Hispanics outpace general market in entertainment and next-generation technological gadgets
13 September 2006
Children, acculturation, impact ownership
MIAMI — A recent study by global market research company Synovate reveals that, even though Hispanics usually trail both the general market and African-Americans in the acquisition of many electronic and computer products and services, Hispanics have a greater penetration of the more technologically advanced gadgets such as flat screen TVs, TiVo, satellite TV and radio, iPod/MP3 players, videogame systems and cell phones with cameras.
This trend may be attributed to a high incidence among Hispanics of family-based technological activities such as playing videogames, watching TV together, and photographing the kids with the newest phones. Another possible explanation is technology "leap-frogging". As consumers acquire a technological device for the first time, they can invest in the latest gadgets without any encumbrance from older devices they may already own.
As part of its research for the 2006 US Diversity Markets Report, Synovate discovered that one of the main factors that influence ownership of the latest tech gadgets among Hispanics is children in the household. For instance, cell phone ownership is higher among US-born Hispanics and increases among both US-born and foreign-born Hispanics when children are part of the household. The effect is even more dramatic when the age of the children is considered. As Hispanic children enter pre-teen and teen years, families also tend to increase their wireless phone ownership. As children grow up they exert an influence on parents that accelerates the acculturation process and the adoption of American habits, products and brands.
"We know that children in Hispanic families are influential in a lot of product purchase decisions," said Jim Starks, Vice President in Synovate's Diversity group. "The challenge is to understand when they exert the most influence on particular product and brand choices. By understanding that, companies can target their marketing efforts at the right segment of the population in a way that's most compelling for the potential customer."
To learn more about Synovate's research on diverse markets, or to order a copy of Synovate's 2006 US Diversity Markets Report, which is filled with hundreds of statistics on Hispanics, African-Americans and Asian-Americans in the US.
To learn more about Synovate diversity research,
please click here.
Contact(s) for this press release
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Jennifer Chhatlani
Vice President, Marketing & Communications |
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222 South Riverside Plaza |
Tel: +1 312 526 4359 |
Synovate, the market research arm of Aegis Group plc, generates consumer insights that drive competitive marketing solutions. The network provides clients with cohesive global support and a comprehensive suite of research solutions. Synovate employs over 6,000 staff across 62 countries.
For more information on Synovate visit www.synovate.com.