Latino and Hispanic can be used interchangeably in most situations, although there are people who dislike the term Hispanic, while others don't like Latino and ask, "Aren't Brazilians also Latinos?"

In Hispanic marketing circles, yes, we do use the term Hispanic, we talk about the Hispanic Market, and when our clients communicate with their markets, we usually have them address them as the Latino community.

In Spanish, both latino/latina and hispano/hispana are used. For example, the proper translation of Hispanic Heritage Month into Spanish is Mes de la Herencia Hispana. A few years ago I did a survey of Latino opinion leaders (friends and colleagues from around the U.S.) about which Spanish version they liked best for Hispanic Heritage Month. Most of them preferred Mes de la Herencia Hispana. The next favorite was Mes de la Hispanidad, then Mes de la Cultura Latina, Mes Latino, Mes Hispano, and several others.

Other Quick Reads:

Which Dialect of Spanish?

Spanish is the language that many Hispanics in America speak, read and write. It is a strong unifying force for the Latino community in the U.S. Yet, there are national and regional differences in speech and vocabulary.

This is partly why country of origin can be an important factor when developing Hispanic communications.

In my experience and professional practice, most messages are written and delivered in neutral Spanish -- a version of Spanish that, while still Latin American and with a slant toward Mexican Spanish (the clear majority of U.S. Latinos), is readily understood by most Hispanic consumers.

About Spain: There are major differences between Latin American Spanish and Spanish in Spain, just as is the case with three other European languages in the Americas: English (American vs. British), Portuguese (Brazil vs. Portugal) and French (Québec vs. France).

To hear what neutral Spanish sounds like, listen to the first three clips in this video.

To read something written in neutral Spanish, see the PuroNetworking page.