Working with Hispanic media pros? Go beyond mere translation

News reports made by and for Hispanic Americans are a key part of the U.S. media landscape.

Spanish-language media outlets often fare better in the ratings and outperform their English-language counterparts in major markets. According to the Pew Research Center, most Hispanics see these news sources—delivering news in Spanish—as more credible, accurate and fair than mainstream options.

Such trends fuel the need for a cadre of experts who can serve as spokespersons and brand ambassadors.

What are the keys to spokesperson success in the U.S. Hispanic market? How do you prepare? Is having a Spanish-speaking representative a necessity for successful Hispanic media relations?

It starts with traditional media training to control the brand story across multiple platforms. It’s complex enough in the mainstream market, but in another language and nuanced cultural framework, spokesperson training can seem daunting.

Malapropisms and poor syntax can become cultural bugaboos. One cautionary tale from the early days of U.S. Hispanic marketing involves an airline promoting its new business-class leather seats by inviting passengers to fly en cuero, unaware that it means naked in colloquial Spanish.