Varga Urges Marketers: Don’t Rely on Census Bureau Survey Results to Drive Your Hispanic Targeting

Feb. 22, 2011 - PRLog -- LAKE FOREST, California – Varga Media Solutions, Inc., one of the nation’s leading providers of direct to consumer advertising, is urging marketers not to rely on the 2010 census results when determining where to deploy new campaigns targeting the growing Hispanic population in the United States.

Many marketers have been waiting on the 2010 census results in order to reallocate marketing dollars to accommodate concentrated Hispanic markets which are expected to account for nearly 11% of the nation’s total buying power by 2015, according to the Selig Center for Economic Growth.

“What most of these marketers don’t realize is that the data compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau, and the potential it offers to reach a particular audience using modeled demographics, has never been more superfluous in pinpointing today’s Hispanic shopper,” said Casey Conlan, Chief Executive Officer at Varga.

In 2010 the U.S. Census Bureau sent out surveys by mail to households in order to “estimate” their base counts for the next decade. These counts rely upon each household accurately filling out a data questionnaire and then mailing it back to be compiled. Once the results are in, there are several data compilers that specialize in updating census data for small area geographies in between census periods. These companies blend the census data with other inputs, using it to create estimates of consumer demand and segmentation— otherwise known as “modeled data.”

“Instead of trusting in a hit-or-miss census report and subsequent modeled data that is based on estimations and algorithms, we can pinpoint the exact consumers within the Hispanic market that you are trying to reach,” said Catherine Lovell, Varga’s lead Consumer Data Analyst. “For companies who are looking for ways to capitalize on the booming buying power of the Hispanic market census based data just doesn’t offer the detail and accuracy needed to be effective. Consumer behavior measurements such as shopping habits and brand preferences have become as important, if not more important, in determining how to effectively target the ever expanding Hispanic population.”

Varga’s approach to Hispanic targeting goes deeper than the surname, race and ethnicity information that the census collects. Many variables, beside those modeled on census data, are a much more accurate determinate of who has the most potential for purchasing a specific product.  Utilizing their verified data model, Varga’s data acquisition team is able to identify economically-active Hispanic consumers with actionable demographic, psychographic, and transactional information that is updated every 90 days in order to accurately reflect the active market.

“In other words”, explains Lovell, “we target actual Hispanic consumers and leverage their demonstrated buying patterns instead of targeting buckets of people we assume are like-minded and buy the same products simply because they are Hispanic.”



Media Contact:
Kendall DeWitt
kdewitt@vargainc.com
(949) 768-1500

# # #

About Varga
Varga Media Solutions, Inc. is a team of front door marketing experts and consumer targeting specialists who develop and distribute breakthrough, direct-to-consumer advertising campaigns. For more information, visit www.vargainc.com. To learn more about advertising opportunities with Varga Media Solutions, please call 949-768-1500. Follow us on Twitter: @vargainc