ACCULTURATION LEVELS AND BRAND PERCEPTIONS

OF HISPANIC FEMALE CONSUMERS

A Thesis

Presented to

The Faculty of the Graduate School

At the University of Missouri-Columbia

In Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the Degree

Master of Arts

By

ABIGAIL R GRAY

Dr. Cynthia Frisby, Thesis Supervisor

DECEMBER 2017
 The undersigned, appointed by the dean of the Graduate School, have examined the

thesis entitled

ACCULTURATION LEVELS AND BRAND PERCEPTIONS

OF HISPANIC FEMALE CONSUMERS

presented by Abigail R Gray,

a candidate for the degree of master of arts,

and hereby certify that, in their opinion, it is worthy of acceptance.

2Professor Cynthia Frisby

2 Professor Brett Johnson

Professor Jamie Flink

2

2Professor Gustavo Carlo

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and foremost, I would like to thank Dr. Cynthia Frisby for her continued

support throughout my undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Missouri

School of Journalism. Her research on women and people of color has not only inspired

me to conduct my own research with similar audiences but also challenges me to be a

more effective advertising professional. I have admired her ability to initiate paradigm

shifts in her students to help them become better communicators and, ultimately, better

people. Empathy is at the root of each lesson she has preached, and for that, I thank her.

I have profound gratitude for my other committee members as well: Dr. Johnson,

Dr. Carlo, and Professor Flink. It has been enjoyable for me to soak up the unique areas

of knowledge they have been kind enough to share. I have truly appreciated their

guidance throughout my graduate studies and their willingness to assist me along the

way. Thank you for being a part of this journey.

Furthermore, I am incredibly humbled by the wealth of support I have received

from the participants in my study. They were all eager to share their stories and expressed

the utmost interest in learning about the results. This research would not be what it is

today without the enthusiasm my participants demonstrated from the beginning.

ii
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................... ii

ABSTRACT................................................................................................... v

CHAPTER

1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................ 1

Background ........................................................................... 1

Theory and Concepts ............................................................. 3

2. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................. 6

Method .................................................................................. 6

Identified Empirical Generalizations ..................................... 6

Cultural values in products and advertisements......... 7

Brand loyalty ............................................................. 12

Usage of language ..................................................... 14

Representation of Hispanic individuals .................... 18

Hispanic Television Advertisements .................................... 20

Female Hispanics ................................................................... 21

Summary ............................................................................... 22

Research Questions ............................................................... 22

3. METHODS ................................................................................... 24

Research Design .................................................................... 24

Participants ............................................................................ 29

Brand Category ..................................................................... 30

Data Analysis ........................................................................ 30

iii
 4. RESULTS ...................................................................................... 32

Hypothesis ............................................................................. 32

Key Themes .......................................................................... 34

Family values ............................................................ 34

Language ................................................................... 38

Presence in advertising ............................................. 45

Generalization ........................................................... 46

Involvement in community ....................................... 54

Unfounded research topics ........................................ 55

Conclusion ............................................................................ 56

5. DISCUSSION ............................................................................... 57

Family Values ....................................................................... 58

Language ............................................................................... 59

Presence in Advertising ........................................................ 60

Generalization ....................................................................... 61

Involvement in Community .................................................. 62

Recommendations ................................................................. 62

Limitations ............................................................................ 65

Researcher Reflections .......................................................... 68

Conclusion ............................................................................ 69

BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................... 71

APPENDIX ................................................................................................... 76

iv
 ACCULTURATION LEVELS AND BRAND PERCEPTIONS OF HISPANIC
FEMALE CONSUMERS

Abigail R Gray

Dr. Cynthia Frisby, Thesis Supervisor

ABSTRACT

The research in the following thesis reveals a correlation between acculturation

and brand perceptions of Hispanic female consumers. This study was conducted utilizing

cultural identity theory as a framework. To build upon and fill gaps of existing research,

this study segmented participants by acculturation level and analyzed cultural phenomena

through a qualitative lens to gain an understanding of Hispanic consumers with varying

identities and their experiences. The scope of research was narrowed to female Hispanic

participants with the examination of Quick Service Restaurant television advertisements.

The research sought to answer the questions: 1) how do female Hispanic consumers with

different levels of acculturation describe their perceptions of Quick Service Restaurant

brands and their advertisements; and 2) how do female Hispanic consumers of varying

acculturation levels perceive Hispanic cultural values? It was hypothesized that the

participant perceptions would change linearly across acculturation level from Hispanic

Dominant to Mainstream dominant. The results demonstrated that this is not the case for

all perceptions. This study not only informs existing research on advertising perceptions

and acculturation levels but also benefits advertisers as they seek to effectively reach the

growing Hispanic population.

Keywords: Acculturation, Hispanic, Latina, Brand Perceptions, Hispanic-

Targeting, Television Advertisements, Cultural Values, Quick Service Restaurants

v
 Chapter 1: Introduction

Background

The purpose of this research is to identify how levels of acculturation impact the

way the Hispanic community perceives brands using cultural identity theory as a

framework. The study seeks to fill gaps in the existing research on acculturation levels of

the Hispanic population in the United States as well as Hispanic perceptions of brands

and advertisements. The need for and importance of this research will likely grow due to

the changing demography in the United States and the growing prevalence of the

Hispanic population.

The United States has been a nation of continual populace change since its

formation. With each passing era, millions of immigrants from around the world have

travelled to the United States and made its confines their home. The demographic

makeup of the nation is ever-evolving, though one ethnic group is responsible for the

most recent change to its composition. The Hispanic community has seen a particularly

higher growth rate than any other ethnic group in the United States over the past several

decades (Wentz, 2011). Hispanics comprise almost half of the annual population growth

with a total of 57.5 million Hispanic people currently living within the U.S. borders

(AdvertisingAge, 2017). The community now constitutes over 17.8 percent of the total

population (AdvertisingAge, 2017). From the food and entertainment industries to

educational curriculum, Hispanic cultures are influencing more spheres of American

society merely because of their exponential growth and prevalence.

1
 The advertising industry is experiencing a major shift in focus and investment

because of this trend. In the not so distant past, advertisers found the Hispanic population

to be less profitable than the mainstream population (Rodriguez, 1997). However, the

numbers can no longer be denied. Hispanics alone are projected to spend $1.7 trillion by

the end of 2017 in the consumer packaged goods and retail markets (Statista, 2017). As

the communitys sheer mass continues to build, advertisers gain understanding of the

impact this population has on their and their clients businesses. With $4.3 million in

Hispanic major-media ad spending in 2016 for network television alone, advertisers race

to instill new and lasting positive brand impressions and foster loyalty (AdvertisingAge,

2017).

Though the understanding of Hispanic cultures is becoming increasingly

important for the advertising industry, advertisers are encountering the complexity this

entails. The Hispanic communitys cultural phenomena are often met with

misunderstanding and misrepresentation in the media (Llopis, 2013). Often advertisers

attempt to reach the Hispanic market without the inclusion of Hispanic cultural values.

Even more so, advertisers often neglect to segment the Hispanic market and categorize all

Hispanic people of varying experiences and identities as one target audience. Because of

these inauthentic and over-simplified strategies, many advertisers have found that their

techniques are not as compelling or effective as they had hoped (Llopis, 2013).

To efficiently reach a market, advertisers must segment groups narrowly and speak to

their nuanced experiences. The Hispanic market must be analyzed by advertisers with

perhaps more considerations than is needed with other audiences. One of these

considerations is acculturation level. Existing research has found that individuals of

2
different levels of acculturation have varying viewpoints and preferences on the way the

media speaks to them and to their experiences (Chattarman, Rudd, & Lennon, 2009;

Deshpande & Stayman, 1994; Noriega & Blair, 2008; Tsai & Li, 2012). This manuscript

will outline the theory that was utilized as a framework for this research, explore the

literature that examines acculturation levels and advertising, and will review a new study

conducted to contribute and fill gaps of the existing research.

Theory and Concepts

Cultural identity theory argues that an individuals sense of self is influenced by

the culture or cultures in which they participate (Lustig, 2013). Tying oneself to a group,

whether that be ethnic or otherwise, allows the individual to feel that he or she belongs to

something bigger than his or herself (Lustig, 2013). Individuals will often think in terms

of we instead of me and will exhibit similar behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs of that

culture to justify their association with the group (Lustig, 2013, p. 133). This association

affects nearly every aspect of the individuals psyche and behaviors. Cultural identity

theory clarifies why individuals from varying backgrounds and cultural groups perceive

phenomena differently, have disparate values, and interpret the world around them from

unique perspectives (Lustig, 2013, p. 135).

People identify with a variety of groups to derive meaning from their inclusion in

each. These groups vary in size, such as sports teams, religious organizations, and

families. Each group has its own culture in which its members act, speak, and think that

is different than when they participate in any other group or setting (Lustig, 2013).

Cultural identity is characterized by properties such as its enduring and changing nature,

interpretation of content and relationships, salience, intensity, an individuals perceptions

3
of self, an individuals perceptions of how others view them, and multiple types of

identity like nationality, gender, etc. (Collier, 2002, pg. 304-306).

The Hispanic community is an extremely varied population comprised of many

different cultures. However, there are values and phenomena that remain consistent

across Hispanic cultures. Cultural identity tends to be stronger for ethnic groups and

elements of cultural identification for these groups can spill over into other smaller

cultures they participate in, such as the groups listed previously (Lustig, 2013). Cultural

identity theory sheds light on why the strength of this identification with Hispanic culture

within the United States is dependent on acculturation level and how this impacts the way

individuals perceive advertising messaging.

To maintain consistency of terminology, the word Hispanic will be used

throughout the research to refer to the Hispanic population. Whether this particular group

should be labeled as the Hispanic or Latino community is largely up for debate. The word

Hispanic refers to a group of people living in the United States whose members

primary language is Spanish. The word Latino refers to individuals living in the United

States with heritages from Latin America. Not all Latino people speak Spanish and

therefore cannot be categorized as Hispanic (Austin & Johnson, 2012). Because a large

component of this research analyzes the importance of Spanish language in the

community, the label Hispanic will be consistently used throughout.

The term acculturation warrants defining and elaborating on how it is measured.

Acculturation is the adoption of culture and the phenomena associated with it.

Acculturation most commonly occurs when individuals from a minority group assimilate

into and adopt cultural aspects from the majority, mainstream group (Redfield, Linton, &

4
Herskovits, 1936). A majority group may adopt cultural aspects from a minority group

such as holidays, food, music, etc., but this is less common (Berry, 1990). In the case of

the Hispanic community in the United States, many aspects from mainstream American

culture are adopted, including language, values, and behaviors. Whether it be the way

individuals greet each other or the time of evening they eat dinner, these cultural nuances

can become instilled into acculturating individuals over time. Levels of acculturation can

be determined through a variety of criteria.

For Hispanic people within the United States, level of acculturation can be

predicted by the language an individual uses dominantly, the length of time spent in the

United States, their interaction with non-Hispanic individuals, and often their level of

education (Anderson, 2009). Within the scope of this research, all aforementioned factors

were explored.

When discussing acculturation, oftentimes ethnic identity enters conversation as

well. However, acculturation and ethnic identity are two different phenomena. While

ethnic identity can be determined with a variety of criteria, for this research, ethnic

identity is the extent to which an individuals ethnic heritage impacts their self-concept

(Phinney, 2003). Acculturation is typically more linear, is ever changing, and is multi-

dimensional. It is merely a snapshot into what their perceptions are at a given moment.

Acculturation impacts ethnic identity and an individuals sense of self.

To determine what has been discovered in this area of study from previous

research and to evaluate where future research may contribute, a literature review was

conducted. Key themes were distilled from former studies and helped dictate the form

and function of the study outlined in this manuscript.

5
 Chapter 2: Literature Review

Method

An empirical generalization literature review was conducted to examine studies

on acculturation, Hispanic identities, and brand perceptions. Empirical generalization

literature reviews seek to uncover similarities in findings of existing studies in the scope

of the purpose of the research (Vogt, 2005). These similarities are categorized by key

themes and extracted to better interpret the meaning of the research (Vogt, 2005). This

methodology was most effective for analyzing the information collected because it

provides an overview on the existing research conducted by respected researchers in their

fields on this particular topic. From these empirical generalizations, a future study was

developed to fill holes in former research. As mentioned in the statement of purpose,

cultural identity theory helped inform the research that was acquired through this

empirical generalization literature review.

Identified Empirical Generalizations

From the information collected, major consistencies in the research are apparent.

These themes serve as empirical generalizations. The four empirical generalizations

identified are as follows: the presence of Hispanic cultural values in product attributes

and advertisements; brand loyalty; the usage of language in advertisements; and the

representation of Hispanic individuals in advertisements. Though each generalization

presents a unique topic of discussion, all generalizations discussed work together and

directly impact each other when determining how acculturation level impacts brand

perceptions.

6
 Cultural values in products and advertisements. Former research is

overwhelming unanimous that acculturation level directly impacts the expression of

Hispanic cultural values and brand perceptions.

