Unpacking Super Bowl LVIII Ads - Latinos nearly absent again

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- "The ads still don't reflect the world we live in", says Dr. Ines Poza, who has been tracking ethnic representation in Super Bowl ads over the course of her communications career.

Of the roughly 90 commercials included during Super Bowl LVIII, only three featured Latino protagonists (Doritos, Michelob, Scratchers), two of them using celebrities. Seven more (He Gets Us, Lindt, Poppi, Toyota, Dunkin, Copilot and Wells Fargo) featured Latinos in protagonist ensembles. This is compared to about 180 Caucasians featured in solo or ensemble protagonist roles. (Ads for TV shows, movies or the NFL weren't included in the counts.)

"We're where we were 20 years ago regarding Latino representation", says Dr. Poza, "And, except for Toyota's 'Dareful Handle', where one actor yells, '¡NO ME GUSTA!' it was hard to tell who is Latino." This is because in the few instances Latinos are included, lighter skinned actors are usually cast.  Dr. Poza explains why this is problematic. 

"The majority of the nearly 64 million Latinos living in the U.S. are darker skinned, indigenous looking. This is because indigenous looking people are over-represented among the poor and disadvantaged throughout Latin America. They're the ones who struggle to come here. When the few Latinos featured in ads are lighter skinned, aside from not reflecting the U.S. population, it sends a message that darker skinned people are not worth representing."

Dr. Poza continues, "While Black representation is up from last year, Asians are even more invisible than Latinos with only two ads featuring Asian protagonists."

The real problem as Dr. Poza sees it is, "The majority of brands are still missing out on the fundamental way to connect with consumers – showing they 'get' the world we live in." What about CBS's partnership with Univision that delivered a record number of viewers?  "That's great, but it's no substitute for delivering on clever and effective ethnic representation. If done right, it not only shows you're in touch with the real world, but also organically leads to the kind of fun, ground-breaking ads we expect from the Super Bowl." Dr. Poza concludes, "Let's see what next year brings."

Ines Poza, Ph.D. is Director of Poza Consulting Services in Santa Monica, CA providing market research and strategic planning for the Total Market. Contact Dr. Poza at [email protected].

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SOURCE Poza Consulting Services