Last year, Latino Coating sparked a vital conversation in the world of marketing—a bold call to action urging brands to move beyond superficial representation and into a space of genuine cultural connection with the $3.6 trillion U.S. Hispanic market. One year later, at Advertising Week 2025, the conversation returned with renewed urgency, sharper insights, and a deeper sense of responsibility.
Led by two titans of multicultural strategy—Luis Miguel Messianu, Founder, President & Chief Creative Officer at MEL, and Marco Vega, Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer at Creyentes—Latino Coating 2.0 challenged the industry to assess its progress and confront the uncomfortable realities of regression amid shifting DE&I priorities.
“What we see now is a dangerous tendency to regress—DE&I initiatives being cut, Hispanic insights being watered down, and culture being used as seasoning rather than the main ingredient,” said Messianu. “Latino Coating 2.0 is a reckoning. We’re not just pointing fingers—we’re raising mirrors.”
FROM REPRESENTATION TO INTEGRATION
The original Latino Coating analogy likened shallow cultural gestures to a coat of paint—easily applied, quickly faded. This year’s update dives deeper, urging brands to embed Latinidad into their DNA, not just their campaigns. Marco Vega emphasized, “This isn’t just about showing up on Cinco de Mayo or running ads in Spanish. Authenticity means building with us, not just marketing to us. We must challenge performative inclusivity and champion co-creation with Latino talent.”
The panelists acknowledged moments of progress—brands that have embraced Latino voices from the strategy table to the creative execution. But they also highlighted persistent pitfalls: monolithic depictions of Latino identity, limited media investments, and an overreliance on nostalgia rather than innovation.
POST-DE&I AMERICA: A CROSSROADS
The conversation took on a sharper edge as it addressed the recent national backlash against DE&I. As corporate America retreats from public commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Latino representation stands at a critical crossroads.
“Now is the time to double down, not pull back,” Messianu asserted. “Latinos are 20% of the U.S. population. If brands want to be relevant in the next 20 years, they must stop treating us as a subculture and start seeing us as the mainstream.”
Vega added, “The brands that will win are those who understand that inclusive marketing isn’t just good ethics—it’s good business.”
THE WAY FORWARD: LATINO COATING 2.0?
What’s next? Latino Coating 2.0 calls for action that is systemic, not seasonal. The panel proposed a future where Latino creatives, strategists, and executives aren’t just contributors, but decision-makers—where cultural intelligence is seen as a growth engine, not a checkbox. The challenge is clear: brands must evolve from occasional inclusion to sustained investment. From reactive campaigns to proactive ecosystems. From ‘coating’ to co-owning.
“We don’t want the seat at the table,” Vega concluded. “We want to build the table. And we’re inviting those who are ready to build with us.”
As the U.S. continues to diversify, and as corporate values are tested, Latino Coating 2.0 reminds the industry that authenticity isn’t a trend. It’s a commitment. One that requires courage, consistency, and a deep respect for the richness of Latino identity.