Several of the analyzed studies sought to determine the effect acculturation level

has on purchase decisions. Kara and Kara (1996) tested individuals categorized as high

and low level Hispanics and Caucasians. From their study, it was found that highly

acculturated Hispanics had more similar product attribute preferences with the Caucasian

community than low acculturated Hispanics (Kara & Kara, 1996). Kara and Kara (1996)

provided valuable insights into the behaviors of the Hispanic community in comparison

with the Caucasian community. However, they only divided the Hispanic community into

two groups and did not identify much overlap in culture in their participants. Ogden,

Ogden, and Schau (2004) supported Kara and Karas (1996) finding that acculturation

plays a large role in consumer behavior. Additionally, they found that level of

acculturation, the marketed product, and the format in which it is marketed all play a role

when determining the likelihood of purchase decisions (Ogden et al., 2004). These

additional insights are helpful in comprehending the broader scope of factors at play in

purchase decisions. The researchers in the aforementioned studies did not speak as

heavily on the importance of cultural values on purchase intent. These elements coincide

and further research should seek to include all factors to paint a more comprehensive

picture on how to effectively communicate with Hispanic consumers.

Li, Tsai, and Soruco (2013) demonstrated the importance of values as a major

factor in brand perceptions through their research, finding that those who identified more

with the Hispanic culture would be more likely to purchase a product that conveyed a tie

7
to their ethnic identity. Through their qualitative and quantitative research, Li et al.

(2013) discovered that Hispanics view products in terms of Hispanicness and

Americanness and that level of acculturation plays into a preference for brand choice

based on American cultural values versus Hispanic cultural values (p. 448). The

information they uncovered was valuable but, similarly to Kara and Karas (1996)

research, they generalized the Hispanic community too heavily. It became more and more

apparent through the research that the Hispanic community cannot simply be sorted into

acculturated and unacculturated groups. Acculturation runs on a sliding scale and

oftentimes Hispanic people living within the United States identify with both cultures, the

culture of their heritage and the mainstream culture of the United States (Alvarez,

Dickson, & Hunter, 2014). People are not exclusively polarized to one side or another.

Behavioral patterns are strongly correlated with acculturation, and this correlation needs

to be recognized amongst advertisers and researchers alike (Deshpande, Hoyer, &

Donthu, 1986; Donthu & Cherian, 1995; Kara & Kara, 1996; Li et al., 2013; Ogden et al.,

2004; OGuinn & Faber, 1985).

Alvarez et al., (2014) identified four different levels of acculturation: biculturals,

assimilators, retainers and non-identifiers (p. 109). They surveyed Hispanic people from

five geographic areas with the largest Hispanic populations in the United States and

found that length of time living in the United States and generational status directly

correlate with how strongly an individual identifies with American culture (Alvarez et al.,

2014). The researchers also found that Hispanic values, such as resolute familial ties, do

not fade away with duration of time lived in the United States (Alvarez et al., 2014). This

research emphasizes that the Hispanic community is not homogenous and different levels

8
of acculturation need to be considered when trying to connect with them with advertising

tactics. Because this data was collected with a quantitative methodology, these findings

would be supported by a qualitative study to contribute a humanistic perspective on the

diversity of the community.

To identify how important it is for product attributes to be culturally relevant for

varying acculturation levels, Chattarman et al. (2009) sorted participants into three

different levels of acculturation: Hispanic-dominant, mainstream-dominant, and

balanced-bicultural (p. 828). The findings revealed that product attributes that struck a

cultural chord with consumers were more likely to cause Hispanic consumers to perceive

the brand more positively (Chattarman et al., 2009). The product attributes that are

consistent with Hispanic cultural ideologies had a greater impact on those with a lower

acculturation level. Hispanic-dominant individuals preferred product attributes that

spoke to Hispanic culture and mainstream-dominant individuals preferred product

attributes that spoke to mainstream American culture (Chattarman et al., 2009). Their

study shows that marketers must speak to consumers with their cultural identity in mind

in order to create successful messaging. The research also provided a more thorough

perspective on the intricacies of varying levels of acculturation and identified the

possibility of cultural overlap in Hispanic consumers. The levels of acculturation created

by Chattarman et al. (2009) provided an instrumentational template for identifying

varying Hispanic identities in the study conducted and reviewed later in this paper.

Roberts and Hart (1997) compared the ways in which values were conveyed

through messaging in three different markets: the U.S. market, Mexican market, and U.S.

Hispanic market. The researchers conducted a content analysis of television

9
advertisements to examine the similarities and differences of the three markets. The

research revealed that people that acculturate into a different culture change values, and

that these changes are linear, meaning that the values shift in one direction and do not

tend to jump back and forth (Roberts and Hart, 1997, p. 95). Ethnic values differed

between the general U.S. market, the Mexican market, and the U.S. Hispanic market and

the advertisements that targeted each conveyed this (Robert & Hart, 1997). This study

supports the findings of Alvarez et al.s (2014) research discussed previously because it

demonstrates how values shift over time based on amount of time spent around a culture.

With that said, Roberts and Hart (1997) only examined the Mexican market when

analyzing acculturation from one culture to another. Though the Mexican community

makes up the majority of the Hispanic population in the United States, this study leaves

somewhat of a gap in the research. It has not been determined if Hispanic people from

other nations experience as linear of a value shift.

Rinderle and Montoya (2008) found that those with a stronger cultural identity

usually held a higher level of ethnic pride (p. 156). This particular study did not

segment Hispanic participants out by acculturation level. Since other studies have

revealed that Hispanics with lower acculturation levels have a higher sense of ethnic

identity, it is likely that Rinderle and Montoya (2008) would have uncovered similar

findings. Further research could work to close this gap to minimize assumptions.

To determine the impact acculturation level has on positive and negative brand

perceptions, Tsai and Li (2012) conducted a 3x3 factorial experiment with Hispanic

adults to identify their attitudes and purchase intention toward advertisements. The

participants were shown three advertising targeting strategies: one Caucasian targeted,

10
one bicultural targeted, and one Hispanic targeted. The researchers found that the level of

acculturation impacts perceptions towards ads that depict characters of a particular

ethnicity (Tsai & Li, 2012). For example, an ad that is intended to reach a Caucasian

audience may receive more positive brand perceptions from Hispanics who are more

acculturated than Hispanics that are less acculturated into American culture. Secondly,

the researchers found that purchase intent varies based off acculturation and the targeting

of the ad (Tsai & Li, 2012). An ad that is intended to reach a Caucasian audience will

cause more assimilated Hispanics to purchase the product than less assimilated Hispanics.

Tsai and Li (2012) found that cultural cues such as the physical appearance of the

people depicted in the ad, the values they conveyed, and the language they used had an

impact on how the consumer perceived the product (p. 306). This research is highly

supported through the other studies outlined in this empirical generalization as well as

other generalizations discussed later in this paper. Qualitative research could help expand

upon the perceptions of the cultural cues examined in Tsai and Lis (2012) study to

understand them on an even deeper level.

Deshpande and Stayman (1994) showed ads with different speakers to Caucasian

and Hispanic participants in their study. These speakers were sometimes Hispanic and

sometimes Caucasian. The researchers measured strength of ethnic identity in the

participants (Deshpande & Stayman, 1994). The research found that when individuals

identified as cultural minorities, they were more likely to convey their ethnic identity

more prominently (Deshpande & Stayman, 1994). They also found that individuals with a

stronger ethnic identity had more receptivity to advertising that represented their ethnic

values (Deshpande & Stayman, 1994). When Caucasians were tested, there was a similar

11
result. Hispanic people that are more highly acculturated and spend more time with non-

Hispanic individuals likely will identify more with the mainstream culture and less likely

to maintain a strong Hispanic ethnic identity.

The research contributes to the overall conversation because it compares

Caucasian and Hispanics when it comes to brand perceptions. What Deshpande and

Staymans (1994) research did well was its demonstration of how individuals perceive

advertisements differently based on if they identify as a minority or majority. Adding the

additional layer of strength of identity could contribute more nuance to this study. Future

research could add this new lens.

This empirical generalization is supported by cultural identity theory. Individuals

that feel more closely tied to a culture will exhibit more behaviors and values of this

culture. Those that do not identify as strongly with a culture are less likely to share

similar values. Acculturation level directly impacts the strength of connection to Hispanic

values, which directly impacts their sense of identity in relation to the Hispanic culture

and their purchase decisions.

Brand loyalty. With Hispanic cultural values in mind, it is important to look

closely at the trend in brand loyalty with Hispanic consumers. Brand loyalty in the

Hispanic community occurs more frequently amongst Hispanics of lower acculturation

levels because of their closer tie to Hispanic values and their trust in the opinions of their

friends and family. Lowly acculturated Hispanics are more likely to become brand loyal

to the products their loved ones use which, in turn, spurs positive brand perceptions.

These trends were consistently found from the results of several studies (Deshpande et

al., 1986; Donthu & Cherian, 1995; OGuinn & Faber, 1985).

12
 Donthu and Cherian (1995) predicted and found that Strongly Identified

Hispanics possess more brand loyal tendencies to the products that their family and

friends purchase than Weakly Identified Hispanics (p. 390). OGuinn and Faber (1985)

uncovered similar findings with their survey. The data showed that brand loyalty is more

prominent in less acculturated Hispanics and that it is not as important to highly

acculturated Hispanics to know how the product worked with previous experience, or

with friends and family (OGuinn & Faber, 1985). These studies did not explore the

presence of Hispanic cultural values in advertisements and their impact on brand loyalty

tendencies. Further research could explore the intersection between brand loyalty,

identification, and presence of cultural values in advertisements.

However, the findings from these studies are consistent with the first empirical

generalization. If a more highly acculturated person were to be closer in line with the

cultural values of the Hispanic community, they would be more likely to trust the

opinions and values of their Hispanic friends and family. These results also demonstrate

the importance of family to Hispanic consumers (Donthu & Cherian, 1995).

Deshpande et al. (1986) identified two different levels of acculturation in the

Hispanic community: Strong Hispanic Identifiers and Weak Hispanic Identifiers (p.

215). The researchers found that Strong Hispanic Identifiers are likely to speak Spanish

more often, feel more favorable toward advertising in general, though not a significant

difference, and are more likely to be brand-loyal and purchase products that speak to their

ethnic culture than Weak Hispanic Identifiers (Deshpande et al., 1986). Deshpande et

al.s (1986) research was successful at stringing together many different factors that

weigh into brand perceptions of the Hispanic market aside from strictly brand loyalty.

13
The connection of these factors is highly important because brand loyalty goes hand in

hand with Hispanic values. Since this study was conducted with a survey methodology,

further qualitative research on brand loyalty and strength of identity would be beneficial

to add deeper human insight.

These collective findings about brand loyalty amongst the Hispanic community

based on acculturation level are supported by cultural identity theory. If an individual

feels a strong tie to the Hispanic community because of their higher acculturation level,

they will be more likely to value the opinions of other Hispanics and perceive the brands

used by loved ones more positively. Cultural identity theory says that individuals will

develop values in line with those of the culture in order to feel a part of the group. Brand

loyalty tendencies display this claim perfectly.

Usage of language. As Deshpande et al. (1986) found, language plays a role in

the purchase decisions and brand perceptions of Hispanic consumers of varying

acculturation levels. It is important to note that language should never be the only factor

considered when targeting the Hispanic market with advertising messaging. At times,

advertisers have relied heavily on the Spanish language to create a consumer connection.

However, the Spanish language itself without the presence of cultural values within

messaging can result in inauthentic results (Rodriguez, 1997). Language must be

interwoven with other Hispanic cultural cues to truly be successful (Tsai & Li, 2012).

Rodriguez (1997) conducted her research by speaking with advertisers

themselves. She found that the advertisers she spoke to categorize Hispanics on the

language they speak. Her research shows that many advertisers choose to message to

Hispanics simply through the choice of language (Rodriguez, 1997). Though this

14
methodology only touches on advertiser perceptions of the consumers and not the

consumers perceptions of the brand, the research is still valuable since it identifies the

shortcomings that advertisers demonstrate.

Noriega and Blair (2008) examined consumer perceptions to understand how

bilinguals feel about advertisements and if language had an impact on these perceptions.

The researchers conducted an experiment where participants had to look at an ad in either

Spanish or English and report on what they saw and how they felt about the ad. The

researchers found that participants felt more favorably about the ads in their native

language (Noriega & Blair, 2008). The researchers effectively demonstrated through their

findings how language is deeply interwoven into culture and how cultural values are

often present within language choice. However, the research did not demonstrate any

variance depending on length of time spent in the United States or their association with

other individuals of the Hispanic culture.

An abundance of research has been conducted about language usage in television

advertisements and language preferences of Hispanics in the United States. Roslow and

Nicholls (1996) found that Hispanic-Americans preferred to view commercials in

Spanish that were displayed during a Spanish television program more so than

commercials in English that were aired during an English television program. This

preference also carried heavier purchase intent (Roslow & Nicholls, 1996). The

researchers used participants that were both Spanish-dominant speakers and bilingual.

