The Growing Success of Hispanic Women

Hispanic women are rapidly becoming an economic and social powerhouse in the United States, with rising rates of entrepreneurship, educational attainment and delayed marriage, according to Latina 2.0: Fiscally Conscious, Culturally Influential & Familia Forward, a Nielsen report released today. These advances are emerging as the relatively young Latina population is undergoing dramatic growth–37% between 2005 and 2015, with 77% of that growth coming from US-born Latinas, indicating that this largely bi-cultural group will exert a strong influence on both Hispanic and mainstream American culture into the 21st century.

The report also details how brands can exponentially magnify their market for ethnic products by tapping cultural-adjacent consumers who are open to products outside their traditional comfort zones.

“Latinas are coming into their own, and this newfound confidence will have an undeniable impact on our consumer-driven society,” commented Stacie de Armas, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives & Consumer Engagement at Nielsen. “Hispanic women are increasingly the catalysts in an intercultural marketplace. Not only are they the cornerstone of the Latino family, keeping language and traditions alive, but they are also forging a wider path in the mainstream and using technology to serve as brand and culture influencers. Marketers need to know how to tap this cohort in order to stay relevant and drive consumer engagement in the future.”

Latina 2.0: Fiscally Conscious, Culturally Influential & Familia Forward is the second study on Latinas in Nielsen’s Diverse Intelligence Series, which helps marketers better understand and reach diverse consumers through data-driven insights. The report highlights the soaring Latina population and the boom in Latina entrepreneurship, as well as Latina consumption patterns that are driving growth across a variety of sectors – from beauty to technology.

Highlights from Latina 2.0: Fiscally Conscious, Culturally Influential & Familia Forward include:

U.S. Hispanic Female Population is Booming

• Totaling 28 million, the Latina population accounts for 17 percent of the total U.S. female population and is growing rapidly–37% between 2005 and 2015
• 77% of US Hispanic female population growth over that ten-year span came not from immigration, but from Hispanic girls born in the U.S.
• In many cities, particularly in California and New York, Hispanic females account for the majority of the female population
• Almost half (45%) of all U.S.-born Hispanic females are under the age of 18

Latinas Drive Spanish Language and Hispanic Culture Retention

• Although only 34% of Latinas are foreign-born, 74% over the age of five speak a language other than English at home, with only 26% speaking solely English at home
• Three-quarters of Latinas say they enjoy maintaining cultural traditions

Latinas Are Delaying Marriage as Educational and Career Goals Rise

• More Hispanic women ages 15 and over have never married (39%) than their non-Hispanic White counterparts (25%); that likelihood has increased from 31% in 2005
• 41% of Hispanic women have completed at least some college, and 74% of recent high school graduates are enrolled in college (vs. 72% of non-Hispanic females)

Latinas Are a Booming Entrepreneurial Force

• Latina-majority owned businesses totaled nearly 1.5 million, representing 87% growth over the past five years, far outpacing the 39% growth by Hispanic male-majority owned firms and the 27% growth by total female majority-owned firms
• Latina majority-owned firms make up 44% of all Hispanic-owned firms, and 15% of all female-owned firms
• Sales of Hispanic female majority-owned firms grew 41% during the period –to $78.7 billion, while sales of all female majority-owned U.S. firms grew by only 19%

Latinas Are Super Connected

• Latinas are significantly more likely than non-Hispanic white women to use social networking sites, such as YouTube, Instagram, Google+, Snapchat and Twitter
• Hispanic women are more likely than their non-Hispanic white counterparts to own smartphones and smartwatches, and to watch videos on smartphones, listen to online radio, download/purchase music and play video games

Latinas Are Important Brand and Culture Influencers

• 74% of Hispanic women say they are likely to recommend products to others, while 40% say people often seek their advice before making a purchase, compared to 33% of non-Hispanic White women
• Latinas use social networking sites to recommend or review products and show their support for brands and companies more than non-Hispanic white women
• Over a fifth of married Hispanic women have non-Hispanic spouses and 10% are married to someone of a different race, making them catalysts of intercultural exchange

“Ambicultural Latinas move fluidly between their cultures, driving intercultural affinity by sharing her root culture with friends, family and coworkers,” remarked de Armas. “Latinas truly are at the forefront of this crossover trend, engaging her online and offline social networks, sharing her voice and influencing those around her. Marketers who successfully reach this segment can surely expect to see an increased return on investment.”

For more details and insights on the report, download Latina 2.0: Fiscally Conscious, Culturally Influential & Familia Forward. Nielsen also encourages Latinas(os) in the U.S. to make their voices heard by taking an active role on how their culture is represented in the media. Please visit http://nielsen.com/latinos to register and learn more.

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About Nielsen’s Diverse Intelligence Series

In 2011, Nielsen launched the Diverse Intelligence Series, a robust portfolio of comprehensive reports which focuses solely on diverse consumers’ unique consumption and purchasing habits. The series has become an industry resource to help brands better understand and reach ethnic customers. To learn more about Nielsen’s Diverse Intelligence research series, visit www.nielsencommunity.com.

About Nielsen
Nielsen Holdings plc (NYSE: NLSN) is a global performance management company that provides a comprehensive understanding of what consumers Watch and Buy. Nielsen’s watch segment provides media and advertising clients with Total Audience measurement services across all devices where content–video, audio and text– is consumed. The Buy segment offers consumer packaged goods manufacturers and retailers the industry’s only global view of retail performance measurement. By integrating information from its Watch and Buy segments and other data sources, Nielsen provides its clients with both world-class measurement as well as analytics that help improve performance. Nielsen, an S&P 500 company, has operations in over 100 countries covering more than 90% of the world’s population. For more information, visit www.nielsen.com.

SOURCE Nielsen