Estudio Ray Brand News

El Remediosphere®Traditional approaches to Hispanic healthcare

My mother was raised on a rancho in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. When you got sick, you had remedies that worked for everyone, you went to a sobadora or a curandera. And if things were really bad, you were taken into town.

This is old school. No pinche WebMD for research. If you wanted to know something, you asked your comadre about it. You were part of the Collective Comadre Network.

One common herbal remedio is yerba buena. Yerba buena's great stuff, it’s used for everything from stomach ailments or flavoring mojitos. My mom also kept around a glass jar filled with rubbing alcohol that contained marijuana, which she would rub on her varicose veins. Aloe vera was always around as well.

Having asthma as a kid, my mom would rub Vicks (AKA vaporu, vivaporu, or el veex) all over my chest, usually along with other very nasty smelling herbs/weeds. Not yerba buena but my guess is that it was probably more along the lines of yerba mierda. After rubbing it on my chest, she'd make me put on a heating pad over my shirt and blanket. I can’t stand Vicks. I knew some kids ate the stuff. I like the smell of eucalyptus, which she would also boil leaves into a tea but I still find Vicks to be quite repulsive.

Growing up in Arizona, we were only 2 hours from the Mexican border, so we would go visit family, shop and so forth. I recall going to a yerberia for dried rattlesnake strips to eat daily in order to cure my asthma. Never having seen a snake cough, this made perfect sense to me. The meat tasted okay (like jerky), but didn't really cure me.

Prior to that trip, Doña Yoya in San Luis once gave me a little black bunny. I think the rabbit was supposed to absorb the asthma and I'd be cured. She lived a couple of houses away from my aunt and was a curandera who had a bunch of animals. Anyway, that didn't work. This rabbit was the first pet I ever had. The rabbit proved to be quite a trouble maker, and eventually we ate it.

I also remember one family friend using bleach for everything from ant bites to other skin ailments. That always had a nasty smell to the rub. Every once in a while I smell bleach and think of that. But it still doesn't repel me the way Vicks does.

I went on Facebook recently and asked friends a little about what type of remedios they remember from their childhoods.

Here’s a small sampling of what I heard back:

Suzi: We all know what cures-VICKS and 7-UP!

Veronica: I thought all cures came from a lil shot of tequila

Tony: Lemon honey and tequila for coughs-Mexican Nyquil. Olive and castor oil after a hot bath in the winter.
Note- Tony also remembers his father using the pot in the alcohol for arthritis.

Celeste: Vaporu. That with some salpicot y una limpia con huevo and whatever weeds grew in the backyard. Santo remedio! Anything that was sting related had saliva in it: aver que te pongo ajo, con un poco de saliva.

Gennaro: Mi madre used to pull the skin on our back really hard to cure empacho, until today I don't know wtf that was about.

Lonnie: Mentholatum smeared under the nose. My suegra would shove it up her nose. I think she used a couple of tablespoons.

..........

Culturally, we have a lot of herbs, beliefs and rituals that we relate to. These range from lighting candles, to a limpia con huevo (go ask about that one), to rhymes. Think of that little kiddie healing rhyme:

        “sana,
        sana,
        colita de rana..."

Before the internet, before WebMD, there was the Collective Comadre Network, which will always be around. Many of us continue these healing traditions. They are part of who we are and where we come from. It’s all part of the Remediosphere®.

Traditionally, Latinos have a different approach to healthcare. The more recent arrivals in the US bring along quite a few of their traditions. We know that but the majority of healthcare professionals out there don't.

What are some of the remedios you remember or ones that you've heard about?

This blog post originally ran in Latina-ish on 8/31/10.
It has also appeared last week in Muy Bueno Cookbook and Concina Diary.

6 Outdated Stereotypes About Latinos/Hispanics in the US

Here's a quick hit list of outdated stereotypes and assumptions about Latinos. These answers will vary within the different population segments, but I wanted to share a few short points.

All have large families
On average, only slightly larger-3.6 members per household; compared with non-Hispanic Whites at 2.4 members per household.