They discovered that acculturation level merely determined by personal language usage

did not greatly impact the preferences of the language of advertisements (Roslow &

Nicholls, 1996). Though this study did not find a correlation of acculturation level and

15
language preference, the researchers for this particular study used a language-only

assessment of acculturation. The researchers did not take into consideration the presence

of cultural values in the advertisements as previously discussed studies have.

Burton and Yangs (2014) research found similar results that conflict with the

findings of other studies outlined in the empirical generalization. The researchers

discovered that strength of ethnic identity did not predict language preference of

television advertisements. However, they found that personal language preference did

have an impact. Burton and Yang (2014) also found that many bilingual Hispanic-

Americans prefer code-switching in advertising, or an advertisements usage of both

Spanish and English language, often melded together. This study revealed that

generational status and gender had no strong correlation with language preference in

advertising. These findings go against the findings of other research that claims

generational status plays a role in acculturation level, which impacts preferences in

advertising. However, this study focuses solely on language and does not go into detail

about other factors that come into play with ethnic identification.

Luna and Peracchios (2005) researched code-switching as well to find out how it

could have an impact on persuasion. They provided slogans that moved from majority to

minority, meaning the slogan included more English words than Spanish. They also

provided slogans that moved from minority to majority, meaning the slogan included

more Spanish words than English. The researchers found that participants who felt more

positively about Spanish would favor ads that had majority to minority slogans which

would lead to more favorability of the product the slogan promoted (Luna & Peracchio,

2005). This study provides great insight into the importance of how language is

16
incorporated into messaging and the frequency of the languages used. The study did not

touch heavily on strength of identity. While this can be inferred by their findings, further

research into the connection of strength of identity and code-switching would solidify

their findings even more so.

In another study conducted by Luna, Ringberg, and Peracchio (2008), the research

revealed that frame switching, or the changing of mental frames or mindsets, due to

language is only present in individuals who are bicultural, possessing an affiliation to two

ethnic groups (Luna et al., 2008, p. 279). These two studies provided unique insight into

how the perceptions of individuals who speak two different languages and who identify

with two different cultures can change when language differs. Though these studies drew

attention to the interwoven nature of values, language, and acculturation level, the

methodologies did not reveal strong evidence in regards to how brand perceptions are

strongly impacted by language. The studies did not identify a range of acculturation

levels within the participants, but polarized the participants by the language they favored.

While it was stated before that advertisers far too often consider language to be

the defining factor on if they are effectively reaching the Hispanic market, this empirical

generalization reveals the importance of language choice in brand perceptions. With that

said, more research needs to be conducted in regards to segmenting the Hispanic

population more into levels of acculturation and testing the effects of language and brand

perceptions on these different levels.

Cultural identity theory supports this empirical generalization because language is

often a key indicator of cultural identity. Those that are more highly acculturated to

American culture may speak English more frequently because of their probable proximity

17
to more non-Hispanic individuals. The opposite effect would most likely occur with

individuals of a lower acculturation level. Though, as stated before, language should not

be the only factor considered when targeting the Hispanic consumer, language plays a

role in ethnic identity and thus impacts the way individuals perceive brands (Coffey,

2014; Deshpande et al., 1986; Luna & Peracchio, 2005; Luna et al., 2008; Rodriguez,

1997; Tsai & Li, 2012).

Representation of Hispanic individuals. The last empirical generalization

explores the portrayal of Hispanic people in advertisements and how an individuals

agreement or disagreement with the way the individuals in the advertisements are

portrayed can have a direct impact on how they perceive the brand.

Singh and Bartikowski (2009) took a closer look at the themes that were present

in Hispanic print media and how that compared to Caucasian print media. They used a

content analysis approach that analyzed advertisements in three English magazines as

well as their Spanish versions: Readers Digest and Selecciones, Good Housekeeping and

Buen Hogar, and People and People en Espaol. There were more modern messages,

fewer masculine driven messages, and fewer status appeals in U.S. mainstream media

than in the Spanish media platforms (Singh and Bartikowski, 2009). This research

provided insight into how the Hispanic community is perceived and represented. Though

the study did not tie in acculturation, the research from the other empirical

generalizations informed this study. The research shows how advertisers view the

Hispanic community and Hispanic values.

Czepiec and Kelly (1983) examined print advertisements and found that there

were not as many Hispanic stereotypes present as they had predicted, such as body type,

18
clothing, etc. The research demonstrates that the media has begun to reflect the diverse

nature of the Hispanic community. However, the researchers found that there were fewer

Hispanic people in advertisements from Hispanic magazines than was predicted (Czepiec

& Kelly, 1983). This study was valuable because it provided insight into the content of

Hispanic advertisements in the market. This research lacks a consumer perspective on

Hispanic advertisements but it does help demonstrate the kind of advertisements that the

Hispanic community is consuming.

In a study conducted by La Ferle and Lee (2005), the findings were a bit

dissimilar. They learned that Hispanics tend to feel that the people and families in most

advertisements do not represent a true depiction on how they believe their families act.

More Caucasian-Americans believe they are accurately depicted in advertisements than

do Hispanic-Americans (La Ferle & Lee, 2005). This lack of authentic representation of

Hispanic people can lead to a weaker connection between Hispanic consumers and a

brand. This study does well in showing the differences between Caucasian and Hispanic

perceptions, but it still generalizes the Hispanic community just as some of the other

studies examined in this literature review have. Further research should segment the

Hispanic participants more.

Colombian and Colombian-American viewers of the television show Narcos have

voiced concerns about the actors not being of Colombian descent, not executing proper

Colombian accents, and not staying consistent to Colombian cultural contexts (Lansberg-

Rodriguez, 2015). While this finding relates to the media in general and not specifically

advertising, it demonstrates the necessity and growing consumer expectation for accurate

cultural representation.

19
 From these findings, a connection can be made that though advertising has come a

long way in better representing the Hispanic community, there is often still a lack of

authentic representation of Hispanic characters in advertisements. This results in less

compelling and relatable advertisements for Hispanics.

Cultural identity theory informs this research because the theory argues that

individuals feel a strong connection to their ethnic culture (Lustig, 2013). If a Hispanic

individual were to see Hispanic people portrayed in an advertisement in a way that was

inauthentic to their culture, they may not feel as strong of a brand connection as if it had

conveyed an accurate depiction (Le Ferle & Lee, 2005). Acculturation level may be at

work here as well. If a Hispanic individual were more highly acculturated, a lack of a

presence of Hispanic cultural nuances may not be as impactful on how they view a brand.

Though all signs in the research point to this conclusion, future research should

demonstrate this connection more clearly.

Hispanic Television Advertisements

With the previously discussed empirical generalizations in mind of how to

effectively reach the Hispanic community in the United States, it is important to examine

the current Hispanic media landscape. In 2014, Hispanic Americans were spending an

average of 123.2 hours a month watching television (Hinckley, 2014). Advertisers spent

$4.3 million on major-media advertising spending (Advertising Age, 2017). Because the

Hispanic market is still watching a significant amount of television, television advertising

is still very prevalent for this community and warrants further exploration. The findings

discussed later in this study examine television advertising specifically.

20
Female Hispanics

The female Hispanic population in the United States has reached 28 million,

solidifying Hispanic females as the majority of the overall female U.S. population

(Nielsen, 2017). This Hispanic female population is incredibly diverse in its own right.

Though 63 percent of Hispanic females currently living in the United States are of

Mexican heritage, those that immigrated to the U.S. between 2010 and 2015 are

significantly less likely to be from Mexico (Nielsen, 2017). Though these women are

considered to be part of the same ethnic category, they make up an abundance of varied

experiences and identities.

Not only do they exhibit these diverse experiences, they truly value and cherish

them as well. Seventy-three percent of Hispanic females believe that their heritage is a

fundamental piece of who they are as individuals. Seventy-five percent aim to maintain

the traditions of their heritages (Nielsen, 2017). To gain authentic understanding of this

audience and create meaningful connections, advertisers must speak to these cultural

nuances in advertisements.

One cultural nuance is the choice of language. As is supported by the empirical

generalizations, language is an important piece of the Hispanic females experience.

Seventy-four percent of Hispanic women over the age of five speak a non-English

language while at home with their families, even though only 34% are foreign-born

(Nielsen, 2017). This demonstrates how language is often maintained within families

despite level of acculturation.

The spending power of the Hispanic community is continuing to grow, which

means Hispanic female spending power is following suit. The average Hispanic

21
household income has grown 29 percent since 2005 with the average Hispanic household

earning $65,064 annually. With 18 percent of Hispanic families consisting of a single

mother, the purchase decisions of the matriarch are the most important, and often the only

decision in the family (Nielsen, 2017). Because of the increasing power of female

Hispanic spending, further researcher should explore their specific perceptions of

advertisements. The study reviewed later in this paper delves into this particular

audience.

Summary

If advertisers were to consider how level of acculturation directly impacts value

systems, brand loyalty tendencies, language preferences, and connection with Hispanic

characters in advertisements, they would be able to apply this knowledge to develop

messaging that is favorably perceived by the Hispanic community. With such nuanced

information discussed in this manuscript, qualitative research methods would provide a

copious amount of information that would help advertisers understand Hispanic

consumers as diverse individuals instead of just a collective unit. The study discussed

later in this paper adopted a qualitative research methodology to meet this need.

Research Questions

With the literature review findings in mind, it is apparent that there are gaps in the

research. There is a current lack of connection between cultural identity theory and

acculturation levels in existing studies. A qualitative study could home in on the topic of

acculturation on a more humanistic level and get to the heart of why people of varying

identities possess different brand perceptions. The following research questions guided

this studys methodology.

22
 RQ 1. How do female Hispanic consumers with different levels of acculturation

describe their perceptions of Quick Service Restaurant brands and their advertisements?

RQ 2. How do female Hispanic consumers of all acculturation levels perceive

Hispanic cultural values?

23
 Chapter 3: Methods

Research Design

Most research on acculturation levels of Hispanic consumers has been conducted

with quantitative methodologies. Though several researchers have used qualitative

techniques, not all have taken the opportunity to segment participants by acculturation

level. The literature reviewed above reveals a current lack of connection between cultural

identity theory and acculturation levels in existing studies. A qualitative study could

home in on the topic of acculturation on a more humanistic level and get to the heart of

why people of varying identities possess different brand perceptions. This study aims to

gain insight into how acculturation impacts brand perceptions by conducting the research

with an in-depth interview methodology. Since cultural identity theory was used as a

framework for this research, and since culture is a social construct, it was fitting to utilize

in-depth interviews to gain a better understanding of how individuals of varying identities

perceive phenomena in society. Interviews enable participants to interact with the

interviewer and share their ideas from a first-hand perspective with the understanding that

they maintain privacy and the freedom to have their own point of view heard. Social

media were used as a catalyst for snowball sampling to gain access to individuals of

varying acculturation levels.

Though the research was predominantly qualitative, it was necessary to conduct a

brief quantitative survey to identify acculturation levels in the participants. Without a

preliminary survey, it would have been impossible to gauge an individuals acculturation

level, which would result in haphazard acculturation level placement. To conduct a

24
preliminary interview with each potential participant was not feasible and would not have

provided the needed information in the most efficient manner. The questions on the

survey provided a foundation to gauge the acculturation level. These questions were

based on previous survey methods by Phinney (1992) and Cuellar and Muldanado

(1995). The questions inquired about preferred language, media consumption

preferences, perceived connection with Hispanic culture, gender, geography, etc. An

online survey version was created to make the process easier for the participants. Each

participant had the option to take the survey in Spanish or English to ensure

comfortability with the content. The data was then analyzed and the individuals were

sorted into three different segments of acculturation. The levels of acculturation were:

Hispanic Dominant, Mainstream Dominant, and Balanced-Bicultural (Chattarman et al.,

2009).

These categories are modeled after prior instrumentation. Chattarman et al. (2009)

formulated these acculturation levels for their research on the Hispanic market. Though

the study by Chattarman et al. (2009) utilized quantitative methodologies, the same

surveys by Phinney (1992) and Cuellar and Muldonado (1995) that were used for this

study, their research segmented acculturation effectively and demonstrated significant

details between the levels of acculturation and how perceptions and behaviors differed. In

this study, participants were organized into three different levels of acculturation with

four participants to each level, totaling 12 participants. By conducting multiple semi-

structured interviews per acculturation level, similar results were determined. Since

comparable findings were identified among multiple participants for each level, the

information is likely more reliable.

25
 However, by utilizing Malterud, Siersma, and Guassoras (2015) criteria in

evaluating sample size of qualitative studies, the researcher determined the sufficiency of

the sample size chosen. Malterud et al.s (2015) criteria in establishing information

power of the study consists of:

(a) study aim, (b) sample specificity, (c) use of established theory, (d)

quality of dialogue, and (e) analysis strategy (p. 1754).

Each criterion was considered for this studys sample size. Malterud et al. (2015)

argues that a study with a narrow and specific sample requires fewer participants.

