Verizon’s Robyn Parks: It is critical to continue to evolve with the diverse Latino community at the speed of culture and technology

Verizon is positioning itself as a company that understands and values cultural diversity, especially within the Latino community. The company has adopted a customer-centric approach, seeking to connect with Hispanic consumers on a deeper and more personal level, according to Robyn Parks, VP, Local and Segment Marketing at Verizon.

1. How does Verizon position itself against the competition in the Hispanic market? What key values or benefits do they emphasize?
   At Verizon, our work always starts with the customer. Our goal is to power and empower the lives of our consumers. When it comes to serving the Latino consumer, we want to ensure that creatively we are representing the range and richness of the culture. Whether that’s connecting fans to cultural moments as they experience sports, pop culture, music, entertainment and more or investing in everyday experiences like ensuring we have bi-lingual staffing in our stores and in our call centers. We also understand the importance of the global world we live in, so offering competitive communications solutions that support both domestic and international needs is important to us.
2.  How have their messages and positioning evolved over the years?
   As the market becomes increasingly diverse, we’ve worked to ensure our culture-led insights are more seamlessly integrated across all of our efforts. The Latino segment is consuming mainstream media and our goal is to effectively reach these audiences across platforms in relevant ways. We’ve also expanded our investment in connecting to Spanish-dominant Latino audiences with the addition of our Spanish language platform on Instagram, @TuVerizon.
3. Do you plan to repeat the Textspañol campaign in the future or develop similar initiatives?
   We will continue to tap into cultural nuance with the Latino segment marketing efforts in ways that resonate directly with this diverse audience. Our goal is to drive impactful Spanish language and bilingual campaigns that operate at the intersection of tech, lifestyle and culture to drive relevance and increase reach.
4. How was J Balvin chosen to star in the ad? What role does Latin music and culture play in Verizon’s marketing strategy?
   J Balvin is recognized as one of the most influential artists of our decade and Verizon is proud of its long-term partnership with this icon. His music crosses boundaries and reaches the masses, and it made him a clear choice for our 2024 Spanish-language Super Bowl LVIII ad. And now for our 2024 Holiday campaign, which includes a Spanish language TV spot and social media sweepstake for the chance to win a Verizon x J Balvin limited edition hoodie.

   The talent selected for the newly launched Verizon Access Concert Series is another great example of how the brand is integrating Latin music and culture into high-profile programs. Verizon Access is all about connecting customers to their passions – through events, pre-sales, giveaways, tickets to exclusive concerts, popular music festivals and more. Kicking off the series with live performances from international multi-platinum singer, songwriter, and activist Becky G and chart-breaking música Mexicana artist Xavi; demonstrating a commitment to both amplifying Latin culture for all Verizon customers and connecting to their passions.

   And it is not just with big names like Becky G. Earlier this year, Verizon also partnered with Bobo Productions to bring niche nostalgia to Latin music enthusiasts at a local level with The 90s Pop Tour, which featured live performances in cities across the nation.

5. How have your Super Bowl advertising strategies evolved to reach Hispanic audiences over the years?
   The Super Bowl isn’t just a marquee event for Verizon, it’s also an incredibly important moment for the Latino community. We wanted to elevate our existing NFL partnership in a way that no other brand could, to best serve this audience. Over the years, we’ve enlisted Spanish-speaking advocates and spokespeople to help drive our messaging and build on the momentum and passion around the Big Game. One of the big ways that this evolved this year was through our partnership with Univision, where we were one of the only brands to develop Spanish-language advertising exclusively for the live broadcast. We featured J Balvin in the campaign and it really resonated. As we evolve our strategies, the goal is to continue incorporating cultural nuances into both English and Spanish language advertisements to connect with diverse and intersectional audiences in increasingly relevant ways.

   6. What trends do you see in Hispanic marketing that will influence your strategies in the coming years?
   We are continuing to see the young Latino audience influence the older generation’s purchase decisions. With that in mind, we’ll continue to cater to the multigenerational families and homes to ensure that our products and services help everyone stay connected, whether that is in English, Spanish or Spanglish.

   7. How do you plan to adapt to changes in Hispanic consumer behavior?
   It’s critical for us to continue to evolve with the diverse Latino community at the speed of culture and technology. We plan to continue to meet them where they are, delivering in-language services through social and messaging platforms as well as in the local communities through our grassroots efforts. One of our top priorities will be ensuring our local marketing efforts are authentically speaking to and connecting with the Latino segment no matter where they are or which language they speak.