All are Catholic
While Catholicism is big throughout Latin America, Evangelicals continue to grow. Don't forget the number of Latinos who are also Jewish.

All have the same aspirations
The American Dream means different things to different people. Find out what it means to your audience and where you might possibly fit in.

All are Democrats
This is a laughable and flawed misunderstanding, one that’s always big during an election year (such as now). Upon further inspection, you’ll find that a good percentage of Latinos vote Republican.

All have extended families living at home
This is only a part of the equation. Extended family living in the same household is more common in Latin America but not necessarily in the US, especially as assimilation and acculturation take hold.

All segments will assimilate "American" culture
Latinos come to the US with a range of talents and abilities. They come from a variety of places and experiences, and they come under a variety of circumstances. Rethink this and assume “American” culture as evolving and assimilating to the new face of America.

....

There are a lot of others beyond this list. I'm curious to hear what you would like to add to this list. Send me your comments and input.

Spanglish…el bad boy de linguistics

Ask any bilingual professional (especially in marketing) what they think of using Spanglish and they’ll tell you there is no place for it in marketing, advertising, etc. They’ll get self righteous and well postured as they tell you this. Then as soon as they walk out, they'll start using Spanglish, especially if a couple of beers are involved.

Why is that? Is it butchering the language? If done incorrectly, you just screwed up 2 languages. Especially if a message is being delivered via media channels to get a point across or sell something. Face it, bad use of Spanglish can make you come across as ignorant, illiterate, and like you’re part of the-low-tooth-per-head-ratio crowd.

However, on a personal interaction level, Spanglish can be great. Sort of like speaking your own Secret Global Citizen Code, like an Hombre Secreto on a mission of some sort. Or at the very least you’ll sound like you're enjoying yourself. One time a non-Spanish speaking friend of mine, upon hearing two of us speaking Spanglish and going back and forth, asked me why we do that. Why? I never thought about it, but I guess it's because we can. We can, therefore why not, right? It’s that Hombre Secreto Code thing, right?

I've always heard a lot of Spanglish. I was born in a Mexican border town and grew up in Arizona, so I've heard a lot of this linguistic fusion. I think it’s a natural for bilingual/bicultural gente.

Here's a good example I've heard quite often around farm areas: "Okay, hay me esperas, then I'll get mi troca y te recojo and then vamos a lonchar en la chuck wagon, okay?"

It’s a beautifully appreciated global code system when you hear it spoken really fast too. Very natural. Especially given the fact that Latinos use our hands to punctuate or tone down dialogue, even on the phone. Then when you factor in the end of the work day, some cervezas and some verbal madrazos, the lenguaje gets very colorful.

In case you’re not a fluent Spanish speaker, here’s a quick crash course in Spanglish and the art of the madrazo (cervezas not required):

• "Hey, bring me that little chingadera, please."
• "If you kids don’t behave, I'm going to get my pinche chancla and then van a ver who's in charge around here."
• "Hey_________(insert MLB player name here)! Don't be such a maricón…that was a good pitch!"

That last one can be a pretty good, or bad insult. Be prepared for accompanying laughter or a potentially violent reaction. Note: on all of the above, be sure to use hand and head gestures when incorporating them into everyday conversations.

There you go. You're now ready to start using Spanglish, and on your way to becoming a Secret Global Citizen, complete with your own linguistic code.

What are some of your favorite phrases you hear or use?

This blog post originally ran in Latina-ish on 7/28/10.

Chisme: Rumors and Branding

Rumors. You know what they are and how they go. Chismes (a little more elaboration on this term later).

A rumor gets started, maybe you hear it early on, later you hear it after it’s been passed around a bit and by then, it’s blown completely out of proportion from where it started.

Usually not for the better.

However, our audience could also spread (or relay) a story/rumor about you, then they embellish it for the better. Suddenly it's: "We went from being pedestrian to royalty in no time" or "Tales are told about us saving mankind, finding a cure for cancer, as we cleaned up BP’s oil spill, etc."