Because the sample of this study are women living in the United States who identify as

Hispanic and are over the age of 18, the researcher believes that this is a specific enough

audience to justify the smaller sample size chosen for this study. This research is also

grounded in an established theory, cultural identity theory, which also meets the criteria

for a smaller sample size.

Malterud et al. (2015) permits fewer participants in the event that the study has

strong and clear communication between researcher and participants

(p. 1755).

Because the interviews were in-depth and the researcher established

rapport with the participants, a smaller sample size was acceptable for this study.

Additionally, Malterud et al. (2015) says that a

a project heading for in-depth analysis of narratives or discourse details

from a few, selected participants (p. 1756).

This is precisely the method in which the data was analyzed after it was

collected. This study met all criteria outlined by Malterud et al. (2015) in

26
determining sample size of qualitative studies and therefore can be determined as

sufficient in producing a quality data sample.

The interviews were held via phone call. It was important to make the

participants comfortable, and creating a setting that is non-threatening and familiar,

such as their personal homes, potentially influenced them to be more open with the

interviewer (Fallon & Brown, 2002, p. 198). While interviewing the participants, the

interviewer asked the participants about their connection to the Hispanic community, to

discuss their values and cultural identity, and to share their perceptions about brands they

use. These questions resulted in answers that informed the research questions.

The participants were shown three television commercials and asked to speak

about their cultural relevance or lack thereof. The Quick Service Restaurant commercials

chosen had the intention of reaching the Hispanic audience and showcased Hispanic

characters. One commercial was in Spanish, one was in English, and one was mix of both

Spanish and English. This variance provided insight into preferences of varying

acculturation levels.

Video links were sent to the participants via email prior to the phone call

interview so they could reference them during the call. The participants needed Internet

access to view the YouTube links to the 30-second advertisements. Though the

researcher possesses a limited comprehension of the Spanish language, a fluent Spanish-

speaking interviewer conducted the interviews in which the participants preferred to

speak in Spanish. Both the interviewer and Spanish-speaking interviewer were female to

establish rapport and build more mutual understanding with the participants (Fontana

& Frey, 1994). The Spanish-speaking interviewer was also able to assist in the adaptation

27
of the discussion guide questions as well as the survey questions to ensure that they were

worded in a way that was best understood by the participants and resonated with their

cultural experiences.

The interviews were documented with an audio recorder so that the content of the

interview as well as the way opinions and ideas were shared could be reviewed. The

audio was kept on a password-protected computer and was only heard by the Spanish-

speaking interviewer and the researcher. The identities of the individuals who

participated in the research were kept confidential. An incentive was provided to the

interviewees for participation: an entry into a drawing to win a $30 gift card to Target.

This incentive was chosen because it is widely useful to any participant.

It should be noted that there were some reliability concerns when translating the

content. When translating information from one language to another, there is always a

chance that the words will lose some of their original meaning (Van Nes, Abma, Jonsson,

& Deeg, 2010). By having a Spanish-speaking researcher to interpret the content,

misinterpretations were minimized. While performing the interview, it was important for

both the Spanish-speaking interviewer and the researcher to stay cognizant of cultural

differences. According to Fontana and Frey (2005):

although respondents may be fluent in the language of the interviewer,

there are different ways of saying things, and, indeed, certain things that

should not be said at all (p. 654).

This is important to keep in mind when speaking to individuals of a different culture.

Being respectful of the participants culture aided in the trust built between interviewer

and interviewee.

28
Participants

Hispanic women living in the United States of varying levels of acculturation

were recruited for the study. Only female participants were recruited because Hispanic

women are typically responsible for the purchase decisions. Eighty-six percent of

Hispanic women have the largest purchasing power in their families, resulting in more

impactful brand decisions (Nielsen, 2013). Because of the limitations of the research in

relation to time and monetary means, it was important to stay consistent with one gender

across all interviews to cross-reference feedback from participants. Additionally,

participants were restricted to be 18 years of age or older to create consistency and to

better evaluate differences and similarities in the data. This also allowed the research to

meet IRB exempt standards.

Participants were not restricted by geographic location and were accepted from

across the United States. While a sample of participants from varying locations was

preferable, no strict quota was set. Though this may appear to invite error, geographic

location of participants exposed a nuance of the community to be discussed in the

analysis. The Hispanic community is by nature extremely diverse because of the wide

range of heritages that make up the overarching category. Limiting the geographic

location leaves out an important consideration when discussing the Hispanic community

in the United States. This research sought to identify how levels of acculturation make for

very different Hispanic experiences. The varying geographic locations of the participants

only enriches this research and brings attention to more distinctions in the Hispanic

community that ought to be discussed.

29
Brand Category

The focus of the research was narrowed to one brand category to limit the scope

of research. The Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) category was an opportune area to

examine because Hispanic individuals are more likely to order food from QSRs than non-

Hispanic individuals in the following segments: burger, pizza, sandwich, Mexican,

seafood, chicken (Mintel, 2016). Also, 75 percent of Hispanic people in the United States

would go out of their way to eat at a specific QSR of their preference, which is 11 percent

higher than non-Hispanic people (Mintel, 2016). This shows that the stronger tendency

for Hispanic people to be brand loyal carries over into the QSR category. The Hispanic

population is becoming a larger percentage of Quick Service Restaurants customer base

and it will be particularly important for these brands to understand how the Hispanic

community would prefer to be spoken to.

Data Analysis

After conducting the individual in-depth interviews, the audio files were

transcribed. The transcriptions were coded using the constant comparative method. The

transcriptions were continuously reviewed to find similarities and differences (Glaser,

1965). It was expected that there would be consistencies between the interviews of the

same acculturation level and differences between the interviews of differing acculturation

levels. When participants shared viewpoints that were not consistent with other

participants, a note was made of the disconfirming evidence in case similar findings arose

from other interviews. If the research collected from the interviews of the same

acculturation levels were to lack consistency, more interviews would have been

conducted in the attempt to extract overall themes. However, a lack of consistency could

30
be just as telling to demonstrate how diverse this population is. It was the intent of the

research to identify the differences of the levels while also identifying what was

consistent amongst all three groups.

Though the methodology of this study differed greatly from other research

discussed in the literature review, it was predicted that the findings would reveal similar

patterns. It was expected that more highly acculturated, or mainstream dominant,

individuals would identify less with the Hispanic culture, would maintain less of the

Hispanic cultural values, and would look less favorably upon advertisements that convey

Hispanic values or characteristics. On the opposite end, it was expected that people of a

lower acculturation level, or Hispanic dominant people, would have a strong ethnic

identity in association to the Hispanic community, would maintain stronger Hispanic

cultural values, and would think more highly of advertisements that convey Hispanic

values and characteristics. Furthermore, it was expected that Balanced-Biculturals

would demonstrate a merger of habits from both ends of the spectrum. These habits

represent the mixing of both cultures these individuals take part in. These trends were

found time and time again in the analyzed studies and this study was expected to see

similar results.

If the research results did not match those of the other studies, the reliability of the

study would have been evaluated. More interviews would have been conducted. If the

results remained the same, the methodology and tactics would have been analyzed for

how they may have impacted the results. While this was improbable due to the research

that already existed, it was important to be prepared for such conclusions.

31
 Chapter 4: Results

Hypotheses

This chapter will review the findings of the research collected from the study

outlined in chapter 3. Prior to data collection, several hypotheses were drawn for both

research questions posed.

RQ1. How do female Hispanic consumers with different levels of acculturation

describe their perceptions of Quick Service Restaurant brands and their advertisements?

H1. All findings would progress linearly across acculturation levels. What would

be of importance and interest to a Hispanic Dominant participant would be the direct

opposite for a Mainstream Dominant participant.

H2a. Participants who fall within the Hispanic Dominant acculturation level

would desire the presence of Hispanic cultural values in advertisements most, Balanced-

Biculturals would hope to see a mixture of Hispanic cultural values and mainstream

cultural values in advertisements, and Mainstream Dominant participants would prefer to

see a higher presence of mainstream cultural values in the advertisements they viewed.

H2b. In regards to language, it was predicted that Hispanic Dominant participants

would rather experience advertisements in Spanish, Balanced-Biculturals would prefer to

see a mixture of both Spanish and English, and Mainstream Dominant participants would

feel most comfortable with English language advertisements.

H3. When it comes to representation of Hispanic individuals, Hispanic Dominant

participants would prefer to see more Hispanic characters in advertisements and would be

most sensitive to an inaccurate depiction of a Hispanic character in an advertisement.

32
Balanced-Biculturals would favor advertisements with some Hispanic presence and some

presence of non-Hispanic characters, and would be somewhat deterred from a brand that

conveyed inauthentic representation of Hispanic characters. Mainstream Dominant

participants will desire fewer Hispanic characters in advertisements and be far less

affected by an inaccurate representation of Hispanic characters.

RQ2. How do female Hispanic consumers of varying acculturation levels

perceive Hispanic cultural values?

H4. Family values will remain strong and highly important to participants across

acculturation level.

The study was conducted with these key research questions in mind. Twelve

participants who identified as female, Hispanic, and over the age of 18 were surveyed and

interviewed, with four participants per acculturation level. One interview was conducted

in Spanish and eleven were conducted in English, per each participants requests. Two

participants identified as Puerto Rican, one identified as Colombian-American, five

identified as Mexican-American, and four identified as Argentinian-American. Four

participants were first-generation Americans, six participants were second-generation

Americans, and two were third generation Americans. The youngest participant was 22

years old and the oldest participant was 70 years old. Most of the participants were

between their mid-20s and their mid-30s.

To maintain anonymity of the studys participants, the research subjects will be

labeled based off the acculturation level they were placed (Mainstream Dominant = MD,

Balanced-Bicultural = BB, and Hispanic Dominant = HD) as well as the order they were

33
interviewed in their level (1, 2, 3, 4). For example, one participant will be denoted as

MD1 and all other participants will be denoted with the same labeling system.

Once the study was conducted, the hypotheses and the findings were compared.

The themes that follow continued to appear in the findings and both answered the

research questions as well as contributed to the research in ways that were not predicted.

Key Themes

Family values. Just as was hypothesized before participants were interviewed, the

importance of familial ties remained consistent across levels of acculturation. All

participants identified family as a key cultural value all Hispanic cultures hold, no matter

country of heritage. It did not appear that one level had a stronger tie to family values

than any other level. Hispanic Dominant participants provided insight into their beliefs

that all Hispanic communities view familial relationships in the same way. HD1 said:

something that categorizes us all a lot is family were always with

people and interacting with other people. Were not as isolated.

HD4 agreed by saying:

In my culture, the first thing we learn is that family is first before

everything.

Similar responses were heard from participants on the other end of the acculturation

spectrum. One Mainstream Dominant participant who is of mixed heritage shared the

same opinion and compared her experience with her Hispanic relatives to her experience

with non-Hispanic relatives. MD4 said:

I know with my English family theyre very reserved. And Mexicans

are, we try to include everybody. Make everybody feel one.

While no participants of any acculturation level denied that other cultures have

strong familial ties, they unanimously agreed that Hispanic cultures are more inclusive of

34
more members of the family on more occasions.

A Balanced-Bicultural participant built upon this idea by explaining how Hispanic

familial interactions are largely defined by the number of relatives included in activities

and events. BB2 said:

Any kind of holiday or birthday, we kind of get the whole family together.
Its not just our immediate family. We invite aunts, uncles, cousins,
grandparents, anyone that can make it.

The strength of commitment to family was a key point all participants made,

regardless of acculturation level. A Balanced-Bicultural participant explained why she

believed family was so prominent in Hispanic cultures. BB1 said:

Coming from a Latino family that does have recent immigrants, you have
to have that strong family connection because theyre all you have within
reach.

Because all the participants in the study were first-generation, second-generation,

or third-generation Hispanics, they all either had known a relative who had immigrated to

the United States, or they had immigrated here themselves. This may have impacted the

way they viewed family. Though they were unanimous that these values were not merely

developed after immigration to the U.S. but are a deep-seated component of Hispanic

identity, it does bring forward an interesting perspective that these feelings may be

intensified because of the greater need to have a strong familial support system as an

immigrant.

The participants not only shared their conviction of family but also spoke to its

impact in the way they view advertisements. When speaking about the advertisements

she has seen in the past that have featured Hispanic people, BB1 said:

They do get family right. Theyre always in very large groups and
laughing and happy, so I think they depict the Latino family very well.

35
 This sentiment was reiterated time and time again in other interviews, particularly

about the Quick Service Restaurant advertisements shown to the participants. In response

to the second commercial shown to participants for Wendys, several participants

commented how the family dynamic was authentic in the way that they all escorted their

daughter on her date. MD3 said:

I could see where a Hispanic family would go out with the daughter and
the boyfriend.

The third commercial shown to participants for McDonalds fostered much more

of a connection and fondness for the characters. In reference to how the parents of a

teenage boy celebrated his first day on the job at McDonalds by driving through the

drive-thru in the advertisement, MD2 said:

Yeah, I could totally see my parents doing something like that. Theyd be
so proud That actually is a very good point to bring up, just the support
that I feel that culture has. Our culture.

