Photo: Laura Martinez
Category: Food
Doritos Dinamita: Your Key to the Elusive Hispanic Millennial
Are you trying to reach the elusive Hispanic millennial but not sure how to go about it? I don’t blame you… After all, Hispanic millennials, while similar to regular, non-Hispanic millennials are a “dynamic group of individuals with diverse backgrounds and distinct traits.” Duh.
This and other shocking revelations can be found in this “insightful” (LOL) PR Week piece, which has laid out some awesome marketing tips for brands trying to reach Hispanic millennials. My favorite:
An example of a brand creating a product “para mi” is Doritos’ launch of Dinamita Nacho Picoso, rolled tortilla chips that are similar to taquitos (also known as flautas), a common Latin American dish. This not only illustrates Doritos understands the culture and flavor preferences of this community, but underscores the influence Hispanic Millennials and the Latin palette have on driving mainstream trends and new products.
Other insights inform us that Hispanic millennials “listen to Calle 13 and Jay-Z and eat arroz con pollo and mac and cheese interchangeably,” which is, like great and all, although I’m not sure where the Dorito-Nacho-Picoso-Latin-eating fits in here. You tell me.
The Evolution of Mexican Food in New York City
It is no secret that we (i.e. “The Mexicans”) are taking over the so-called Big Apple. And we are doing this quietly and deliciously, by replacing your Ketchup with salsa; your bagels with tortillas; your apple pie with buñuelos, etc.
But -as we all know- with acculturation comes the making up of words / concepts, so my paisanos over at the Chelsea Street Fair this weekend treated me with a delicious huarche, one I gulped down with 2 liters of Jarrito de Tamarindo.
I love Manhatitlán.
Bilingual, Biracial Couple Romance Over a Pretzel Burger
I’m not a fan of Wendy’s burgers, much less those made with Pretzel bread. But I have to give it to the fast food company, and it’s Hispanic advertising agency Bravo for the below commercial, which by the way is running on both, Hispanic -and non-Hispanic- TV networks.
The commercial belongs to the “Mucho Mejor campaign” featuring a Hispanic family, the Rojos, who embrace both American culture and their Hispanic roots. The Rojo family comprises a bilingual mom and dad with three children ranging from 7 to 16 years-old. Teenage daughter Roselin also dates Dylan, her teenage “mainstream” boyfriend.
Just What This Blogger Needed: A Taco Encyclopedia
For those of you who still think tacos look like this, there’s literary aid coming your way.
Mexican editor Déborah Holtz last night was in Manhattan, presenting La Tacopedia, the result of a five-year taco research documenting everything you’ll ever need to know about tacos: From their origin and their different species, to the brave men and women who make them. “We wanted to make a book that smelled of tacos,” said Holtz, whose book includes -what else?- the recipe for 36 delicious super salsas.
Unfortunately, La Tacopedia is currently available only in Spanish, but this blogger is one crafty freelancer and has decided to stalk Ms. Holtz until she gives me the green light to translate this jewel into English.
[Now, if she doesn’t give me the green light, at least she should provide me with some green salsa.]
7-Eleven Beefs Up its ‘Latin-Inspired’ Food Offering. [Sort of]
It was just a matter of time.
These days, where everything is Latino this and Hispanic that, you cannot just sleep in your laurels and do nada. That is why 7-Eleven, a company which is as American as apple-pie and bad coffee, is all excited beefing up its “Latin-themed” snacks.
Sí señor. As early as this week, 7-Eleven Inc. introduced the Breakfast Empanada Bites, a “Latin-inspired hot foods snack,” which I’m sure are almost as delicious as the 7-Eleven Mini Tacos introduced last year. Per a company press release:
As the fastest-growing U.S. demographic, Hispanics are an important core customer group for 7-Eleven; however, it was the popularity of Latin American foods among all demographic groups spurring the addition of a snack-size breakfast empanada.
But don’t be fooled by their size. These tiny, crescent-shaped pastries are filled with eggs, cheese, bacon, smoked ham and sausage, which I’m sure will go down nicely with a 24 oz. Diet Pepsi.
Oh, and for the underemployed, underpaid Latino in you, they are only $1 for three at at participating 7-Eleven® stores.
Beware the Giant Afro While Driving in Mexico City
And just when I thought the whole Negrito Bimbo marketing couldn’t get any worse, @elderriver this week spotted this Bimbo moving ad in Mexico City.
1983 vs. 2012: Watch the Evolution of the Mexican ‘Negrito’
1983
2012
If you have ever been to Mexico, chances are you’ve eaten or at least seen a Negrito, an ubiquitous chocolate sweet produced by Mexican food giant Grupo Bimbo and sold pretty much in every tiendita around the country.