Think of your brand as a rumor. You put it out there. It gets spread and passed around. Before you know it, it's taken on an entirely different meaning and message than what it started out as. Taking control of your brand means managing it. You do this, you manage and control the rumor. I'm not talking about spin, but about how your brand reputation spreads. Very much like a rumor.

What is there about your brand (and its buzz) that you can leverage? Remember, not all rumors are bad. Can you control the rumor ethically? More importantly, can you do it while having others spread the rumor for you?

Think of how you manage all aspects of your brand. Look what LeBron did with rumors. ESPN helped facilitate and spread the rumors. It's amazing how the media spread this rumor like wildfire. It was easy to look away and not be caught up in the rumor. But for many it was easy to get caught up in it as well. The rumors surrounding that entire affair were astounding. And now, we're tired of all this mierda and hearing non-stop speculation about The Miami 3. Right?

Chismes y mitotes...switching gears (and language) for a minute.

If you’re looking at the Hispanic market, in the Spanish language one word for rumor is mitote. The word mitote has a little more of a title going for it (sometimes complete with its own pinche soundtrack). Chismes are more scandalous, tabloid worthy.

I'll talk about this real soon.

Are you in control of the rumor mill? How about the mitote mill?

WHICH COMMERCIALS DID YOU LIKE BEST DURING THE WORLD CUP GAMES?

Now that the World Cup championship game is set between Spain and the Netherlands on Sunday, FIFA comes to a close and any mention of the games from that point forward will be met with moans and groans.

I’ve enjoyed the commercials during the games. Granted, commercials only air before the game, at the half and after the game, unlike other sports playoffs in the US, where commercials run during all time outs. I’ve been impressed with most of the commercials. Excellent messaging, great execution and an excellent overall demonstration of who gets it with the messaging for US Latinos. And the really good spots did it with humor, most didn’t rely on the folklorico dancer and the smiling molachito.

Sure, there are some typical lame examples with stereotypes and over emphasized pandering, but most of those are in local markets (most but not all) and are easier to avoid.

I’m curious to hear which commercials you liked and thought were notable.

Here are a few of the ones I liked:

Bing- Los Links. Sexy parody of a telenovela plot line. In Spanish, and on ABC.

Hyundai- Loyalty. The wake for the dead patriarch going to the hereafter in his team's colors. Not just Latino but global.

Bud Light- good all around as always.

Of course Adidas and Nike did some excellent and energetic spots that get the adrenaline pumping. Safe to say we expect no less.

AT&T's Guerreros Aztecas, the new warriors, about the players and their heritage. Very Mexican. Low key, but powerful.

Flipping over to Univision, I saw some excellent Bud Light spots. One Familia spot was a good play off of the extended family. Especially with the hot primas showing up.

Coke- A universal beverage, lots of excellent feel good spots w/ flag music. We dream in different languages.

Tecate- Excellent campaign. Great spots about men. Hombres y los que somos...

Sure these spots had big budgets for a big stage, but the point is that the concepts were excellent. It all starts with the idea on reaching the audience, reaching the Latino audiences among the mainstream and connecting. These aren’t necessarily Hispanic brands, they’re brands that connect with Hispanics/Latinos and everyone with a shared interest.

Now, if we could just inject some passion into the voiceovers and coverage...

It's about an emotional connection and about relevancy.

So, what spots did you see that you really liked?

The World Cup and Latinos

I’m enjoying the FIFA games. A lot.

However, both of my 2 countries are out of it now; first the US and now Mexico.

I've very much enjoyed connecting with people on Twitter and Facebook all over the US as well as in Latin America to get a sense of the rabid nature and national pride out there for both my countries. It feels good to connect with other Latinos on this level. A certain paisanismo first, then with Mexico battling (and losing to) Argentina, a rivalry with trash talking before, during and after the game. #LATISM is great.

I was born in Mexico. I’m close to my family in Mexico. I live in Arizona, a border state that for some reason is in denial, but that’s another story. I know the pride and humorous antagonistic nature that Mexicanos have for other countries when it comes to futbol.  It was great to see some of the #lists on Twitter with #Viva Mexico Cabrones and #Viva Los Estados Unidos Cabrones. 