Othering language was identified in all four Mainstream Dominant participants.

They used words such as they and them more often than our and we. This

reinforced a feeling of alienation from the Hispanic population at large. However, when it

came to family, all four identified with its profound value just as strongly as other

acculturation levels. HD3 demonstrated this similar way of thinking when she said:

If my son and my daughter is working at McDonalds, Im going to try

and go and get a burger and show my support by doing that. Thats very
Latino. This is something I feel really connected with.

It was not the mere number of relatives present in the advertisements that caused

the study participants to feel a stronger connection to the characters in the advertisements.

It was the way that the characters interacted with each other and the enthusiasm and

36
support they expressed.

Character interactions in the first commercial for Jimmy Johns shown to

participants did not resonate with any participants of any acculturation level. They

believed the interactions between the husband and wife as well as between the children

and mother were unrealistic. While some found this inauthenticity to be offensive, a

word directly used by two participants, several others used words such as funny or

silly. These feelings did not create a positive impression of the brand and oftentimes

did quite the opposite. Some participants connected with the frazzled nature of the house

but no participants connected with the family dynamic or character interactions.

These findings both support and contradict the findings from the research

explored in the literature review in chapter 2. Existing research has time and time again

found that family values are highly important to the Hispanic population. This study

strongly corroborates those findings. However, many studies, as were outlined in the

literature review, argue that Hispanic cultural values tend to decline as level of

acculturation changes. The literature demonstrates that those of a lower acculturation

level tend to have stronger Hispanic values and those of a higher acculturation level tend

to have stronger mainstream values, or, in this case, mainstream American values. This

was not found to be the case when it came to family values in this study. Perhaps there

are key values that tend to sustain acculturation for the Hispanic community and that the

value of family is one of those. However, this distinction was not found in the explored

existing research. This finding directly answers RQ1 (How do female Hispanic

consumers with different levels of acculturation describe their perceptions of Quick

Service Restaurant brands and their advertisements?) as well as RQ2 (how do female

37
Hispanic consumers of varying acculturation levels perceive Hispanic cultural values?).

Language. Language was found to be a significant theme within the existing

literature in relation to acculturation level. In this study, language had a profound impact

on the way the participants of varying acculturation levels perceived their own ethnic

identities as well as advertisements. While there were commonalities between the way

individuals of different acculturation levels viewed and related to language, there were an

abundance of differences as well. The theme of inclusion versus exclusion consistently

reappeared in the interviews. For Hispanic Dominant participants, language was about

community and solidarity. It was a way for Hispanic people across nationalities to feel a

sense of togetherness, despite their country of heritage. HD4 said:

I think even though we have our differences, the root is the same one as
the language. And its like a family.

She expressed her belief that all Hispanic heritages could connect based on

common language, no matter the differences in cultures.

Balanced-Bicultural participants were divided on this point depending on their

fluency in Spanish or lack thereof. BB1, who is not fluent in Spanish, felt that language

caused dissonance between her and the rest of the Hispanic community. She said:

The culture is their language. While I understand all of it, I cant speak it
as well as they can. Theres a bit of a barrier in my relationship to the
community.

She divulged that this made her feel like she could not be as active of a participant

in the group since communication in Spanish with other Hispanics is vital in doing so.

BB1, the only non-Spanish speaking Balanced-Bicultural participant, and all four

Mainstream Dominant participants, who also were non-Spanish speaking, shared the

same feelings about this both latent and blatant exclusion. Other Balanced-Biculturals

38
who were fluent in Spanish felt differently about the language. These participants flowed

in and out of Spanish and English, finding both languages to be equally comfortable. As a

fluent Spanish and English speaker, BB4 said:

When I was growing up my parents were big sticklers about we only

speak Spanish in the home. But definitely over the years, we speak more
Spanglish than anything.

Their preference for English versus Spanish only came in to play with particular

words, and combining the two languages simply felt natural.

As previously mentioned, Mainstream Dominant participants felt similarly to the

participants from the Balanced-Bicultural level who were not fluent in Spanish. They felt

completely different than Hispanic Dominant and fluent Balanced-Biculturals. While

none of the Mainstream Dominant participants was fluent in Spanish, only several were

somewhat comfortable with their listening comprehension. They too felt that the Spanish

language kept them from fully participating in the cultural group. MD2 said:

I dont feel like Im really a part. Im kind of an outsider looking in. Even
though that is my culture and Im 100 percent Mexican.

Another Mainstream Dominant participant (MD4) shared this same feeling of

being on the sidelines of her own culture:

Most people deride us because we dont speak Spanish.

Several participants mentioned how they were actively kept from the cultural

group because of language by external forces. MD3 said:

I remember growing up, my step-dad, I was speaking Spanish and he

made fun of me because I sounded more American so I just decided that
Im not going to speak again.

Others brought up the fact that they were instructed to not speak the language by

relatives or outside influences. MD4 said about her Mexican father:

39
 When he was put into the first grade, he and his siblings were punished
for speaking Spanish.

Three Mainstream Dominant participants shared that their parents actively chose

to not pass on the Spanish language to their children. They believed this to be immigrant

mentality, the desire to assimilate as well as the fear that their children would have a

harder life if they spoke Spanish. In most cases, the Mainstream Dominant participants

lamented their parents decisions to not teach them Spanish. One Mainstream Dominant

participant was an outlier. Though her parents did not pass on the Spanish language to

her, it did not seem to be as active or fervent of a decision as the other Mainstream

Dominant participants. It seemed to be something that she had not thought much about

and that it was more of a natural loss of language on the part of her parents instead of an

active decision. This was a different experience than any of the other participants.

When asked about language preference in advertising, the majority of participants

said that they are comfortable with advertisements in Spanglish and oftentimes prefer

them in comparison with purely Spanish or English advertisements. This was different

than what was hypothesized prior to conducting the study. Though most participants

expressed the most interest in Spanglish, they felt this way for different reasons.

Hispanic Dominant participants were interested in Spanish or Spanglish

advertisements the most. HD3 said:

I think Im going to appreciate it if its in Spanish. I am going to feel a

bigger connection if its in Spanish than English.

However, when the same participant was asked about Spanglish, she said:

I think its something Im used to I use it a lot. You create your own
Spanglish.

The Hispanic Dominant participant (HD3) who had spent the shortest amount of

40
time in the United States said:

I prefer it in Spanish. But just yesterday I saw, they put it in Spanish and
English. I feel good. I feel confident.

To Hispanic Dominant participants, speaking both Spanish and English and

feeling comfortable with viewing advertisements in both is merely a product of their

daily life. All 4 Hispanic Dominant participants largely shared their preference for

speaking Spanish in the home but their growing necessity to know English to effectively

participate in American culture. Their language preference mirrors their assimilation

process.

The three Spanish speaking Balanced-Bicultural participants preferred Spanglish

for a different reason. They continued to reference speaking Spanish and Spanglish in the

home and using English almost everywhere else. Hearing Spanglish felt comfortable

because they were raised speaking it. BB3 said:

It actually does feel comfortable because it kind of when I was in

Puerto Rico, my family kind of migrated [from] and re-migrated to Puerto
Rico. My household was always bilingual.

Participant BB4 shared in the same sentiment after watching the third commercial

for McDonalds from the study and hearing the parents of the teenage boy speaking

Spanglish. She said:

When youre speaking Spanglish, there are just certain things, like you
grew up only calling them one way. Instead of saying oh we want some
fries, [my parents] would definitely say papitas, too.

For the one Balanced-Bicultural participant that did not speak fluent Spanish, her

preference for Spanglish in advertisements was more in line with the reasoning that all

four Mainstream Dominant participants shared. Mainstream Dominant participants

preferred Spanglish because of its sentimentality to them. When asked about hearing

41
Spanish in an advertisement, MD3 said:

It was nice. It was sentimental to me because it made me think of my

grandma.

When the same participant was asked about Spanglish advertisements, she said

that she would have no problem with that. Many Mainstream Dominant participants

claimed sentimentality because the language reminded them of a relative or their

childhood. Another participant (MD4) said that a Spanglish ad would:

just make me feel at home because thats what I grew up with.

To individuals of this level of acculturation, the Spanish language has less to do

with their personal identity and more to do with nostalgia and regaining a part of their

lives they have since lost touch with. Mainstream Dominant participants enjoyed the

bilingual nature of the Wendys commercial they viewed. MD2 said:

I liked the combo English and him repeating that to her, thats authentic.
They would talk like that.

Another key point of conversation for participants from all levels of acculturation

surrounded accents and authenticity. A lack of easily identifiable accents is at times a

sign that an advertisement is authentic to some participants. In regards to a Spanglish

advertisement she watched, MD2 said:

There havent been any accents that are strong.

To her, this was a sign that the characters in the advertisement were not merely

stereotypes, that the characters were realistic and more relatable. Balanced-Bicultural

participant BB4 shared her perspective on accents. She said:

What makes it feel inauthentic to me is they sometimes will have someone

who clearly does not speak Spanish narrating. It kind of sounds fake to
me.

42
 Inauthentic accents appear to create a disconnect with Hispanic women across

acculturation levels. Though none of the Mainstream Dominant participants were fluent

in Spanish, they could still determine when a non-native speaker was using Spanish in

advertisements. This may be because they grew up hearing the native speakers in their

families and know how the language should sound. These accents convey an inauthentic

perception of who Hispanic people are and negatively affects the perceptions Hispanic

women have of the brands these advertisements represent.

Many participantsparticularly the Spanish-speaking onesused the word

generic when describing this certain kind of Spanish used in many advertisements.

HD1 said:

The Spanish thats neutral or the one thats used to sell to Latinos, its a
Spanish that isnt the one we speak in Argentina. I find them strange.
Sometimes I prefer to hear them in English, not Spanish. Like something is
created in one language and you want to translate it to Spanish but
sometimes it doesnt match. Or in general, you dont send the same
message.

Overall, participants were divided on whether they felt that advertisers have

gotten better at including more Hispanic cultural nuances aside from strictly using the

Spanish language in their advertisements. Four participants out of the twelve felt that

advertisers have improved. BB3 said:

I think theyre improved. It used to just be with language. I think a lot of

commercials and advertisements have started targeting.

However, BB1 held a different perception. She said:

I find it a little awkward that they try to use that whole were speaking
your language so we can connect. Them saying thats our way of getting
to you is a little weird It makes me feel like theyre trying to use me
more than anything else.

She believed that advertisers often still use language as the only means of

43
tailoring their messaging. This created negative brand impressions for her.

To combat the negative feelings Hispanic women across acculturation levels have

toward Spanish or Spanglish language advertisements, the brands that utilize these

advertisements must make a concerted effort to include other Hispanic cultural nuances.

Going above and beyond language prevents an inauthentic representation of Hispanic

individuals and fosters a more meaningful connection with Hispanic consumers.

These findings answered RQ1 (How do female Hispanic consumers with

different levels of acculturation describe their perceptions of Quick Service Restaurant

brands and their advertisements?), as well as RQ2 (how do female Hispanic consumers

of varying acculturation levels perceive Hispanic cultural values?). The findings did not

align with the original hypotheses. Though a progression of Spanish language preference

to English language preference from Hispanic Dominant to Mainstream Dominant was

predicted, the findings show that Spanglish is acceptable by all levels of acculturation,

with Hispanic Dominant and some Balanced-Biculturals accepting Spanish-only

advertisements as well, and some Balanced-Biculturals and Mainstream Dominant people

accepting English only advertisements.

This study supported some of the key points found in the empirical generalization

about language from the literature review. However, it did introduce new nuances that

reframe the way language should be considered when targeting the Hispanic community.

The literature review focused largely on the linear movement of language preference and

how acculturation level can be directly correlated to the preference of language in general

and in the media consumed by Hispanic people. This study supported this argument to

some extent. However, preference was not solely contingent on comfortability with a

44
language in this particular study. Nostalgia and eagerness to gain familiarity with a new

language both played a role in participants from all three acculturation levels favoring

Spanglish. These findings contribute to the conversation of language and acculturation

level when it comes to advertisements and introduces more layers to a seemingly cut and

dry analysis.

Presence in advertising. Participants across acculturation levels discussed their

perceptions on the frequency of Hispanic people in advertising and kinds of

advertisements in which they are found. Contrary to what was initially hypothesized,

participants from all acculturation levels shared that they do not necessarily need to see

Hispanic people in advertisements to feel a connection to the advertisement or brand.

MD3 mentioned:

As long as wherever Im shopping at provides a good product, good

service, I dont care what ethnic background you come from it doesnt
matter if theyre using Mexican-American characters to advertise. Im
glad to see Mexican-American actors, but no. It doesnt make a
difference.

When asked if she wished to see more Hispanic women in advertisements, one

Hispanic Dominant participant (HD1) said:

Its not that I need it or that I think its important, but I think its fine for
that to be the case.

A Balanced-Bicultural participant (BB2) shared the same opinion. She said:

Its really not that important. As long as the commercial itself displays
what the product is and what its supposed to do. It doesnt really affect
me one way or another.

