Key Points:
- Hispanics now account for 20 percent of the U.S. population and generate $4.1 trillion in purchasing power.
- Spanish-language broadcast TV remains essential, especially in multigenerational households where variety shows and sports are popular.
- Ad spending toward Spanish-language websites is under 1 percent of online retailers’ digital budgets, with nearly all spend funneled to YouTube.
Hispanic consumers are emerging as one of the most influential forces in the American media ecosystem, with cultural impact and spending power that extend well beyond traditional audience segments, according to Nielsen’s 2025 Diverse Intelligence Series report.
The study released this week said Hispanics account for roughly 20 percent of the U.S. population and wield more than $4.1 trillion in annual purchasing power — aheir behaviors are reshaping viewing habits, advertising strategies and sports fandom, Nielsen said.
Hispanics are 35 percent more likely than the national average to be cord-cutters, with streaming platforms — particularly YouTube — commanding much of their viewing time, Nielsen reports. Younger audiences lean heavily into mobile-first media experiences, while Spanish-language broadcast remains an important touchpoint in multigenerational households. Variety shows, conversational formats and sports programming continue to resonate, reflecting a preference for family-oriented and culturally relevant content.
Radio and podcasts also play a role: 93 percent of Hispanics are reached monthly by radio, and podcast advertising shows outsized recall and effectiveness.
Representation gaps remain a consistent theme, according to the study: More than half of Hispanic consumers said they wished they saw more people like themselves on social media, with the number rising to 63 percent among Spanish speakers, and a similar percentage expressed a desire for more representation in advertising.
Rather than simply accept the lack of representating in the traditional media and entertainment landscape, Hispanic audiences are producing their own content, participating in the creator economy and uploading their own videos to platforms like TikTok and YouTube, where the barrier to entry and distribution is practically non-existent.
Despite this engagement, ad spending aimed at Spanish-language audiences remains disproportionately low. Nielsen reported that in the first quarter of 2025, online retailers devoted less than 1 percent of their digital ad budgets to Spanish-language websites, with nearly all of that investment funneled into YouTube. While this underscores the platform’s importance, it also highlights untapped opportunities across other services and publishers.
Sports remain a powerful connector, particularly soccer. Hispanics are 39 percent more likely than the overall population to be avid Major League Soccer fans, with 72 percent of Hispanic sports fans identifying as Gen Z or Millennials. Nearly 40 percent of Hispanics already consider themselves FIFA World Cup fans ahead of the 2026 tournament in North America, with higher enthusiasm among first- and second-generation communities.
Nielsen said soccer fandom translates directly into business outcomes, with Hispanic fans more likely to purchase products from brands that sponsor the sport.
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