Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month, annually observed from September 15th to October 15th, coincides with the independence day of a number of Latin American countries. It recognizes the independence anniversaries of El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Mexico celebrates their Independence Day on September 16th while Chile celebrates theirs on September 18th. Celebrations throughout the month honor and acknowledge the rich culture, significant contributions, and powerful traditions of the Hispanic and Latino communities in the United States, representing a number of countries including Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, and various Central and South American countries. Celebrating this month can include seeing a local parade that honors Hispanic and Latino cultures, visiting cultural exhibitions that showcase art and heritage, and enjoying your favorite Latin dish.
Hispanic Voices – A Powerful Voting Bloc
In 2020, the Hispanic and Latino communities (including some that identify as Latinx) were the second-largest racial group in the United States, making up 18.7% of the total population or 32 million in the country. Their political influence represents a significant voting bloc that could impact elections at various levels of government. Candidates looking to connect with this audience need to prioritize authentic and culturally-relevant content, messaging, and have Hispanic & Latino voiceover artists reflected in their campaigns and spots. Like many groups, they are not a monolith, and investing in ads that focus on specific issues that they care about is one way to energize their voting power.
Connecting with Hispanic Heritage Communities for Your Next Campaign
Enacted during the Civil Rights Movement, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 addressed discriminatory practices by ensuring minority communities had more access to voting, including making voting materials available to individuals with limited English proficiency and removing literacy poll taxes.
It paved the way for more equal voting rights but recent developments have highlighted the need to continue to protect and expand these rights for all communities. In 2006, as Congress voted to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act for an additional 25 years, the reauthorization faced severe opposition and several provisions were weakened. In the 2013 landmark case of Shelby County v. Holder, the United States Supreme Court struck down a section that led to a wave of restrictive voting measures such as voter ID laws and a reduction in early voting days that still impacts Latino and other minority communities today.
In light of this, political campaigns must prioritize addressing the concerns of Hispanic and Latino communities and speak to what matters most to them early in a strategy and not later. By recognizing the specific challenges that this population faces in accessing the ballet box, campaigns can provide critical information, engage with them on issues that are important to them, advocate for policies that protect voting rights, and ensure their voices are heard throughout the democratic process.
Hire Latino and Hispanic Heritage VO Talent
By working with professionals from these communities your message can go a long way in establishing trust, conveying authenticity, and ensuring there is cultural sensitivity throughout the campaign. These professional bilingual voiceover artists bring an innate understanding of the cultural nuances and regional dialects–details that can make all the difference in resonating with the target audience. They also understand the subtleties of pronunciation, intonation, and pacing specific to Spanish-speaking regions, and can offer voiceovers for bilingual campaigns.
Authenticity, cultural sensitivity, and relevance have become critical factors in building trust with today’s voters. Working with a professional voiceover artist from Blue Wave Voiceover can ensure that a campaign isn’t only heard, but embraced by this quickly-growing and influential population.
Explore demos and samples from a wide range of talent at Blue Wave Voiceover who can help you connect with this audience including Rosi Amador, Brian Amador, Issa Lopez, André Santana, Carolina Hoyos, Robb Moreira, Andrea Balsa, Antonio Fornaris, and Javier Prusky.