For Gonzalo del Fa, President of GroupM Multicultural, it is imperative to place social media at the heart of all media strategies targeting the Hispanic market. “I know it’s a big ask, but media has to do this. It’s a very dynamic environment, and it’s what the client is asking for,” he noted.

Del Fa participated in the advertising panel Bringing Brands To Hispanics Where They Watch, held during the 23rd Annual Hispanic Television Summit in New York.

The panel, moderated by Court Stroud, Clinical Assistant Professor of Integrated Marketing at New York University, also included Heather Conneely, Senior VP of Multimedia Sales at TelevisaUnivision; Michael Roca, Executive Director of Omnicom Media Group’s Cross-Cultural Center; and David Tardio, Head of Advertising Sales and Marketing at Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. Hispanic.

Heather Conneely, Senior VP of Multimedia Sales at TelevisaUnivision

Roca noted that media isn’t dying, but social media is where audiences are going. “To reach and connect with young Latino audiences, social media platforms like TikTok are the way. There’s an opportunity to lead the way here,” he said.

Tardio of Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. Hispanic added that market fragmentation allows them to hyper-focus on audiences. “We are more responsive with platforms than we used to be. And to reflect the Hispanic experience, you have to be authentic. It’s not about the language—it’s about the stories,” he commented. He added that for CNN en Español, they are bringing in bilingual talent.

Conneely from TelevisaUnivision stated that the company is educating Latinos in the U.S. for the new realities they face.

Heather Conneely, Michael Roca, David Tardio, and Gonzalo del Fa

Del Fa added that it’s important to find partners to create new content that hits the mark. “We are competing for CPM, and CPMs are declining. Pricing, scale, and moving away from linear to more dynamic environments are key,” he emphasized.