Though 11 out of the 12 women in the study shared this same belief, one

participant adamantly expressed her views on the necessity for female Hispanics to see

other female Hispanics in advertising. She made a point to say that country of heritage

45
does not necessarily impact her likelihood to connect with a Hispanic-focused

advertisement. She said:

I wouldnt say that they would specifically have to be Puerto Rican for
me to connect with them because I still share things with other Latinos.

Another participant showed interest in seeing more Hispanic women in

advertising. It was more a question of where instead of how frequently. BB1 said:

Its not so much having an ad specifically for Latinos that would make
me connect. I think its featuring them in a broader picture I think a
broader view of them outside of specifically this is meant for you as a
Latino. I think that would get me to feel what theyre selling a little bit
more.

When it came it the Quick Service Restaurant advertisements shown to the

participants in the study, women across all acculturation levels claimed to not feel a

stronger connection to the characters because they were Hispanic. It had more to do with

the cultural phenomena present, i.e. the way the characters interacted. They mentioned

how they could relate to the family in the McDonalds commercial the most because it

reminded them of their own lives and the way their families interact. They claimed that

the ethnicity of the characters had very little to do with how the advertisement resonated

with them.

While these findings do not coincide with initial hypotheses, they do answer RQ1:

How do female Hispanic consumers with different levels of acculturation describe their

perceptions of Quick Service Restaurant brands and their advertisements?.

Generalization. To ensure that participants were comfortable with the

terminology used when speaking about their ethnic identity, the researcher started each

interview by asking the participants if they prefer to be identified as Hispanic or Latina or

if they have no preference. Four participants blatantly chose one, one choosing Hispanic

46
and three choosing Latina. When asked why they identified with one or the other, only

one participant gave a clear and deliberate reason why she had a preference. She had

done thorough research on the differences in the terms as well as the historical context

that gave them further meaning. The others that chose could not truly answer why they

did so and were not sure of why.

The majority of participants claimed to not identify as either. The definitions of

the two terms were not widely understood. Most corrected the researcher and claimed to

identify with the country of their heritage (i.e. Mexican-American, Argentine-American).

The findings showed that all levels of acculturation usually preferred to identify with

their country of heritage, but there were different reasons for this across levels.

With Mainstream Dominant participants, it was largely because they did not often

consider their relation to the overall Hispanic community. Instead, they would think

about the countries that their relatives immigrated from. Throughout their interviews,

they continuously alluded to their feelings of alienation from the rest of the Hispanic

population. To identify as Hispanic or Latino was not often even a consideration for these

participants. MD3 said:

I wouldnt call myself Hispanic or Latina I prefer using Mexican-

American because my family members can from Mexico and they became
American citizens.

Some participants actively disliked using the terms Hispanic and Latina in

regards to their personal identity. MD4 said:

Im Mexican-Irish. I never get the Hispanic thing. To me its just a way

to group a people together that only have really two things in common:
kind of the same language and kind of brown skin.

MD1 explained that she does not often think about her Hispanic heritage. She

47
said:

Its hard for me because I dont really associate myself as Hispanic when
Im out with friends I only say that when asked on a piece of paper.

Hispanic Dominant participants primarily identified with their country of heritage

as well but for a different purpose than Mainstream Dominant participants. HD2 said:

Well if you tell me what you can call me, I come from South America.

Another participant (HD3) mentioned:

I call myself Latina the majority of the time. And if I dont say that, I say
Argentinian.

This preferred form of ethnic identification manifests in Hispanic Dominant

participants in this way because they lived in their countries of heritage not long ago.

They still feel loyalty toward those countries. It is a fundamental part of who they are.

Though they feel proud to be U.S. citizens and want it to be known that they are U.S.

citizens, they also feel just as much of a tie to the countries they have come from.

With Balanced-Biculturals, identifying with country of heritage was about pride.

Participant BB3 shared that ethnic identity in Puerto Rico was not even a concern

because everyone was categorized as Hispanic. Identifying as Puerto Rican felt more

natural to her. Though most were born within the United States, many still wanted to

maintain a grasp on the countries their parents were from. This form of identification was

more about clinging to their culture and demonstrating pride of their heritage to others.

Of the ways in which most of the participants felt they were being generalized by

advertisers, the most common way that was mentioned was the way the characters look.

BB1 said:

Ive seen a lot of very light-skinned Latinos. Their standards just seem
very much based on the look rather than trying to go for authenticity.

48
 Another Balanced-Bicultural participant shared this same concern. BB4 said:

The lighter skin you are youre definitely seen as more beautiful.
Youre more trusted.

However, a Hispanic Dominant participant spoke about her family and how her

daughter is 100 percent Argentinian and has blue eyes and blonde hair. HD3 said:

Just because you are Latino does not mean that you cant be blonde.

HD3 dug a bit deeper into the stereotypical ways advertisements portray

Hispanics when she said:

most of the time they depict us as being short, a little bit fat, being dark
skinned, black hair, black eyes I think that is one image and it does not
represent the whole diversity that is among Latino people.

The participants felt that the characters represented in the McDonalds and

Wendys advertisements were authentic, though several participants commented that all

the characters were light-skinned Hispanics. They felt that this imagery was what the

majority of Hispanic characters in advertisements conveyed and the participants were

sensitive to this. While some merely made a side comment about it, others seemed to be

bothered by it more than the rest. The Jimmy Johns commercial, however, received a

different reaction from most of the participants. Nine out of the 12 felt that this

advertisement was full of stereotypes and inaccuracies that worked to generalize the

Hispanic community. Many felt that the mother was depicted as a sensual damsel in

distress and that her husband was depicted as a darker-skinned, short, and overweight

man. However, the stereotypes moved beyond just outward appearance.

Several participants across acculturation levels felt that the Jimmy Johns

advertisement was rampant with cultural stereotypes about Hispanic people, particularly

49
Mexican people. MD4 spoke of the advertisements allusion to Hispanic stereotypes

surrounding family dynamics and gender roles. She said:

It makes you think of the Mexican family as having too many kids and
living in a hovel and her not being able to do anything on her own,
needing her husband to come to the rescue.

Some participants also expressed that this advertisement felt more geared toward

the Mexican community rather than the Hispanic community in general. Though they felt

that the Mexican people in the advertisement were stereotypes, the non-Mexican-

American participants merely felt a disconnect with the advertisement. At times, they felt

that the stereotypes were funny. The Mexican-American participants found the

advertisement to be off-putting. MD3 said, I was offended by it.

Participants of varying acculturation levels discussed other cultural stereotypes

that caught their attention. HD3 said:

The way they are depicted is kind of low income. Low education kind of
workers You dont see many TV advertisers where Latin American
people are depicted differently.

A Hispanic Dominant participant (HD3) mentioned that she felt Hispanic

advertisements on television were geared toward undocumented Hispanic people in the

U.S. This is likely due to her belief that most Hispanic advertising features Mexican

people and she that holds an assumption that many undocumented people in the United

States are of Mexican heritage. However, she did not elaborate on these feelings. A

Mainstream Dominant participant was most put off by the thick accents of many

Hispanic characters in advertising. MD2 said:

We all dont talk with thick accents, thats a big one.

Other components of advertisements beyond just the characters were discussed as

50
well. MD3 and MD1 were put off by the usage of Mariachi music at the end of the

Jimmy Johns commercial. Both participants were Mexican-American and felt that the

usage of the cultural music was both cheesy and pandering.

It was unanimous amongst participants that these advertised stereotypes not only

generalized the Hispanic experience but also failed to create positive sentiment for the

Quick Service Restaurant brands. MD4 advised that when advertisers try

to show a product or a thought to remember were just as diverse in our

Hispanicness as Anglos are in their Whiteness.

While all participants agreed with this belief, the strength and conviction of belief

varied based on their acculturation level. Mainstream Dominant participants disliked how

the Hispanic experience is generalized in advertising because they do not feel like they fit

in the typical Hispanic mold. With a greater tendency to constitute themselves as

outsiders of the community, solidifying the default representation of Hispanic people as a

more traditional version only makes them feel less a part of the population. To this point,

MD1 said:

You cant stereotype, or put everybody in one bucket for Hispanic

people. Yes, there are going to be people that are more the traditional type
that do have the bigger families in general. And there theres going to be
the people that, they were born and raised in America, even though they
are Hispanic people.

One Balanced-Bicultural participant addressed concerns of the kind of impact a

lack of authentic representation can create. BB4 said:

Its easy to say oh well, its just an advertisement. What does it matter?
But these little things add up and TV representation informs peoples
world views.

Because Balanced-Biculturals are often tied to two or more cultures, they shared

their personal struggle to maintain their identity and inform others of their allegiance to

51
those identities. This continual reinforcement creates a hyperawareness and a sensitivity

to inaccurate depictions of their identities or the generalization of all Hispanic identities.

The participants feared that negative or false representation in advertisements may

negatively impact the way people of different ethnic backgrounds views their identity as

well as how the Hispanic community views its own identities. One Balanced-Bicultural

participant encouraged advertisers to take advertisements one step forward by

recognizing the intersectionality of Hispanic people. BB4 said:

Im a big proponent of intersectionality, recognizing that we are all more

than one thing or one identity. And all those different identities that we
hold shape how we experience the world in order to have proper
representation, you have to have varied representation. Represent Latinos
in deeper and more meaningful ways.

The Balanced-Bicultural level only had one outlier. She did not share the strong

negative reactions that the other Balanced-Bicultural participants had because of the

inaccuracies of the Jimmy Johns commercial. She found them amusing and did not

speak heavily on their falsities. She focused largely on the advertisements comedic

effect. This was inconsistent with the feelings of not only Balanced-Biculturals but all

acculturation levels. Hispanic Dominant participants were most forgiving of advertisers

who generalized the depictions the Hispanic experience. None of the Hispanic Dominant

participants in this study were of Mexican descent, but several argued that advertising

toward Hispanics appeared to favor the Mexican community. They accused advertisers

for the lack of nuance because of the sheer number of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans

living in the United States in comparison with Hispanics from other countries. HD2 said:

I dont know what an advertiser could change knowing that. Here you
say Spanish people and they mostly think of Mexican people. And we are
not all Mexican Yes, there needs to be more diversity but I dont know
because of this population to change an ad if most of Spanish people are

52
 Mexican.

Another mentioned that her Argentinian heritage is not as common in the United

States and that she understands why advertisements are not tailored to her experience.

Its not something that keeps me from sleep. Or something that Im so

concerned about If there were more Argentinians in this world and we
were majority of the Latinos and we were depicted as the stereotype of the
Latinos, Im going to feel really identified to that. So I guess it is a matter
of amount of people in those segments.

These opinions could largely stem from the fact that these women are first-

generation Americans and actively sought out citizenship in the U.S. They are more

understanding of the Mexican or generalized Hispanic advertising because they knew that

they, themselves, were in the minority and may be expected to adjust to the practices of

the mainstream American media.

These findings were different than what was initially hypothesized. Mainstream

Dominant participants were predicted to be the least affected by misrepresentation and

generalization in advertisements, Balanced-Biculturals were predicted to feel somewhat

affected, and Hispanic Dominant participants were predicted to be most affected. Though

they all have taken notice of and raised grievances with generalization of the community,

Balanced-Biculturals appeared to have the strongest negative perception of the

advertisements and brands, Mainstream Dominant participants felt the most isolated by

the advertisements and brands, and Hispanic Dominant participants were the most

forgiving of the advertisements and brands. They all felt a stronger connection to their

country of heritage than they did to the Hispanic community at large. Mainstream

Dominant participants rarely considered themselves as included in the overarching

Hispanic community and therefore clung more to their country of heritage to determine

53
identity. Balanced-Biculturals felt a stronger need to maintain their heritage because they

are often caught between two cultures and try to solidify their place in both identities.

The findings answer RQ1: How do female Hispanic consumers with different levels of

acculturation describe their perceptions of Quick Service Restaurant brands and their

advertisements?

The findings of this research are not consistent to what was found in studies

outlined in the literature review. Existing research demonstrates that those of lower

acculturation level are likely to be more sensitive to inauthentic representation of

Hispanic culture in advertisements. The findings from this study did not necessarily show

the same results. All levels of acculturation recognized inaccuracies of Hispanic culture

fairly easily. Balanced-Biculturals tended to have a stronger negative reaction to these

inaccuracies and misrepresentations. Hispanic Dominant participants were able to

recognize the inaccuracies relatively easily but were not put off by them. They were

understanding of the reasons for the advertisers misrepresentation. This research also

brought to light more nuances to the representation of Hispanic people in advertisements

than the literature review did. This study contributed new perspectives on frequency of

Hispanic people in advertisements, particularly in Quick Service Restaurant advertising,

and preference for identification with country of heritage versus connection with the

overall Hispanic community.

Involvement in community. One trend in the findings was only identified in

Balanced-Bicultural participants. Balanced-Biculturals were the only participants to

mention that they would prefer brands to go beyond advertising to create authentic and

meaningful relationships with the Hispanic community. However, all four Balanced-

54
Biculturals interviewed spoke on this topic. BB1 said:

If youre trying to specifically target a specific segment, you should

probably be doing more for that community. If there were an event or a
project or something surrounding the community, having more of a
presence.

Another Balanced-Bicultural shared a similar thought that goes beyond the

presence of Hispanic people in a brands advertisements. BB4 said:

Be involved in the community and show that they care about them,
through fundraising or providing jobs, or anything like that would
definitely further trust of the company.

Participant BB2 shed light on why these kinds of tactics may be even more

meaningful and important to the Hispanic community specifically. BB2 said:

It kind of brings that sense of belonging and sense of community that we

were all raised with. Its something that makes us feel comfortable.

If Hispanic consumers were to see brands actively participating in their

communities and building personal connections, the Hispanic market may have more

positive sentiment for the brand and its products. Though this finding only speaks to the

opinions of the Balanced-Bicultural participants and did not present itself in the explored

research in the literature review, it was compelling and insightful enough to potentially

spur further research on the other two acculturation levels opinions on this topic.

Unfounded research topics. While existing research outlined in the literature

review delved deep into the relevance of brand loyalty in the Hispanic community and

how loyalty manifests itself across acculturation levels, the findings from this study were

not as conclusive. Because loyalty was not the main focus of this study, the participants

did not speak heavily on what impacts their brand loyalty. The vast majority of them

mentioned that the Quick Service Restaurant advertisements they viewed would not

55
impact the likelihood of them becoming less or more loyal to the brands the

advertisements represent. Further research with the same methodology could dig deeper

into how loyalty varies across acculturation level.

Conclusion

Participants from the three levels of acculturation had many shared preferences

for the language used in advertisements, the frequency of Hispanic characters in

advertisements, the ways the characters are portrayed, and how Hispanic cultural values

are depicted. However, the data shows that the motivations and beliefs behind these

preferences vary greatly by acculturation level. This is due to their life experiences, their

daily contexts, and the ways in which they view their sense of self in terms of ethnic

identity. The two research questions posed were answered time and time again in the data

and each hypothesis was confirmed or disconfirmed.

56
 Chapter 5: Discussion

The purpose of this research is to identify how levels of acculturation impact the

way Hispanic women perceive brands using cultural identity theory as a framework. This

study sought to uncover findings that contribute to this area of study by utilizing a

qualitative methodology to fill a gap in the existing research. Research on this particular

topic will become increasingly valuable as the Hispanic population in the United States

continues to grow.

This qualitative study successfully answered the two research questions posed at

the beginning of the research and uncovered additional meaningful data that can be

further explored in future studies. It not only revealed how perceptions of advertisements

for Hispanic women of varying acculturation levels greatly differ, but it also showed

where they are quite similar.

The qualitative methodology utilized for this study proved to be useful in

informing other quantitative studies on the topic of advertising and acculturation levels.

The interview method was an effective way to gather data on individuals from varying

acculturation levels while also providing more nuance than other methodologies.

Whereas a quantitative study would have been able to determine that all acculturation

levels enjoy advertisements in Spanglish, this qualitative study was able to determine the

motivations behind this preference. Understanding motivations is key for advertisers to

truly connect with consumers and speak to their experiences as Hispanic individuals. The

following conclusions were drawn from the findings outlined in chapter 4.

57
Family Values

The findings about Hispanic values, particularly family values, were conclusive

and unanimous across acculturation levels. While the strength of family values was

expected to span acculturation levels, this directly contrasts the literature review. Former

studies have demonstrated how value systems change as a person progresses through the

different levels of acculturation. However, this was not seen with family values in this

study. Though family is incredibly important to Hispanic people that are not living in the

United States, it is possible that immigration itself fosters a stronger family bond to

individuals who already value family tremendously. When a person immigrates to a

country with different language, customs, behaviors, and mindsets, it is human nature to

cling to those that share a similar background and understanding. This is likely to

encourage maintenance of strong family values that span years, generations, and

acculturation levels.

Family was the primary value participants chose to discuss. Other values were not

spoken about as heavily, and so the linear nature of this relationship postulated from the

literature review was not observed in this particular study. However, it is likely that

similar findings would have presented themselves had the participants spoken more about

them. Through acculturation, people slowly shift from one way of life to another. This

changes the way they view the world and this, in turn, causes changes to their value

systems. It is likely that family values, because of their lack of linear shift, are a strong

outlier because of the social tendencies outlined previously and that most other values

change linearly over time.

58
Language

The findings from the study were different than what was initially expected. All

levels of acculturation enjoyed advertisements in Spanglish and felt comfortable with a

mix of Spanish and English in advertisements. However, it was valuable to discover that

the motivations behind this preference were different for each acculturation level.

Hispanic Dominant participants were motivated by their desire to gain comfortability

with English. As they continue their journey of bettering their English, Spanglish is a way

of life for them. For Balanced-Biculturals, speaking and hearing Spanglish enables them

to identify strongly with the two different cultures they find themselves caught between.

It is important to them that they maintain their identity as a Hispanic person but also as an

American participating in mainstream culture. Spanglish feels like a collision of both

identities and therefore helps them feel a strong connection to both. To Mainstream

Dominant participants, language is about exclusion. Since they are likely to not be fluent

in Spanish, the Spanish language does more to keep them out of the community than it

does to include them. Hearing Spanglish in advertisements allows them to feel a part of

the community at large while also clearly understanding the content.

Though these findings were unexpected, insights uncovered about accents and

generic Spanish were not as surprising. Inauthentic accents and the use of a type of

Spanish designed to sound comfortable to all Spanish speakers ends up saying more

about the advertisers lack of understanding of the community. These phenomena make

individuals from all levels of acculturation feel that the advertiser does not understand

who they are. This creates a feeling of tokenization or that advertisers are merely trying

to get their money without taking the time to understand their identities. The Spanish

59
language is just as diverse as the populations that speak it. Advertisements need to reflect

this more than they often do in the current market.

Presence in Advertising

This study found that many Hispanic women claim it does not matter to them if

they see Hispanic women in advertising. This likely has to do with the fact that they are

used to the advertising images they have grown accustomed to. Because there are fewer

Hispanic women in U.S. advertisements than women of other races, they are simply used

to needing to identify with other kinds of characters based off of other criteria than

ethnicity. This further explains why authentic representation of values is important to this

community. Values are what they have needed to identify with more so than appearance.

Though many participants mentioned that the presence of Hispanic characters is not

entirely important to them, it is still recommended to include a presence. It is most vital

that Hispanic cultural values are present, but incorporating Hispanic characters may help

some Hispanic individuals feel more of a connection with the advertisement and the

brand.

Most participants of all acculturation levels made it clear that they would rather

see more Hispanic people within more general, mainstream advertisements. This is likely

because this mix of races is more in line with their everyday reality. Seeing Hispanic-

only advertisements, even for many Hispanic Dominant participants, is not accurate to

what they have grown accustomed to by living in the United States. Only including

Hispanic characters in Hispanic-specific advertising sends the message that the

community is alienated from the rest of the population. It also may seem that the brand is

merely creating Hispanic advertising to tap in to the Hispanic market. This creates a

60
negative perception that the brand is using the Hispanic community for their dollars

rather than celebrating them. The Hispanic population may lose trust and loyalty with

brands that go about targeting the Hispanic community in this way. Quick Service

Restaurant brands and the advertising industry in general must do a better job at including

Hispanic characters in their casting choices across all their advertising and convey values

that are cherished by the Hispanic community in their copy and scripts.

Generalization

The findings revealed that Hispanic women of all three acculturation levels

identify with their country of heritage more than they do with the Hispanic and

Latina labels. Though this may seem like a trivial point to make by dwelling on the

ways in which different Hispanic women prefer to identify ethnically, it does speak to a

larger social phenomenon at play. Most women across acculturation levels denounced the

Latino and Hispanic labels, therefore rejecting the efforts of governments, institutions,

and societies to contain them to one overarching identity. They consider Hispanic

cultures to be far too diverse to lump together into one perceived culture. This is an

important consideration and means that Hispanic women of all acculturation levels would

be more receptive to brands that recognize their differences of heritage and acknowledge

the diversity of the Hispanic community. Advertisements that aim to reach all Hispanic

people may merely feel inauthentic to the audiences in which they intend to create

positive brand impressions. This goes hand-in-hand with another finding that Hispanic

women would like to see Hispanic people with more diverse outward appearances in

advertisements. This community is craving authenticity. What they know their

communities to be is different than what they see in advertisements. Because these

61
phenomena were identified with the same strength and conviction across all acculturation

levels, these are considerations advertisers must take in order to create effective

advertisements for Hispanic women.

Involvement in Community

This particular finding was unexpected and was not prevalent in the existing

research outlined in the literature review. This is likely because most studies involving

levels of acculturation are quantitative and this kind of feedback would not be present

unless the participants were actively asked about advertisers involvement in the Hispanic

community. With that said, it provides valuable insight into how the Hispanic audience

would like to be communicated with, particularly by Quick Service Restaurant brands.

This is an important distinction and demonstrates the layers of nuance to the Hispanic

community.

Because of the inherently social nature of the Hispanic population, it is even more

important for brands to reach this audience through more social mediums. One method of

particular interest is this involvement in community activities and efforts. Through these

more authentic methods, advertisers can work to create stronger connections with

Hispanic consumers in more authentic and meaningful ways.

The conclusions drawn from the uncovered findings in this study present clear

takeaways for advertisers to consider. From these key takeaways, the researcher has

formulated strong recommendations to advertisers when targeting a Hispanic female

audience.

Recommendations

With these findings, advertisers may wonder if they can successfully market to all

62
three levels of acculturation together and have success. It is likely that, if they keep in

mind the perceptions and values that all three levels have in common, it would be

possible to target all levels at once. However, the more specific targeting advertisers can

do, the more likely they will be successful. It is primarily recommended that advertisers

employ different tactics for each level. Because advertising budgets may make this

methodology impossible, it is possible to target all levels at once if done carefully, as to

not alienate any one level.

First and foremost, because family ties are such a fundamental piece of Hispanic

culture, family must be conveyed with the utmost accuracy to ensure a stronger

connection to the characters as well as the overall message in the advertisement. This

rings true for all acculturation levels. In accordance with the research results, Mainstream

Dominant Hispanics and Balanced-Biculturals relate to accurate Hispanic family

portrayals in advertising just as much as Hispanic Dominant people. While family values

are particularly important to showcase in an authentic way, all Hispanic values must also

be conveyed with care and attention to accuracy. Advertisers may wish to employ

extensive advertisement testing prior to widespread release to ensure that Hispanic

audiences are responding positively to its content.

To accommodate for the language preferences of the Hispanic audiences of

varying acculturation levels, it would be wise of advertisers to incorporate a mix of

Spanish and English that feels most comfortable to each acculturation level, or if

necessary, a mix of both Spanish and English that feels most comfortable to all levels.

For example, Hispanic Dominant viewers would likely enjoy a Spanglish advertisement

with more Spanish than English. The opposite is likely for Mainstream Dominant

63
viewers. If it is possible for advertisers to target by acculturation level, employing

different degrees of Spanish and English mixing to increase favorability would be ideal.

However, utilizing one version with a comfortable mix of both Spanish and English is

acceptable. Accents and generic language were of concern to all levels of acculturation,

and the usage of this portrayal of the language negatively impacted the way they

perceived advertisements and brands. Advertisers should ensure that they do not use non-

Spanish speaking actors to play Spanish-speaking roles as well as not utilizing heavy or

inauthentic accents. These tend to cause negative perceptions in the minds of all

acculturation levels.

When it comes to representation of Hispanic audiences in advertisements,

advertisers should make an effort to include more Hispanic people in mainstream

advertisements rather than only showcasing them in Hispanic-specific advertising. This

kind of representation is much more aligned to the experiences of most Hispanic people

living in the United States today. Advertisers should also utilize actors of varying

outward appearances to demonstrate the diversity of the Hispanic population. They can

do this by casting actors that identify as Hispanic and possess a variety of skin tones, hair

colors, etc. While this may seem to make it difficult for audiences to determine if an actor

is Hispanic or not, advertisers can convey Hispanicness by other means, such as

Hispanic values and Spanish language conveyed through a script.

Advertisers should be more active in Hispanic communities. It is not enough to

simply target this audience without demonstrating true care for them as people and

respect for the community. Though Balanced-Biculturals may see more benefit from this

than other levels of acculturation as was shown in the study, this is still likely an effective

64
way to interact with the Hispanic audience on a more human level which, in turn, fosters

positive brand perceptions. Brands should consider getting involved in Hispanic

community centers, churches, and outreach programs to imbed themselves into Hispanic

culture in more meaningful ways. In doing so, brands must do this in ways that make

sense to the organization and the brand itself.

