Esteban Velasco, Brand Director of Tecate, was part of the second edition of Latino US Day, held during Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, and organized by Advertising Week LATAM with the support of PRODU. In an insightful conversation, he pointed out the need for brands to move beyond oversimplified approaches when targeting the U.S. Hispanic market.

Velasco highlighted that one of the most common mistakes multinational companies make is treating the Latino community as a monolith. “Although it is true that it is a great universe with certain similarities, there are different layers of identity,” he said. From humorous cultural debates — like whether arepas originated in Colombia or Venezuela — to more nuanced generational and behavioral differences, he stressed the importance of acknowledging diversity within the community.

“When a Latino emigrates to another country, it is not the same for the first generation as for the second and third, in terms of behavior, culture, etc.,” he explained. According to Velasco, brands often oversimplify audiences in an attempt to streamline business strategies, which leads to ineffective communication. “We fall into the mistake of talking to everyone the same way,” he warned, adding that companies that dig deeper and craft more tailored messaging are the ones that truly succeed.

Latino US Day was hosted by Advertising Week LATAM, and powered by PRODU. This exclusive event amplified the influence of the advertising community.