Code-switching is a thing of the past for Hispanic youth. Gen Z has new attitudes towards their heritage, the Spanish language, and brand loyalty, that will reshape the landscape for marketers and media targeting the Hispanic community.
“Unlike previous generations, Young Latinos have not had to justify their existence in this country,” said Juliana Gomez VP, Strategy and Insights at TelevisaUnivision. The Spanish-language media company, parent of broadcast network Univision and ViX, the largest Spanish-language streaming service, was one of the sponsors of new research on Latino youth, released in September, which found Gen Z is having an outsized effect in culture, not only among their non-Latino peers but also among their elders.
Latinos now make up 25% of Gen Z, according to the The LDC U.S. Latino Youth Report, and more than nine out of 10 Hispanic Zoomers are U.S.-born and raised, a much higher rate than any previous generation of Latinos. By comparison, only about half the previous generation was U.S.-born.
“Younger Latinos didn’t have to adapt or change anything [as their parents often did],” said Gomez. “They were born into a society that has been increasingly embracing their culture and the Spanish language, so they are the ones changing society.”
Young Latinos, empowered by social media, are increasingly defining cultural trends and embracing their dual heritage. “They stand taller on the shoulders of their parents,” said Gomez, respecting the struggle of previous generations while also proudly acting as ambassadors and influencers among their non-Latin peers.
Zoomers have a stronger bond with the Spanish language than previous generations that were forced to acculturate, even if their command of the language may not be as complete, said Gomez. While Millennials still felt a stigma from speaking imperfect Spanish, “young Hispanics don’t care anymore,” said Gomez. “They are saying to the world: ‘Listen, if you think that I’m different or strange, that’s your problem. You deal with it. I don’t need to explain anything to you. I’m going to speak the way I want, and that also goes for speaking Spanish,’” she said.
And Zoomers are also increasingly exploring their roots, not only in their ancestral countries but even deeper, in their Indigenous origins, Gomez shared. She noted DNA tests in Mexico now delve deep enough to display the indigenous group—such as the Mayan or Aztec—and Zoomers are seeking out those tests to learn their indigenous parentage.
Blended Values, Media Agnostic
According to Gomez, this interest in culture and language is translating into an interest in consuming media that’s relevant to this learning process. The survey found interest in culturally relevant content has increased from 51% of respondents in 2023 to 60% in 2024.
The popularity of Latin music is nothing new, but will only accelerate, as these younger generations share it with their non-Latin peers, as they do their love of all things fútbol (soccer). But they are also seeking out entertainment that explores “the stories of their communities—Latino representation on the screen that shows the everyday life of the Latino consumer and the Latino experience in America,” said Gomez. They will consume it on various platforms, both English- and Spanish-language, and both linear and streaming.
“Platforms and language make no difference for young Latinos,” said Gomez. “They will watch the content that is right for them.”
Young Latinos will watch a soccer game on linear TV, or catch highlights on social media platforms. TelevisaUnivision is evolving to meet these viewing habits by leveraging its entire ecosystem—linear channels, ViX, audio, and social media platforms—to share content during major cultural events.
“Good content is no longer exclusive to linear (TV),” said Gomez. “We continue to find ways to adapt and distribute that content through other channels that can reach this consumer because they’re still interested in that content.”
Advertising will also need to adapt to these younger consumers, who are acting as cultural influencers with their elders. Two-thirds of Latino Zoomers believe they can affect society through their choices, up from 55% a year ago, so that awareness is increasing. And Zoomers go beyond mere brand loyalty to “diving into the company story,” said Gomez. She mentioned one interview—part of the qualitative portion of the study—where a young man explained his decision to purchase a more expensive MacBook based on the presence of a Latino director on Apple’s board.
For marketers, this means messaging needs to not only be relevant to their experience in this country, but it needs to be “very truthful to the power of the brand and the company behind it,” said Gomez. Zoomers are very keen spotters of authentic and truthful messages and will realize quickly if they are not, she said.
“As the awareness of that influence increases, so does the power that they have when they’re making decisions because they’re such a large group and they represent such an important part of the youth in this country,” said Gomez.
Just as Latino children traditionally acted as translators for their immigrant parents, Zoomers are interpreting social and cultural shifts for their elders, and transforming attitudes in the process.
“They have blended values. They have their Latino values, but they also have their very American values, challenging traditional Latino norms,” said Gomez. “They’re teaching their families and friends to be more modern. They want open-mindedness. They want inclusivity.”
She already shared that this fluidity—in language, media attitudes, and social views—is unique to this generation, and this cultural transformation is expected to redefine American values in the decade to come.
“They’re changing what it means to be Latino in this country, and they’re changing the influence of Latino culture in this country,” said Gomez. “The quintessential American experience will be transformed by young Latinos, they are redefining what means to be American.”
