Gatekeepers of the Home: Reaching the Hispanic Mom

Since they take on greater responsibility for day-to-day home-related tasks, including grocery shopping and chores, Hispanic moms are well aware of their family’s needs, of knowing which brands best meet these needs, and of finding these products and services at the right price. By embracing Hispanic moms, brands can establish a strong and trustful foundation that will be passed down to the next generation.

Just as they influence the brands and products that come in and out of their homes, Hispanic moms play a critical role when it comes to the culture — or cultures — that thrive in their homes. Hispanic moms see their homes as a cultural haven and their role as mothers as an opportunity to teach their children about their heritage, culture, and identity.

While they want their kids to be proud of their Hispanic roots, Hispanic moms also want them to embrace their American lifestyle and identity. They are raising their kids in a very different world from their own childhood, and Hispanic moms notice their kids becoming increasingly conflicted as they group up trying to balance both cultures.[3] The coexistence of the Hispanic culture and American culture under the same roof often leads to cultural tension that is familiar among most Hispanics- this is especially true when there are multiple generations and levels of acculturations living in the same household.[4]

While Hispanic moms’ appreciation for their culture can be seen throughout motherhood, it becomes especially noticeable during their pregnancy — a period of self-identity when they rely on the support and advice they get from their family, especially their moms and grandmas.[5]

During their pregnancy, Hispanic women are open to advise and support from loved ones, but also brands. They welcome advice that can help ease the experience, provide answers to their endless questions, and even address challenges they might not be aware of yet. Mintel suggests as Hispanic women adapt to the idea of motherhood and the increased responsibilities that come with it, they expect brands to meet and respect their new needs.

An example is Walmart’s effort to connect with young Hispanic moms by promoting their Baby Registry services on babycenter.com, an online platform that younger Hispanic moms visit more often than the general public — that provides information on the pregnancy experience from conception to early years. Walmart invites parents to create a baby registry and highlights some benefits of signing up.[6]

In general, Hispanic moms are optimistic about pregnancy as the majority loved/liked getting asked about the topic. However, it is worth noting that Spanish-dominant Hispanic moms are more likely to idealize their pregnancy experience while English-dominant Hispanic moms take a more pragmatic approach. According to Mintel, the idealization of pregnancy SL-dominant Hispanic moms take is due to traditional gender roles where they see the arrival of children as a blessing — reinforcing their perception that they need to have a positive attitude during pregnancy. On the other hand, English-dominant Hispanic moms’ pragmatic approach is more focused on the responsibility and arrival of children, which can be attributed to higher acculturation levels to American culture.[7]

As Hispanics become more experienced moms, their idealization of the pregnancy and motherhood experience, along with the emotions that come with it, begins to change. Her emotions may shift from the excitement of all the first milestones to stress about what she knows is coming next.[8] Additionally, it’s well known that more children typically lead to more stress, and given that Hispanic moms have many children (on average), they are likely seeking brands that can help ease this pressure. This is especially true now as kids are often home due to COVID-19 restrictions.

But, keeping their children busy is not the only type of stress the pandemic has brought to Hispanic households. As COVID-19 continues to disrupt the lives of millions, disproportionately affecting Hispanics and Blacks, (64% of Hispanics reported a loss of employment income due to COVID-19 since early March, compared to 45% among White, non-Hispanic consumers), Hispanic moms are playing a key role by taking control of what they can to protect their families.[9]

Even though most Hispanic moms think motherhood should not be a reason to abandon their work, Hispanic moms are willing to set aside their interests to prioritize their families — especially their children, as they are hopeful and optimistic about their future.

Hispanic moms trust that hard work pays off, and they are confident that with the right tools and information, their children will get ahead in life and achieve their goals. As a result, they prioritize education because they believe a college degree is a key to a successful future. As their children grow up, Hispanic moms encourage their kids to believe in themselves in hopes of them finding academic success.[12]

As Hispanic moms continue to grow and evolve into their role as mothers and gatekeepers of their home, they will rely on brands they know they can trust and meet their needs. While Hispanic moms are already value-oriented and looking for ways to spend less money, the economic fallout of COVID-19 has hardened this mindset. Now more than ever, value matters, and Hispanic moms are strategizing the best ways to stretch their dollars to cover all their family’s needs. For brands wanting to build relevance with Hispanic moms, it is critical to identify a common goal and position themselves as the partner that can help accomplish it, while shining a light on the strength that Hispanic moms carry within.

Brands can connect on a deeper level with Hispanic moms by considering the following:

Culturally relevant content.

Hispanic moms are strong advocates of Hispanic culture but also understand that embracing the American culture is imperative for themselves and their kids to fit in and move up in life. Brands that acknowledge this duality and are able to tell stories that fit this narrative can tap into Hispanic moms’ interests.

Highlight the humanity of being a mom.

Hispanic moms face a great amount of pressure to “play the role.” Messaging that focuses on the truths and messiness of being a mom rather than on perfection can resonate with them as they want ads to show stories of real families and the unglamorous side of motherhood. (62% of Hispanic moms like it when advertisements show stories of real families and they’re 8% more likely than GM to want to see ads that show the unglamorous side of motherhood — Mintel, 2017)

Emphasize safety.

Hispanic moms prioritize their family and their wellbeing. Thus with the pandemic threatening their lives, they will do their best to make sure their safety is not compromised. Brands that can give them a sense of security or help keep their family safe could become useful among this group.

Consider aspirational messages.

Hispanic moms are actively involved in helping their kids achieve their goals. Messages that show mom’s involvement in establishing their kids’ future may resonate as their kids’ success often reflects their own.

Simplify life.

Hispanic moms are on a continuous cycle of stress as they wear multiple hats. Brands that can provide a solution to simplify or organize their life will likely strike a chord with this group.