Original URL: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/0206hispanics06.html

No single marketing approach fits diverse Hispanic population
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 6, 2004 12:00 AM
Yvette Armendariz

Retailers, real estate developers and financial markets are marketing to Hispanics, but many of those companies lump this diverse population into one group.

And that's a sure way to miss addressing a fast-growing market estimated to reach $1 trillion in buying power nationally by 2008, marketing experts said Wednesday.

"I would erase the word Latino or Hispanic. It's a marketing issue," said Earl de Berge, research director and chairman of Phoenix-based Behavior Research Center, at a presentation at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa. "If you think of 'Hispanic' as a monolith . . . then you need to go back to school."

The market, estimated at $19.8 billion in Arizona, is as segmented as the general market and needs to be approached that way, he said.

De Berge and other experts discussed trends in Hispanic population, income, education and other demographics at a meeting of the Urban Land Institute, which drew about 150 real estate, government and business leaders.

De Berge focused on his recent HispanicTRACK survey, which found 80 percent of Arizona Hispanics are bilingual or English-dominant. That compares with 62 percent nationally.

Reach the reporter at yvette.armendariz@arizonarepublic.com or
(602) 444-4842.

Original URL: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/0206hispanics06.html