'Jalisco Is Tu Cultura' Integrated Campaign Connects Southern California Hispanics to Cultural Heritage for Hispanic Heritage Month
It is no secret that U.S. Hispanics are a growing force, with recent figures by Airbnb in its U.S. Latin and Hispanic Traveler Report estimating travel spending power of $165B by 2025. Recognizing a strategic opportunity to re-introduce Southern California Hispanics to the travel destination of Jalisco, Mexico - home to iconic destinations like Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, and Costa Alegre, The Culturist Group was entrusted by PTG Consulting, the tourism board’s representation agency in the U.S. with developing and delivering a Hispanic multifaceted broadcast integration and digital marketing program for Jalisco’s state tourism office.
Did you know?
The largest US Hispanic group originates from Mexico.
While our campaign strategically targeted Hispanic households, which accounted for 70% of total campaign exposure at nearly 5M impressions, there were positive outcomes on the 'total market' audiences who also find leisure travel to Mexico appealing.
The campaign leveraged a mix of traditional TV advertising, live news segments, sponsored content, influencer engagement, and digital/social extensions to achieve the client's objectives of increasing destination awareness, driving website traffic, and generating leads for potential visitors coming from Greater Los Angeles, California.
The Jalisco Hispanic Heritage Month campaign was a resounding success, exceeding the client's goals and demonstrating the power of leveraging culturally relevant programming and platforms to connect with the Hispanic/Latino audience.
Client Background
As the birthplace of iconic Mexican cultural elements like tequila, mariachi music, and charrería (Mexican rodeo), the state of Jalisco is a premier tourism destination for travelers seeking an authentic, immersive experience of Mexico's rich heritage. However, the client recognized that Jalisco was not top-of-mind for many U.S. Hispanic/Latino consumers, who continue to travel to other destinations in Mexico such as Cancun, Tulum, Mexico City, Los Cabos and others.
Campaign Objectives
The key objectives for the Jalisco Hispanic Heritage Month campaign were to:
1. Increase brand awareness of Jalisco as a premier tourism destination among the Hispanic/Latino audience in Los Angeles and surrounding areas.
2. Drive website traffic and lead generation for potential visitors to Jalisco.
3. Leverage the cultural relevance of Hispanic Heritage Month to connect with the target audience in a meaningful way.
Campaign Overview
The Culturist Group negotiated an integrated advertising and sponsorship leveraged KTLA 5, delivering a comprehensive, multimedia program aligned with the key target audience and cultural motivators. The Culturist Group identified KTLA 5 given its reach of 5.8 million TV households and has a notably high index (170) for Hispanic viewers who are interested in traveling to Mexico. KTLA's Nielsen insights identified that its audience has a strong propensity for vacations to Mexico, with an index of 122 compared to the general population.
Cultural Representation, Relevance & Resonance
Key Hispanic traveler insights informed the messaging and content approach to satisfy our signature approach with messaging priorities given to:
Experiencing one's own culture and traditions through typical foods and imagery
Connecting with family through the promise of experiential travel
Celebrating food, music, and timely cultural festivals
Educating younger generations about their heritage
Language
Armed with the insight that nearly 50% of Hispanic households with the age range of 25-55 in Los Angeles speak primarily English (with fluency in Spanish), KTLA, the leading television station in the market, was chosen as the primary media partner due to its strong viewership among this audience and the opportunity it provided to deliver English and bilingual creative executions, ensuring creative was delivered in an authentic tone and accent/pronunciations for the TV spots.
By leveraging KTLA's English-language multimedia offerings, including linear TV, digital, and social media, the Jalisco campaign was able to effectively reach and engage the target Hispanic/Latino consumer segment in Southern California - a critical market for growing awareness and interest in the destination.
The campaign utilized a mix of traditional TV advertising, sponsored content, influencer engagement, and digital/social extensions to bring these cultural touchpoints to life. Specific elements included:
TV Advertising: A :30 TV spot highlighting the cultural attractions and experiences of Jalisco aired 28 times during the campaign flight, significantly exceeding the original 15 airings contracted.
Sponsored Content: An in-depth native article showcasing the diverse offerings of Jalisco was produced by KTLA and received 325,000 impressions.
Influencer Engagement: A live, in-studio segment featuring a Jalisco representative or influencer aired three times during the campaign, reaching over 1.1 million viewers.
Digital/Social Extensions: The influencer segment and sweepstakes promotion were further amplified through KTLA's social media channels, generating an additional 375,000 impressions.
Sweepstakes Integration: A viewer sweepstakes offering a trip to Jalisco was promoted through on-air mentions, digital ads, and social media, driving engagement and lead capture.
Campaign Results
The Jalisco Hispanic Heritage Month campaign delivered exceptional results, exceeding the client's original targets:
• Total impressions: 6.9 million, which was 41% higher than originally contracted, with 5M of those impressions reaching Hispanic households.
• Significant over-delivery across all campaign elements, including 28 TV spot airings (vs. 15 contracted), 18 sweepstakes promos (vs. 10 contracted), and 11 Hispanic Heritage Month sponsored spots (added value)
These impressive campaign metrics coincided with significant growth in tourism to Jalisco in YOY 2023 air arrival figures according to the Jalisco Secretary of Tourism:
• Guadalajara International Airport saw a 13.3% increase in arrivals from the previous year
• Puerto Vallarta Airport saw a 9.4% i increase in arrivals from the previous year
The campaign's success in reaching and engaging the U.S. Hispanic market, particularly in Southern California, underscores the potential for growth in this segment. By aligning Jalisco's rich cultural offerings with the travel motivations of Hispanic consumers, the campaign effectively positioned the destination as an authentic and appealing choice for those seeking to connect with their heritage through travel.