Equal energy de la mas chingona for both my countries. Hell yes!

A gentleman on the east coast sent out a tweet saying that we’re all Latinos, we should all be proud of our countries who are advancing, etc. I’m a competitive guy. I like the fervor and borlote of the crowds. I’m proud of all the Latin American countries moving forward but I’m still aching from the beating that my Mexico was given by Argentina. So, yesterday I was retweeting with the #list/group called #Pinches Argentinos.

It's in my blood. Es una travesura.

Here’s a good example of a RT from a Mexican fan: jakchiva me cagan los seudos argentinos que son mas mexicanos que nada y vienen a querer a mover a mi país pinches socialistas

A friend of mine from El Salvador once commented that Mexicans are very open and vocal with their vulgarities. Not in a bad way but just his observation. He found this amusing.

Everyone pokes fun at everyone else. Especially when national pride is at stake. It’s especially interesting when that fun and ridicule is celebrated here in the tossed salad that is the USA.

By the way, Brazil just finished off Chile, 3 – 0. Pobrecitos.

Now, what’s with those pinche refs?

GM and their brilliant strategic branding idea for Chevy

If this were not June, I would have thought this was an April Fool's Day joke. It's perfect for it.

In case you didn’t hear, General Motors Co. had circulated a memo which directed employees to refer to the brand as Chevrolet, not Chevy. HUH???? Whaaaaaaaat?

Obviously, temporary insanity overcame the corporate, anal-retentive types trying to justify their jobs and getting carried away with branding. Or over thinking the branding. This is more like blanding. Let’s get so systematic with what we do, folks. The rest of the world be damned! We love ourselves! People will automatically stop referring to their vehicles as Chevrolets, not Chevys. The dealerships do, we internals do, so why not? Can’t you just see the normally sterile and monochromatic gears turning inside those heads?

The new debate will go something like this: “you a Ford or Chevrolet guy?” I don’t think so. I’ve had a Chevy Nova and a Chevy Silverado, and I don’t think I ever referred to either as Chevrolet. Always Chevy. Would you say you have a Chevrolet Camaro or a Chevy Camaro? I thought so. By the way, my white 72, 4-door Chevy Nova was a great Cheech & Chong type of car.

Anyway, here’s a good link with a little more about the idiocy at Breaking Media.

And here’s another link with a little more behind the possibility of the thought process and their recent agency hires at Agency Spy. The agencies are very good. They’re the best, especially Goodby. I think it was strictly an internal thing.  This article also mentions Chevy’s market in Mexico.

This brings up another point; what about the US Hispanic branding and market share? Did anyone consider these numbers? Did anyone consider any numbers? Can you say pendejos?

I think consumers everywhere acknowledge Chevrolet and loyal Chevy drivers respect Chevrolet, if not GM. The message here is that Chevy drivers have pumped millions of dollars into GM with their loyalty to Chevy and to think that their minds are going to be changed with a little internal memo is a bit condescending.

Didn’t GM get some bail-out money? Did they hire more pin heads to think stuff like this up?

What do you think?

Rx Drug Performance Among Hispanic Patients

A drug’s lackluster performance among (Hispanic/Latino) patients may very well be a result of category underdevelopment, not necessarily poor brand performance. How does your product fare with Latino patients and their doctors?

Here are a few points to consider acting upon:

• Raise patients’ awareness of the condition/disease state, especially those that are prevalent within their population (diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, etc.)

• Ensure your product’s availability and affordability (insurance, pharmacies, etc.) once a patient has been diagnosed with a condition
  
  
• Economic difficulties may prevent lower income patients from compliance in treatment and follow up care
  
  
• Make sure physicians are aware of the drug’s availability on Medicaid/assistance programs where and when applicable
  
  
• Seek out alternatives to existing payment models and programs in order to relieve the perceived additional workload and burden on physicians, this will encourage physicians to mutually support your efforts

It is important to keep in mind that physicians do not treat Hispanic patients any different than other patients, other than language and possibly economic assumptions.

