In annual planning meetings, brands and retailers consider whether and how to launch a campaign for moments like Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM). How will it be received? Is it worth the investment? Does it drive true cultural authenticity and business value? Our June 2026 wave of the US Diverse Consumer Pulse Study offers direct answers.
How will it be received?
Consumers strongly indicate curiosity and openness. Half of Latino consumers say brands and retailers should run HHM campaigns because it is an important cultural moment. Another quarter say yes, provided it is done authentically. That is three in four consumers inviting brands and retailers to engage. Among the broader General Population, roughly 60% say the same. Latinos want their culture embraced and celebrated, and other consumers want to experience that celebration.
The foundation is solid. Ninety-two percent of Latino consumers know what HHM is or have at least heard of it. About seven in ten General Population consumers voice similar awareness. This is not a niche observance that requires introduction.
Is it worth the investment?
The activations are getting noticed. Seventy-three percent of Latino consumers report awareness of brands or retailers promoting HHM, as do 57% of General Population shoppers. Latino consumers are not only seeing these campaigns; many are actively looking for them.
Latino consumers are willing to give brands the benefit of the doubt, but not a free pass. Seventy-four percent say HHM activations are at least sometimes authentic, yet the largest share, 39%, say they are only sometimes authentic, depending on the brand. Consumers are open to HHM campaigns, but authenticity is judged brand by brand.
Related Article: The Growth Opportunity Hiding in Independent Latino Grocery
Does it drive value?
Product and origin are top priorities:
- Culinary tradition (56%): Flavors and products rooted in real Latin traditions are the primary indicator of authenticity.
- Hispanic suppliers (38%): Partnerships with Latino-owned brands and businesses.
- Bilingual content (34%): Spanish-language or bilingual messaging.
- Year-round commitment (30%): Consistent shelf presence year-round, not just in September.
For brands, distributors, and independent grocers, this is encouraging news. The strongest authenticity signals are things this industry already controls: what is on the shelf, and who supplied it. A regional Mexican line, a Dominican brand given strong placement, or a co-branded end cap with a local manufacturer will register in a way a themed social post never will. The reward is not narrow: 45% of General Population consumers name culinary authenticity as well.
So, the planning-meeting question is not whether to show up in September. It is what you will have on the shelf and whether it is still there in January. Embracing Hispanic heritage needs to be a year-round commitment if brands want HHM activations to drive real value.