I ate one as recently as last month, and while the taste has not changed a great deal, its advertising has.
“Mexican” Herbs: Don’t Leave Home Without Them
Organic food marketers will have you believe that us (i.e. The Mexicans) have a way of going about carrying a bunch of essential herbs, including non-essential nor-necessarily Mexican herbs [peppermint leaf, cumin seed, basil and coriander.]
I do carry around some Mexican chili powder, except in Mexico I just call it “chili powder.”
Before ‘Space Oddity,’ Chris Hadfield Showed us Why Tortillas are Better than Bread in Space
It seems to me that everyone and their mother tonight are talking about the amazing ‘Space Oddity’ cover by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield. So I won’t bother you guys with it.
However, much more relevant to this blog is Hadfield’s comprehensive explanation of why tortillas are better than bread in space… (and everywhere else, if I might add.) Watch him walk you through making a “sandwich” in space and behold the floating tortilla.
Dos Equis Cinco de Mayo Special Combo Features Mexican Cuisine [i.e. Chicken Wings]
Speaking of Cinco de Mayo and concoctions that make no sense, Dos Equis is now offering some kind of Cinco de Mayo Combo featuring “Mexican cuisine” (i.e. chicken wings.)
In short: When in doubt (about what’s Mexican or not) just stick a pair of maracas and a colorful sarape in your logo and you’ll be OK.
You’re welcome.
McDonald’s German Mariachi Will Steal Your ‘Herz’ and Make you ‘Lieben’ Chili con Carne
Turns out the Germans are not only fond of Mexican food, but they get all festive and dress up in mariachi costumes and all to celebrate a good ‘chili con carne,’ which is actually not a Mexican dish, but who cares? Any excuse is good to dance around the Straßen waving Mexican flag and all.
Hat tip: @tropicarlitos
…and in case you don’t know what Los Wochos are; Los Wochos are El Chile con Carne, Los Beefos y el Chicken Fiesta.
The Arizona Diamondbacks Lure Hispanic Baseball Fans With Culturally Relevant Hot-Dog
Los Diamondbacks de Arizona, which is Spanish for The Arizona Diamondbacks, have partnered with the local Univision station to offer Hispanic baseball fans the chance to gobble up at the stadium in a culturally-relevant way: With a $7 “Sonora-style hot-dog.”
Per a press release:
The Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) will offer a Sonoran-style hot dog at every home game for $7 at Red Hot Grill locations in sections 126 and 320. In addition, the team has partnered with Univision to offer a special Sonoran Dog Package, El Pa’quetellenes, for only $15 that includes an Outfield Reserve ticket, Sonoran-style hot dog, 24 ounce Pepsi and a coupon for a free cookie from SUBWAY® Restaurants. El Pa’quetellenes, presented by Univision, is available at every D-backs home game and can be purchased online at http://www.losdbacks.com.
For the monolingual crowd, paquetellenes is actually a smart made-up word combining the concept of “combo” with “to be full.” And naturally you’ll be full: The so-called Sonoran Dog “is a hot-dog wrapped in a mesquite-smoked bacon that is grilled and then topped with pico de gallo, ranch-style beans, and a mayo drizzle.”
This is How PETA Wants Latinos to Stop Craving Meat
PETA, the animal rights organization, has launched PETA Latino, apparently because they want my people to stop eating chicharrón, carnitas, chuletas, suadero and all those delicious -and nutritious- foods we’ve been eating since we were toddlers.
I commend PETA on its efforts, but quite frankly if you want Hispanics to stop craving meat, you might want to reconsider putting a naked former Miss Panama on top of a gigantic piece of broccoli. That will just make them toss the veggies and keep the meat.
Just sayin’
Research: Hispanics Love ‘Authentic’ Food, Including Make Believe American Tacos
When it comes to Hispanic eating habits, there is not such a thing as “enough research.” Take the latest from Technomic, a Chicago-based firm that this week revealed that Hispanics are more inclined to dine out than the general market. Really? Yes, really. According to Technomic:
“63 percent of Hispanics surveyed said that restaurants are an “ideal” place to spend time with family, compared to just 52 percent of the general market.”
But that is not all: According to said research, “Hispanics value authenticity in a restaurant too,” which basically means they would pay more food described as “authentic,” which –according to photo editors at the Chicago Business Journal— means American-style, hard-shell tacos.
I don’t know about the rest of you, “other Hispanics,” but my ideal dining out experience looks a little different; it looks really like this:
MI BLOG ES TU BLOG 