For Latinos, their identity is defined by “familia”

A study released by Telemundo media and FAM (Familia Americana Moderna) explored the evolution of the Latino family and found that 86 percent of Hispanics identified the “family” as core to their Latino identity.

Additionally, 81 percent stated that Spanish-language television preserves the language and culture in Latino families and more than 60 percent of Latinos look for information and advice within their family across key product categories such as food, financial services and health products.

“The FAM Study truly reflects the current cultural landscape in America and validates our rebranding strategy anchored on our audiences’ duality between their strong connection to their Latin roots and their contemporary mindset of living in the U.S.,” said Jacqueline Hernández, Chief Operating Officer, Telemundo Media.

With the complexity and nuance of Latino identity, the study sought to find what came to the minds of Latinos when asked to choose what embodies their identity. When asked, “What does it mean to be Latino?,” 86 percent chose family and 41 percent picked home as the top two identifiers. When asked the same question about being American, 56 percent chose economics and 42 percent education.

Latino families also reported that the internet enhances their family connection: 84 percent of respondents said they use search engines every day or a few times a week, with 66 percent connecting with relatives via Facebook and 42 percent using instant messenger to speak with family.

“Seventy percent of people interviewed for this study responded that they watch television with their children, indicating that Latino families believe they benefit greatly from family members’ interdependence,” added Doug Darfield, Executive Vice President of Research and Insights, Telemundo Media.

The study was conducted among over 1,000 Latino adults age 18 and older. Phase one consisted of focus groups in key markets and phase two consisted of a quantitative survey of over with national representation by country of ancestry, gender, age and education.