For researchers, cultural identity theory is recommended for future studies in the

areas of acculturation levels of the Hispanic population in the United States as well as

studies in advertising. Because these areas of study are heavy with social phenomena,

cultural identity theory serves as a strong framework for similar research. Qualitative

methodologies are also highly recommended for these areas of study because of the

profound nuances to the Hispanic community that were identified in this study. Further

qualitative studies would build upon these findings and uncover more nuances as well.

Limitations

While this methodology was beneficial for this area of study, there were

limitations worth addressing. Though the findings from each acculturation level were

confirmed by multiple or most participants, the sample size was relatively small.

Researchers for future studies may be able to devote more resources to their projects as

well as a longer time frame than what was possible for this study. Interviewing more

participants would help to prove out the points made in this research even more.

This study can only speak to the way Hispanic females perceive advertisements

and their own cultural values. The women interviewed in this study rarely mentioned how

their perceptions were influenced by their gender. Their responses were largely

influenced by their ethnic identity rather than gender. Because of this, it is likely that

65
male Hispanic participants would have shared similar perceptions. With that said, the

results of this study cannot truly speak to the Hispanic male experience. Further research

into Hispanic male perceptions as well as a comparison between Hispanic males and

females could help either support the results from this study or show stark contrasts

between the two groups.

This study examines only the Quick Service Restaurant brand category. Other

categories deserve their own tests to determine if these findings carry across brand

verticals. While the questions in the interviews were largely centered around QSR

advertising, the participants often broadened their responses with perceptions of brands

and advertisements in general. This likely means that these themes can be applied to

brands beyond the QSR category.

This study also only addresses television advertisements. Further studies on

different mediums or brand categories would provide a unique perspective. With the

growing prevalence of digital advertising, perhaps a digital advertising and acculturation

level study would shed light on an area of advertising that is becoming more lucrative.

Participants in this study were from all over the United States. While this allowed

the results the reflect a large swath of experiences, future studies that focused on different

geographical areas would inform how Hispanic women living in different regions of the

United States might differ in experiences. Perhaps women living in Houston are more

likely to maintain their heritage than someone living in Minnesota. It is possible that

geographical context could impact the way Hispanic women perceive advertisements.

Those living in areas in which they do not feel as accepted may be even more sensitive to

inaccurate or offensive advertisements. Another study that focused on regions would

66
provide better insight into how location affects acculturation level.

The participants of this research were of all different heritages. However, the

heritages were not represented evenly throughout the acculturation levels. The

Mainstream Dominant level was heavily Mexican-American, the Hispanic Dominant

level was heavily Argentine-American, and the Balanced-Bicultural group was a mix of

several different nationalities. This could have affected the kinds of responses received

from the participants. Almost every participant discussed how varied and unique each

Hispanic culture is and how advertisers should not lump all Hispanic consumers together

in their targeting efforts. Further research into how levels of acculturation perceive

advertisements differently based upon country of heritage would greatly inform the

existing research on this topic. Though this kind of research would require many

resources and access to a wide array of Hispanic Americans to represent all Spanish

speaking countries, it would prove to be incredibly useful to advertisers. Because of

advanced technology and aggressive data collection, targeting is getting better every day.

Advertisers can learn even the most miniscule piece of information about consumers and

target them based on these data points. The time soon may come when advertisers can

target based on country of heritage. If and when that becomes the case, information

regarding how to most effectively and authentically reach Hispanic consumers of

different ethnic identities will become invaluable.

The participants of this study were of varying ages over the age of 18. This can

also greatly impact the world views they have and the ways they feel about their cultures.

One participant of 70 years old discussed the blatant prejudices that her father

experienced and how this impacted the way he raised her. The stories she told and the

67
experiences she had were largely influenced by the civil rights movement. While this

point of view is just as valid as other participants, it is a perspective that is growing less

and less common. Several of the Balanced-Bicultural participants were young

professionals who were fresh out of college. One had mentioned that she had taken a

Latino studies in class and others discussed the Hispanic organizations they participated

in on campus. While it is possible that these participants would have felt the same way

about their ethnic identities had they not participated in Hispanic cultural groups in

college, it can be hypothesized that organizations such as these help its members maintain

a sense of community around the culture as well as a strength in ethnic identity. Several

Mainstream Dominant participants were mothers with young children. Perhaps having

children versus not having children could have affected the way they perceived their

ethnic identity. Research that delves into age group and acculturation levels could further

inform this study as well.

Researcher Reflections

To ensure transparency regarding the researcher who conducted this study, it is

pertinent to examine any factors involving the researcher that may have impacted the

results of the study or the way the findings were interpreted. The researcher has limited

Spanish-speaking ability and listening comprehension. She required the use of a

translator to assist in conducting one interview and translating the results. It is possible

that the researchers limited understanding of the language could have impacted her

interpretation of the findings. She also studied for a short time in Buenos Aires,

Argentina and may have unintentionally used that specific region as a frame of reference

for her interpretation of the Hispanic community. She has not taken Latino Studies

68
classes in the past and has conducted no research on the Hispanic community prior to this

study. Additionally, the researcher is currently employed in the advertising industry and

may have biases when it comes to targeting tactics of diverse populations.

However, because of the study, the research believes that she has a much broader

understanding of Hispanic values, the diverse cultures that comprise the Hispanic

population in the United States, and the perceptions of Hispanic people of different

backgrounds and heritages. While the researcher expected the participants to be unique of

each other because of their different backgrounds, she had not considered just how many

similarities many of the participant shared with those of different heritages and

acculturation levels. It was her assumption that acculturation levels would create a greater

divide between different Hispanic people than it appeared to in the results.

Conclusion

This study contributed to the research community by approaching the topic of

acculturation level and advertising perceptions in a qualitative methodology. It identified

differences and similarities in acculturation level when it comes to advertisements,

brands, and ethnic identity. It also left plenty of room for future research to build upon it.

Cultural identity theory provided a strong framework for this study and is recommended

for future studies in this area of research.

Researchers who wish to explore advertising and acculturation levels of Hispanic

consumers as well as current advertising professionals will find this research to be

informative. Because of the growing Hispanic population, the day will soon come when

most all of advertisers will need to understand how to effectively reach the Hispanic

audience in authentic and meaningful ways.

69
 The researcher of this study, as a current advertising professional, has already

used the data uncovered from this research and applied it to a variety of different clients.

This topic of research is actionable and will continue to gain relevancy in the industry.

Aside from learning how to effectively target Hispanic audiences, it is of course the hope

that this research can also help advertisers foster more empathy and understanding for an

audience that is likely very different from the populations they are accustomed to

targeting and interacting with on a daily basis. A more authentic understanding of the

Hispanic population may create a more diverse and inclusive advertising landscape.

70
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 Appendix

Pre- Interview Survey (English)

*will need assistance from Spanish-speaking researcher to develop Spanish version

Thank you for your participation in this survey. The survey should take you
approximately 15 minutes to complete. Please answer each question to the best of your
ability. Your responses are appreciated and will be an asset to my research. Thank you!

Use the numbers below to indicate how much you agree or disagree with each statement.

(5) Strongly Agree

(4) Agree
(3) Neither Agree nor Disagree
(2) Disagree
(1) Strongly Disagree

1. I have spent time trying to find out more about my ethnic group, such as its
history, traditions, and customs.
2. I am active in organizations or social groups that include mostly members of my
own ethnic group.
3. I have a clear sense of my ethnic background and what it means for me.
4. I think a lot about how my life will be affected by my ethnic group membership.
5. I have a sense of belonging to my own ethnic group.
6. In order to learn more about my ethnic background, I have often talked to other
people about my ethnic group.
7. I have a lot of pride in my ethnic group.
8. I feel a strong attachment towards my own ethnic group.

Use the numbers below to indicate the frequency you participate in the following
behaviors.

(5) Nearly most of the time

(4) A lot or very frequently
(3) Half of the time
(2) A little or sometimes
(1) Never

1. I speak Spanish
2. I speak English
3. I like to speak Spanish
4. I like to speak English
5. I associate with Latinos/as and with European-Americans
6. I associate mostly with Latino/as
7. I associate mostly with European-Americans
8. I like music in Spanish

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 9. I like music in English
10. I like to watch television programs that are in Spanish
11. I like to watch television programs that are in English
12. I like to read in Spanish
13. I like to read in English
14. I like to write in Spanish
15. I like to write in English
16. My dreams occur in Spanish
17. My dreams occur in English
18. My friends tend to be European-Americans
19. My friends tend to be Latinos/as
20. My family prepares food of Latin origin

1. My ethnicity is:
a. Hispanic or Latino, including Mexican America, Central American, etc.
b. White, Caucasian, Anglo, European American; not Hispanic
c. Multi-racial: parents are from two different ethnic groups
d. Other: (write in) ______________
2. My fathers ethnicity is (use categories above): ____________
3. My mothers ethnicity is (use categories above): ___________
4. What is your town and state of residence? ____________
5. What is your gender? Circle one: MALE FEMALE OTHER:
______
6. Would you be willing to participate in a 30-minute interview? Your participation
will automatically enter you into a raffle for a $30 Target gift card.
7. Do you have access to a computer and Internet?
8. What is your first and last name?
9. What is the best email/phone number to reach you? ______________

Survey sources:

Phinney JS. The multigroup ethnic identity measure: a new scale for use with diverse
groups. J Adolesc Res 1992;7(2):15676.

Cuellar I, Arnold B, Maldonado R. Acculturation rating scale for Mexican Americans

II: a revision of the original ARSMA scale. Hispanic J Behav Sci 1995;17(3):275304.

Note: these two surveys have been combined and edited to better suit this particular
study.

In-Depth Interview Discussion Guide

*Will be asked by Spanish-speaking researcher in Spanish if participant wishes to

converse in Spanish.

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1. Do you identify yourself as Hispanic, or Latina, or neither?
2. Do you associate most to your Hispanic ethnicity or another?
3. How connected do you feel to Hispanic culture? What does being Hispanic mean
to you?
4. What would you define as key cultural values for the Hispanic community? Is
there anything you view as consistent across all nationalities, heritages, etc.?
a. Probe for: family values, traditional gender roles, loyalty, religion, etc.
b. Are these values unique to the Hispanic culture or are they relevant to
others? Why?
5. What are ways in which you participate in Hispanic culture?
a. Probe for: social groups, music, television, holidays, food, customs, etc.
6. What advertisements, if any, can you recall seeing in the Spanish language?
Which brands?
a. What were your feelings about these advertisements? What do you
remember about these advertisements? What types of people were
depicted? What were they doing? Do you remember how you felt? Is this
typical for you? Why/why not?
7. Do you feel that Hispanic people are depicted accurately and authentically in
advertising?
a. If not, in what ways are they inaccurately depicted? Can you give me
specific examples?
i. Listen for: appearance, voice, language, plot, etc.
b. If so, what are the accurate and authentic depictions and why are they
accurate?
8. What would make you connect with a Hispanic character in an advertisement?
Can you recall a Hispanic advertisement that you really connected with? What
characters were depicted? What were they doing? What about the ad did you
connect with?
9. Which language do you prefer advertisements to be in? Do you enjoy
advertisements in Spanglish? Why or why not? Tell me about that.
a. If a brand does not use your preferred language, would they look as
favorable to you? Why or why not?
b. Does it matter if an advertisement is not in your preferred language?
i. Probe for: does the language of the advertisement need to match
that of the current TV program? Why or why not?
10. Can you recall any commercials from a fast food restaurant? What are they?
11. Can you recall any commercials from a fast food restaurant that you felt targeted
the Hispanic community?
i. If so, what are they? What stands out about them?
ii. How do you know the ads were designed for the Hispanic
community?
1. Listen for: Spanish, Spanglish, accent, subject matter,
ethnicity of actors, etc.
b. How important is it for you to see advertisements with Hispanic/Latino/a
characters from the fast food restaurants you visit?

78
 12. Ask them to watch the three advertisement links. Tell them that you will be asking
about their overall impressions and not about the product or prices. After each
one ask:
a. What is your overall impression of the advertisement?
b. What are your thoughts about the characters in this advertisement?
c. What would make the advertisement better for you? Did anything in the ad
not appeal to you or felt inconsistent with Hispanic culture?
d. Do you identify with the characters in any way? Did their ethnicity play
any role in your connection/lack of connection? What else made you feel a
connection or disconnection?
e. What would make the advertisement better for you? Did anything in the ad
not appeal to you or felt inconsistent with Hispanic culture?
13. Which commercial did you like best and why?
a. Of the three commercials, which one did the best job of tailoring their
message for a Hispanic audience? Why? Can you offer some specifics?
14. Does your favorite advertisement of the three affect the likelihood of you eating
there in the future?
15. Are you more loyal to a brand that creates Hispanic-specific advertising?
Why/why not?
16. Would you trust or like a brand more if it accurately depicted Hispanic
characters? Why or why not?
17. How important are brand/product recommendations from friends and family to
you?
18. If you could speak to an advertiser, what would you want them to know about
you? What about the Latino/a community in general?

Advertisement Links
Jimmy Johns, Family: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTB-QT7IaeM
Wendys: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzLqs6rTvzs
McDonalds, First Customer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFOYwz-1TeE

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