This month, FCG is proud to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by discussing how we, as marketers, can create touchpoints with this community—driving engagement and connection through activations, resonant branding, and an understanding of the vast heritage across Hispanic communities.

Instead of focusing this month on the facts and buying power Hispanic consumers hold in the U.S. economy, FCG is leaning into what truly matters to this community when choosing the brands they support. We’re grounding our content in a point-of-view lens, capturing the experiences Hispanic consumers want in brands today and how that has changed for Gen Z Hispanic consumers.

To build this relationship, it’s important to understand who this consumer is—their values, traditions, and the aspirations that drive their choices.

Meeting Opportunities Head-on

Connection is key when building relationships with Hispanic communities, that’s where the opportunity lies. To start, knowing the values that matter to them when choosing a brand is essential to not only forming a relationship but a genuine approach. For instance, Resonate found that Hispanic consumers hold strong brand affinity toward companies with family-focused branding. Reflecting the value of family as a key decision maker for the Hispanic consumer.

Another connection point we found through Resonate related to media engagement and the platforms important to Hispanic consumers. Many Hispanic consumers still use TV, both traditional and streaming, as a top media connection for finding which brands to support. According to CNBC, broadcast television continues to be the cornerstone of capturing not only the attention of the U.S. Hispanic market but also a key way to establish trust.

Both insights show us not only those top factors Hispanic consumers look for in their brands, but there is still opportunity within traditional media efforts like broadcast, which remains a central connection to their community.

How we FLOW: Brindis Con Jake Y Coke

Identity matters deeply, with a growing number of younger Hispanics stating they feel more connected to their heritage now than in previous years. This cultural identity is most passionately expressed through food, personal values, and music (according to GWI).

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the FCG team put this insight into action—bringing connection and community front and center with Jack Daniel’s and strengthening the brand’s connection to Hispanic consumers through food, drink, and music.

FCG and Brown-Forman’s Brindis Con Jack Y Coke, inspired by Jack and Coke’s role in bringing people together, brought an intimate experience to life, celebrating influential Latino storytellers in Chicago and Los Angeles. By sparking conversation through social media and building meaningful connections with Latino journalists and influencers, the campaign helped shape a culturally relevant experience rooted in authentic stories, community, and celebration.

The team brought this campaign to life through media dinners hosted at Latino-owned restaurants, featuring Jack Daniel’s-infused menus, Latin-inspired cocktails, and local musicians. Guests were invited into this space to share personal success stories and create meaningful dialogue about Latino representation, all while experiencing fresh interpretations of the classic Jack and Coke.

This campaign connected directly with Hispanic communities across two major cities through a relatable experience rooted in food, culture, and drink. Jack Daniel’s transformed its spirits into cocktails that resonate with this consumer, creating a deeper relationship between brand and consumer by positioning attendees not just as guests, but as ongoing friends and advocates of the Jack Daniel’s brand.

Hispanic Gen Z Redefining Connection

But the way brands earn that kind of loyalty is shifting. Hispanic Gen Z is redefining what brand connection looks like. Unlike previous generations, who largely trusted traditional advertising and in-store experiences, Gen Z’s spending habits are shaped by digital interactions and peer recommendations — and they expect authenticity, transparency, and ethical practices from the brands they support.

That expectation shows up in what actually earns their attention. Hispanic Ad Intelligence has noted that campaigns featuring varied models and customizable products resonate deeply with this generation because they reflect the multifaceted nature of consumer identity. Authenticity must go deeper than the visuals. When businesses openly share their work to fill those diversity gaps and back it with inclusive practices, they build connections that move beyond aesthetics into genuine representation and belonging.

Andrés Palencia, CEO of LatiNation Media, put it simply: this generation is “pragmatic” and “family-influenced,” carefully weighing every purchase and expecting brands to earn trust through real, demonstrated value not just messaging.

Takeaways

This Hispanic Heritage Month, step beyond performative posts and campaigns and truly connect with Hispanic consumers on a level that builds loyalty and lasting relationships. FCG brings this mindset to every campaign and business partnership, leading with the goal of creating a lasting connection and an authentic space.

A few takeaways as we celebrate this month:

1. Lead Through Connection and Relation: Hispanic consumers want brands that focus on family sentiment and build a culturally grounded relationship. This means prioritizing Spanish-language advertisements, media, and products that speak directly to their lived experience.
2. Create Culturally Connected Experiences: Beyond messaging, brands need to design experiences — in-store, online, and in the community — that reflect Hispanic cultural values and traditions rather than treating them as an add-on. Like Brindis Con Jake Y Coke partnering with Hispanic-owned businesses. Taking this a step further by sponsoring cultural events or featuring real community stories instead of generic stock imagery.
3. Follow up Authentic through Actions: Gen Z is no longer accepting passive campaigns to check a holiday off their calendars. They want brands to show up and demonstrate that they understand their culture and reflect that commitment.
4. Commit Beyond the Month: Authentic connection doesn’t end when Hispanic Heritage Month does. Brands that maintain visibility, investment, and cultural relevance year-round build the kind of trust that performative, month-only campaigns can’t, and show the community you’re a true partner. This also builds brand affinity and loyalty.

Sources:

Resonate (2026)
CNBC (2025)
Latino Donor Collaborative (2024)
LatiNation (2026)
Hispanic Ad Intelligence (2025)