Presidential campaigns spend under 5% on Spanish language ads

Presidential campaigns spend only about 5 percent on Spanish language advertising, even in those electorally significant states with large Hispanic populations, according to the Speak Our Language project by the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC). The study by Kantar Media CMAG said that while $358,898,420 was spent by the campaigns from April 1, 2011 – Sept. 25, 2012, $16,410,140 went to Spanish-language advertising. That’s 4.57 percent. “Political commentators from both sides of the aisle have said repeatedly that 2012 is the ‘year of the Hispanic voter.’ And, in fact, Hispanic voters are poised to play a decisive role in some of the most hotly contested battleground states from Nevada to Florida. But you wouldn’t know it from the advertising of our political parties,” said Javier Palomarez, USHCC president and CEO. “Thus far in 2012, both parties seem to be spending comparatively little trying to reach Hispanic voters on the media platforms they prefer. The difference between rhetoric and action is striking and, frankly, troubling.” President Obama’s campaign and supporting organizations spent 9 percent of ad dollars in the 10 states analyzed by CMAG to Spanish-language media. Mitt Romney’s campaign spent more than 4 percent. The same general pattern holds true further down the ballot. In the Senate races taking place in the surveyed states, Democratic candidates and supportive organizations have dedicated 3 percent of their budgets to Spanish-language advertising compared to 1 percent for GOP candidates and groups. At the U.S. House level, Democratic candidates and groups have invested about 12 percent of their ad dollars in Spanish-language, while thus far Republican House campaigns have invested less than 1 percent. “Historically, Spanish-language advertising has represented a relatively small share of all political dollars, said CMAG President Ken Goldstein. “This year, there has been a great deal of speculation that we would see a significant jump in Spanish-language ad spending. That may yet happen, but so far this cycle it appears that ad spending is closer to historical norms than any sort of break out year.” Even states with high percentage Hispanic populations followed the trend. Florida saw 7 percent on Spanish language audiences, while Nevada, where 10 percent of voters are Hispanic, got 5 percent. “The truth is that advertising is the single most effective tool candidates and parties have to communicate their message to voters. So when those candidates and parties fail to advertise on Spanish-language media, it has the practical effect of cutting millions of Hispanics out of America’s political conversation,” said Monica Lozano, CEO of impreMedia. SOURCE United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC).