,” Wendy said. The first thing, she said, is to consider what data your organization already has. Study it carefully to see what it shows you about Hispanic audiences and about opportunities for connection that you may have missed.

Next, consider the information you don’t have.

“Mapping out the objectives of what we need to learn has been the most critical component,” Wendy said. Her team has conducted multiple forms of qualitative and quantitative research to determine their best route for multicultural marketing.

Early strategy

Wendy said Advance Auto Parts’ goal of robust multicultural marketing has impacted the talent they bring on board. The essential qualities she looks for are great marketing skills, relevant linguistic knowledge and cultural sensitivity. The marketing team also benefits from the expertise of a multicultural partner agency, Richard Lerma.

So where did these voices point their efforts?

“How do we ensure that we are effective in reaching our Hispanic target and being relevant at all the different touchpoints?” Wendy asked herself. One of the touchpoints her team identified was conversations at the store. They realized that many Spanish-speaking customers wanted to talk with Spanish-speaking employees.

The rubber meets the road

And what were the early results? After launching a new brand campaign across both the general and Hispanic markets, Advance Auto Parts saw increases in brand awareness, purchase intent in the next six months and actual store visits. The demographic with the most promising results? Male Hispanics DIY-ers.

Nonprofits can put many of these same steps into practice. Besides sharing tips from her experience, Wendy also spoke about her company’s direct collaboration with a nonprofit partner. At the point of sale, Advance Auto Parts provides informational materials and the option to donate to the American Heart Association, a nonprofit focused on fighting heart disease. As the company builds their reach with Hispanics, they’ve made these materials available in Spanish as well. Wendy credits the two organizations’ shared goals for their ability to team up.

What nonprofits can take away

Advance Auto Parts had to start with careful analysis and research in order to connect with Hispanics, but it wasn’t long before results began to show up. If you’re unfamiliar with multicultural marketing, it can feel like more trouble than it’s worth. However, Wendy and her team have quickly seen the value of that effort. Hispanics are a fast-growing community whose cultural values are already aligned with the missions of many nonprofits.

At Kerux Group, we bring the experience and cultural understanding you need to bridge the gap. We are excited about the big-hearted energy Hispanics bring to the table, and we would love to help you get them on your team. Contact us today to begin building that partnership!