When I was a college student, I was a member of the Latin American Student Association, a loose-knit group that got together to plan social and cultural events, and in general, foster a sense of community.
Today’s Latino college students are much more organized than we ever were and also are growing in size. In 2005, nearly two million Hispanic students were enrolled in degree- granting colleges and universities, and the number grows larger each year. (Sadly the number of Hispanic students who complete college is much lower when compared to the general market,* but we’ll save that topic for another post.)
For marketers, the segment is ripe for cultivating brand relationships early on — research has shown that Hispanics with a degree have a much higher acquisition power and likely make up a sizable chunk of the estimated buying power of $300 billion (for all U.S.-born Latinos not just college students).
Like other college students, they are preparing for their futures and seeking information on products, services and companies that can help them transition to real life. They also appreciate being acknowledged and supported by outside organizations. Following are a few ideas on how to reach them:
* Media: As noted here before, there has been an explosion in the number of bilingual or English-language media outlets targeting young and highly acculturated Latinos, such as the SíTV, mun2 and the MTV Tr3s cable networks, the American Latino TV program, and Tu Ciudad magazine. Use these vehicles to deliver your message. And don’t forget outlets focused solely on Hispanic college students, such as self-published Latino student newsletters and the nationally distributed Latino University and Rego magazines.
* Affinity Groups: Like I once did, many Latino students belong to affinity groups, some of which are part of national networks, such as Latino sororities and fraternities, and some of which are exclusive to individual schools. There are also many professional Latino organizations with student chapters, such as the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), the National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA), and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ). These groups are always looking for funding and support.
* Events: Lots of the affinity groups stage cultural events, like the Latin Expressions talent show at the University of Notre Dame. The Batanga College Tour, which brings comedy and concerts to students across the country, is a good example of outside organizations staging events on campus. Sponsoring and/or participating in both internal and external events is a great way to reach students directly.
* Alumni: University Hispanic alumni clubs do lots of outreach to current students. Start there if you want to know what a particular school’s Hispanic students are up to on campus.
* = About 12 percent of Hispanic adults currently have a bachelor’s degree, compared with 30.5 percent of non-Hispanic whites.
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