As U.S. Hispanics increasingly turn to social media for news, brands have a new opportunity to connect, but also a responsibility to be a trustworthy source in community feeds.
David Sánchez, Director of Acquisition & Multicultural Marketing at UnitedHealthcare, Individual & Family Plans shares his strategy of "listening with culture" to build authentic relationships.
Sánchez's approach includes initiating creative in Spanish, using data to strategically deploy Spanglish, and finding "neutral influencers" to speak to a diverse Hispanic population.
Looking forward, he identifies platforms like WhatsApp as a "golden ticket" for brands that can authentically integrate their messaging.
For many U.S. Hispanics, social media has become more than a place to share family photos or weekend plans. It’s now a trusted source of information and a window into what’s happening in their communities. As news and updates blend with branded content, companies find themselves in a new position of influence. The same feed that connects cousins and neighbors can now shape public understanding, giving brands both extraordinary reach and an obligation to use it responsibly.
To understand how brands can earn trust in the blur between social and news, we spoke with David Sánchez, Director of Acquisition and Multicultural Marketing for UnitedHealthcare's Individual & Family Plans. With more than two decades in the field, including senior roles at DISH Network, he’s spent his career figuring out what really earns trust. For him, it’s never about flash or volume; it’s about understanding people, culture, and the everyday moments that bring them together.
"Hispanics are naturally social, which is why platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and WhatsApp feel like home to us. We share, connect, and build community there. It’s part of who we are. That’s also why the right influencer can make such a difference. Someone like Eugenio Derbez, who speaks a neutral Spanish and has lived the immigrant experience, connects across borders and backgrounds in a way that feels real," says Sánchez.
Lost in traducción: That linguistic neutrality is significant. The Hispanic community is far from monolithic, and a campaign that lands perfectly in one region can fall flat in another. As Sánchez explains, "Hispanic marketing adds a layer of complexity because certain Spanish words may mean one thing to a Mexican and then mean something else to an Argentine or a Cuban. To reach a broad Hispanic audience, you need a neutral campaign that resonates across cultures. Otherwise, you’re just repeating the same work for every group."
In Sánchez's view, the strategies that resonate with Hispanic audiences are a preview of where marketing is headed. His proof point is WhatsApp, a platform woven into everyday life across Hispanic households. It’s where families share news, send reminders, and stay connected across borders. As Meta experiments with new advertising formats, Sánchez sees it as a space where trust and communication already thrive.
The next big ping: "If a brand figures out how to join that conversation naturally, that’s the golden ticket. Direct communication through WhatsApp isn’t mainstream in the U.S. yet, but within the Hispanic community, it’s already part of daily life. For brands, it’s an untapped gold mine," he says.
The family doctor: That sense of connection extends well beyond the group chat. "For many Hispanics, healthcare is a family affair," explains Sánchez. "A doctor’s visit might include the kids, a parent, even a grandparent, because every choice is made together. It’s a reflection of how deeply family shapes trust and decision-making. And while it’s very unique to Hispanics, you can also carry that insight into other segments and it doesn't alienate non-Hispanics. Family is important when you're making those big decisions."
Many assume Hispanic marketing is just about swapping English for Spanish, but it’s far more nuanced than that. True connection comes from understanding culture, not just language. As Sánchez puts it, it starts long before translation. It starts with listening.
Listening with culture: "Language alone isn’t enough. The key way to connect with the Hispanic audience is not through language, it’s through culture. It’s making sure that you’re bringing cultural insights into your messaging," says Sánchez. That philosophy, which he calls "listening with culture," goes far beyond translation. It’s about finding the emotion behind the message and understanding how it lands within a community. His team often flips the traditional process, starting creative in Spanish and then translating it back into English. The result is messaging shaped by lived experience, not filtered through it.
Show me the dinero: His approach to the growing trend of using Spanglish in advertising is a study in data-driven precision. His team launched a pilot in San Antonio, a market chosen by the numbers: not only is about 60% of the population Hispanic, but of those, a full 75% are bilingual. The strategy aims to authentically reflect how the community communicates. "It’s about reflecting how people really speak. You mix in words like vámonos, familia, and dinero, terms that even non-Hispanics recognize. You don’t want to overdo it, but when it’s done right, it feels natural, authentic, and inclusive all at once."
Social media gives brands an open invitation into people’s daily lives, but with that access comes responsibility. In feeds where news, opinions, and personal updates blend together, credibility becomes the true measure of influence. What people see shapes what they believe, and that power can have real consequences.
"I’ve seen how much trust people put into what shows up on their feeds," Sánchez says. "When an influencer or a brand feels genuine, people act on it. That’s powerful, but it also comes with a responsibility to get it right."
