Aldo Quevedo is CEO and Creative Chairman at BeautifulBeast, a cross-cultural advertising agency.
Summer isn’t just a season—it’s a moment of peak cultural and commercial activity. And if your brand isn’t prioritizing the Hispanic market during this time, you’re likely leaving serious growth on the table.
Hispanic consumers in the U.S. now possess over $3.2 trillion in buying power, a figure that has grown by nearly 80% in the past decade alone, according to the 2024 Hispanic Guide published by the Hispanic Marketing Council (HMC). This community is not only large, but it is young, digitally savvy and culturally driven. As we approach summer—a season defined by family gatherings, travel, food and celebration—the economic and cultural presence of Hispanics becomes impossible to overlook. Yet, many brands still do.
Summer is a cultural event.
For U.S. Hispanics, summer isn’t just about sunshine and school breaks; it’s a season rich in rituals. From multigenerational road trips, carne asada, quinceañeras and community festivals, culture comes alive in summer. That culture fuels commerce. According to recent industry insights, Hispanic travelers are expected to contribute $165 billion to the U.S. travel economy in 2025, with 74% traveling with extended family.
And it doesn’t stop at travel. Summer is a major driver for retail and back-to-school spending, where Hispanic households—often larger and very family-oriented—tend to plan and shop earlier. The aforementioned HMC report found that Hispanic families spend an average of 16% more on apparel than the average household.
The Spending Power Behind Summer Fun
Consider where this money is going:
• Food And Beverage: Hispanic consumers are driving growth in the grocery sector, with food and beverage dollar sales up 3.5% year-over-year, outpacing the 2.6% growth among non-Hispanics.
• Apparel And Fashion: Latino households spend 16% more on apparel than the average U.S. household, reflecting a strong emphasis on personal appearance and cultural expression.
• Tech And Connectivity: U.S. Hispanics are among the most connected demographics, spending over 14 hours per week on smartphones, streaming, shopping and sharing experiences.
So, why are so few campaigns tailored to this reality?
The Pitfalls Of A One-Size-Fits-All Summer Strategy
Too often, brands default to translation instead of transformation, applying a language filter rather than a cultural lens. But Hispanics are not a monolith, and their summer habits reflect rich, diverse traditions influenced by their country of origin, region and age group.
Many marketers also underestimate the digital fluency of Hispanic consumers. Hispanic travelers and shoppers often rely on social media, short-form video and mobile tools to plan, purchase and share experiences. This behavior extends to how they discover brands, engage with influencers and make buying decisions.
The result? Missed opportunities in messaging, placement and emotional connection.
How Smart Brands Are Showing Up
Some brands are starting to understand that cultural nuance isn’t optional—it’s essential.
Take the travel industry, for example. More brands are tailoring summer messaging around extended families, affordability and culturally resonant experiences. Campaigns highlighting road trips, beach getaways or hometown visits—common among U.S. Hispanic travelers—are tapping into real behavior rather than generic vacation clichés.
In the beverage category, Coca-Cola has publicly acknowledged the Hispanic community’s $2.1 trillion in spending power, calling it equivalent to the GDP of an entire country. Their multicultural summer campaigns have leaned into storytelling that celebrates family traditions and togetherness, not just translation.
Retailers like Target and Walmart have also taken steps toward Hispanic inclusion in their summer and back-to-school campaigns by spotlighting Latino creators, curating culturally inspired products and launching in-culture content across digital platforms.
These brands prove that when you understand the cultural rhythms of summer, music, meals, gatherings and group dynamics, you can create communication that feels personal, not performative.
A Call To (Summer) Action
Here’s the question every CMO should be asking: Is our summer plan Hispanic-ready?
If your brand is focused only on broad, generic activations, you’re likely missing the emotional and cultural cues that drive true engagement and conversion. Hispanics don’t just spend; they influence. From music and fashion to food and tech, they’re cultural amplifiers. And when they see themselves reflected authentically, they reward brands with fierce loyalty.
In the heat of summer, the smartest move you can make is to turn up the cultural relevance.
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