Latinx Creators Share How Brands Can ‘Get It Right’
Our latest Creator Series roundtable features some of the standout Latinx content creators in Quotient’s network as we honor Hispanic Heritage Month, observed September 15 through October 15 in the U.S., to recognize the achievements and influence of Hispanic Americans.
Hosted by Quotient’s Pablo Martinez, the panel included Kisha Gulley (@panamakish), AJ Hernandez (@aj_hernandez), Alessandra Martinez (@livin.mivida.ale), Olivia Mesquita (@oliviascuisine) and Ericka Sanchez (@nibblesnfeasts).
The conversation covered a range of topics from misconceptions about the Hispanic community to how incremental changes in the industry can lead to better representation and more fulfilling brand partnerships with Latinx creators.
Check out the full roundtable discussion in the video below or continue reading for a few takeaways from the conversation.
Pressures Put on Latinx Creators
One sentiment that was echoed during the discussion was how brands and clients can sometimes assume a creator is Mexican or speaks Spanish when in reality there is so much diversity among people who identify as Latin.
“The Hispanic-Latinx community is so complex. There’s 20-plus countries that make up that category. It’s so interesting to me—and frustrating at the same time—that people just default to ‘Mexican.’ ”
The panelists explained that brands and partners often have expectations that they act certain ways to show that they are “Latin enough,” whether in terms of Spanish language fluency or other cultural stereotypes. Sanchez observed that people and brands sometimes have the misconception that she should be a loud and in-your-face “spicy Latina,” but in reality, she has an introverted and reserved personality.
Other creators shared Sanchez’s feeling of pressure to prove their Latin bona fides. Gulley described how she can feel judged as a creator who is Black and Latina.
“I’ve had two situations for TV where they wanted to talk to me first to gauge and make sure I could actually speak Spanish and to make sure my Spanish was good enough. It kind of rubbed me the wrong way because I wanted to know, did you do everyone like this, or was it just me?”
Positive Changes Are Opportunities for Brands
The content creators also highlighted positive changes brands have made through engaging in open discussions, learning from content creators’ expertise and building stronger working relationships. Sanchez shared that having brands reach out to her as a consultant has been one of the best parts of her career as an influencer.
“I’m really happy that brands are trying to get it right. They’ll ask me, ‘Do Latin people like toasted coconut?’ or ‘How do they eat their coconut?’ Little questions like that. A lot of big brands have been doing that, and it’s one of my highlights because they’re trying and they want to get it right.”
Hernandez, who identifies as Mexican-American and has European family background, spoke about the challenge of balancing being authentic with choosing brands and campaigns that he wants to be a part of: “I’m trying to be better about honoring all parts of who I am ... without feeling like I need to be less Mexican to fit into a certain type of campaign or be more Mexican and disregard or ignore the other parts of me that are European.”
Hernandez’s point illustrates a recurring theme of our roundtable discussions: Creators are real people who don’t always fit into a neatly defined box. There is an opportunity for brands to build strong and authentic relationships with creators as well as their audiences by representing people of all backgrounds and cultures.
For more insights for brands from our candid conversations with talented creators in our network, check out all the installments of the Quotient Creator Series.