Many of the difficulties in adhering to compliance by Hispanic patients may be due to socioeconomic factors, not ethnicity. However, keep in mind that certain cultural barriers may come into play. Some of these barriers can include herbal and home remedies, a sense of fatalism (“it’s God’s will”), why continue with compliance when they feel “cured”, and a sense that the physician or nurses are not “one of them”, among others.

What have you noticed?

Hispanic Branding - Lost in Translation, Part 3

I've never been a fan of translation for the sake of simply getting a point across. Especially when it comes to Hispanic Branding and Marketing to Hispanics.

Translation is too narrowly focused and assumptions are made from outside of the intended audience. Your message comes across strictly as a one sided conversation from the provider/seller (outsider/you) and not from your intended audience’s point of view. This is a common pitfall. Think of the times you’ve read assembly directions or a manual in English that was obviously translated from the manufacturer’s country of origin. Not easily digested, is it?

The assumption is made that other cultures and people of different languages think in the same manner that the providing communicator does. This is an important consideration to keep in mind when developing a plan or tactics for communications or any Hispanic Branding strategies. Especially if you’re communicating from English to Spanish. One quick consideration is that if someone prefers to read in Spanish, they are Spanish Language Dominant (SLD).

Alter the conversation (and your materials) so that you are addressing someone whose primary language is not English but they are buying your product(s), or you would like them to buy.

Also, when it comes to Latino consumers, it’s important to know that the Spanish language is not the same across the world, or even in the US for that matter. US Hispanics/Latinos have roots throughout Latin America, the majority being from Mexico. Other countries (and areas) of origin include Caribbean such as Puerto Rico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Central and South American such as El Salvador, Guatemala, Colombia, Peru, etc. Same language, but slightly different usage.

Here’s a quick example- a stop sign in Mexico reads ALTO. A stop sign in Puerto Rico reads PARE. Both of these mean tell the driver to stop, and if you came across one, you’d know you had to stop. However, the one of one is more like HALT, while the other more directly is saying STOP.

Another example to think of is the word COLOR. This is how we use this word in the United States. In the UK it’s COLOUR.

When I click on MS Entourage's Spelling Language and I get 3 choices for English: AUS, UK, US. All English. Again, it’s the same language but with slightly different usage.

See the difference?

Click here to read Lost in Translation Part1 and Part 2.

Cultural Marketing Strategies – Reaching Latino consumers

Perhaps I should call this Lost In Translation, Part 2…*

I recently had a conversation with a prospect who had called and requested an estimate on developing a brochure in Spanish. I quickly realized that this individual was interested in translation of an existing piece, not necessarily cultural marketing strategies for their target audience.

After a preliminary set of questions, here is a brief example of how our dialogue went:

• Prospect: This is what we need: We need the brochure translated.
  
  
• Me: Where is this brochure going and who is the focus on? In other words, is this meant for US Hispanics (Spanish language dominant)? Or is this going to be used outside the US? If so, will it be Mexico or other Latin American countries, and if so, which countries? (I brought this up because they are a company with international as well as domestic divisions)
  
  
• Prospect: Primarily Mexico.
  
  
• Me: Will you be supplying new photos throughout? Are we replacing photography of the Anglo models with Latinos?
  
  
• Prospect: No, there will be no new photos. We will leave it as is. We just need this translated and the layout adjusted to accommodate the translated layout.
  Note: In case you didn’t know, Spanish tends to run a little longer than English

Long story short, we didn’t get the job. Unfortunately, this marketer was interested only in the translation of an existing piece. This individual was not really interested in effectively using cultural marketing strategies in targeting Latino consumers in Mexico, or any other country for that matter. This was seen as too time consuming and would take too much effort.

Time after time, I continue to educate clients and prospects on how to effectively reach Latino consumers, whether it’s the US Hispanic market or in Latin America. It comes down to cultural competency, which is something that is bypassed in merely translating a document and a message. Some people get this, some don’t.

I always admire companies that are doing a good job of effectively marketing to US Latino consumers. More importantly, their client base admires them. Which explains their success and growth in the marketplace.

* Click here to read the original Lost In Translation (Part 1)