That’s one of the clearest themes emerging from the 2026 Hispanic Market Guide.

Today’s Hispanic consumer is driving economic growth, yet the market is increasingly nuanced. While Hispanic household income continues to rise and poverty rates have declined, nearly two-thirds of Latinos still describe their own financial situation as only fair or poor. Understanding data is important—but understanding lived experience is what turns strategy into relevance.

Leading brands recognize that difference.

“Having a specialist is a real advantage,” says Alexandra Bosley, Vice President of Marketing for Nestlé Coffee. “They help us ensure that the compass stays pointed toward deeply understanding and serving our Latino consumer groups.”

The Home Depot’s Chief Marketing Officer Molly Battin echoed that perspective, noting that working alongside its agency partner allows the brand to continually listen to the community, uncover cultural insights, and create storytelling that is authentic to what matters most.

This year’s Hispanic Marketing Council Strategic Excellence Awards Powered by Collage Group reinforced the same lesson.

The campaigns that rose to the top weren’t simply well-produced—they were rooted in culture. From MLB’s Grand Prix-winning Baseball Origin Stories developed with Remezcla to The Home Depot’s Marketer of the Year recognition for its long-term partnership with LERMA/, the work demonstrated what happens when cultural expertise is embedded from the beginning—not layered on at the end.

The takeaway isn’t simply to “market to Hispanics.” It’s to build with people who understand the nuances of the community, ask better questions, challenge conventional thinking, and help brands earn trust over time.

As the Market Guide makes clear, winning in today’s marketplace requires more than execution. It requires cultural intelligence, authentic partnerships, and the willingness to go deeper than surface-level representation.

Because in a market this influential, success isn’t just about what you say. It’s about who helps you shape the story.

Want to see how leading brands are putting these principles into practice? Download the free 2026 Hispanic Market Guide for insights from top CMOs, award-winning case studies, and the latest data shaping Hispanic marketing today.