Andrea Trujillo of L’ATTITUDE: The US Latino cohort is the foundation in the US right now

Andrea Trujillo, Chief Marketing Officer of L’ATTITUDE, emphasizes the importance of understanding that the U.S. Latino community is a cornerstone of the nation today.

“We’re not going anywhere, we’re going to continue to progress economically. From a youth standpoint, the largest age group within the US Latino cohort is 11 years old. We’re just going to continue to expand over the years. So if you’re a brand and you understand the Latino consumer, you understand that we’re brand loyal, so tap into that younger consumer and nurture them and you’re gonna be profitable, Trujillo pointed out.

From an economic perspective, the U.S. Latino GDP stands at a substantial $3.2 trillion. If considered as an independent economy, this figure would rank it as the fifth largest in the world. “To ensure business success,” Trujillo stated, “we must prioritize the U.S. Latino community.”

And this is the goal of the seventh edition of L’ATTITUDE, a business conference showcasing the power and potential of the growing U.S. Latino community, will hold its seventh edition from September 12 to 15 in San Diego. The theme “Forging the Future” underscores the importance of younger generations and their impact on the “New Mainstream Economy,” a phrase coined by the community.

The phrase “New Mainstream Economy” was coined by her father, Sol Trujillo, global business executive and CEO of the Latino Donor Collaborative Think Tank (LDC), who founded L’ATTITUDE. Sol Trujillo has always envisioned the Latino community as a new economic force. This community is the largest, youngest, and fastest-growing ethnic group in the United States, with a purchasing power of $3.4 trillion and contributing 80% of all new net business formation in the country.

“Essentially the new mainstream economy it’s not a niche economy, the US Latino cohort is the greatest contributor to the US economy,” she noted.

EDUCATING ABOUT LATINO POTENTIAL
A significant challenge for Trujillo and L’ATTITUDE is the lack of understanding regarding the importance of the U.S. Latino community among businesses and brands. This event aims to address this issue by educating and shifting perceptions. With an average attendance of 6,500 participants, L’ATTITUDE brings together entrepreneurs, executives, investors, artists, CEOs, educators, and political and association leaders to amplify the Latino agenda in the United States and foster a dynamic market where connections are forged and partnerships are born.

“We’re really trying to enlighten people and give them those stats, those figures and that data because most people just don’t understand. I think they have a vague understanding. But when you see these astounding facts that we present through our US Latino GDP report, through the media report we’re issuing, a sports report we’re presenting this year and many others, you can’t deny those facts,” Trujille noted. “Over the course of the years that we’ve been around, we’ve seen changes internally within major corporations and their bottom line has changed because they’ve changed how they have done business.”

Another challenge highlighted by Trujillo is the tendency of many companies to treat all U.S. Latinos as a homogeneous group. This approach is counterproductive, as it often overlooks the diversity within the community and fails to deliver meaningful results. “But the interesting part and what we do to separate ourselves is that the US Latino cohort is the most economically contributor to the US economy. So you extract that and you focus on that cohort, it’s really going to make a big difference.” However shi

Trujillo also mentioned as a challenge the fact that many companies lump all US Latinos together as one group, which is negative, because it is often like a box checked instead of a real initiative. “But the interesting part and what we do to differentiate ourselves is that the US Latino cohort is the one that contributes the most to the US economy. So if we extract that and focus on that cohort, it is really going to make a big difference.” However, she acknowledged that this situation is beginning to shift, thanks to platforms like L’ATTITUDE.

A MULTIFACETED EVENT
Trujillo highlighted the multifaceted nature of the event. This year, it offers over 35 sessions covering business, entrepreneurship, economics, music, entertainment, sports, fashion, technology, politics, and more. Additionally, the L’ATTITUDE Live concert will feature five-time Grammy nominee Luis Fonsi, alongside other surprise guests.

They also publish reports providing attendees with exclusive data, enabling them to return to their boardrooms or workplaces armed with concrete facts.

Among the reports that will be revealed this year are: 2024 LDC U.S. Latino GDP Report from the Latino Donor Collaborative Think Tank (LDC), which highlights the impact of U.S. Latinos; the State of Hispanic Wealth Report from the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP); Bain & Company’s Sports Economics Report; Interbrand’s Brand Marketing Report, a new study that will reveal why Latinos are considered the marketing “sweet spot” for brands, providing insights into how brands can more effectively connect and engage this important community; another on Latinos in Media from the Latino Donor Collaborative Think Tank (LDC); one on Latinos in Technology – IA Edition from the Latino Donor Collaborative Think Tank (LDC); the Latino Youth Report from the Latino Donor Collaborative ThinkTank (LDC), produced by Kantar Group; one related to the state of education from the Hispanic Scholarship Fund in the new mainstream economy; and the Latino Board Monitor Report from the Association of Latino Corporate Directors, which measures and raises awareness about the inclusion of Latinos on Fortune 1000 boards based on the percentage of board seats held by Latinos and the inclusion of Latino directors by companies.

“In L’ATTITUDE we strive to provide the real data and the real insights from an unbiased point of view. So that you can’t argue with data points,” Trujillo noted.

They will also offer work sessions where participants can interact more closely with various leaders, learn, seek employment opportunities, and promote their businesses. Additionally, they have their own venture fund, which is an integral part of the event. Furthermore, they host a competition where entrepreneurs can secure funding for their businesses. “It’s essentially our version of Shark Tank, where they compete for capital at L’ATTITUDE.”

AUTHENTICITY IS THE KEY
For Trujillo, the key for brands to reach and connect with the U.S. Latino community is to adopt a genuinely authentic perspective. “It’s not about adhering to stereotypes,” she explained, citing the example of avoiding bright colors or hats, which is ineffective. “We are proud of our heritage, but it doesn’t solely define who we are. We are not all Mexican, and we are not all the same. Therefore, for brands, the real key lies in having authentic representation within their organizations to ensure that messages are communicated effectively from a genuinely authentic perspective.”

She added that whether it’s infusing Spanglish or having some sort of visual cue in the background of an ad, all of those little things are important. “They’re nuances that don’t have to be loud or stereotypical, but will speak to the consumer just through the nuanced language or the visual cues, and the internal representation is the key.”