The Strategy Skills Podcast: Strategy | Leadership | Critical Thinking | Problem-Solving

556: Award-Winning Strategist Hernan Tagliani on What Brands Get Wrong About Multicultural Marketing

Jun 2, 2025

Hernan Tagliani, a multicultural marketing expert and award-winning strategist for Fortune 500 companies, dives into the critical intersection of culture and commerce. He argues that many brands miss long-term growth by neglecting multicultural strategies and misconceptions about Hispanic consumers. Hernan emphasizes the concept of 'transcreation' over mere translation and shares success stories of building trust with communities. He also discusses the evolving role of AI in achieving cultural relevance and the importance of risk-taking in personal and professional growth.

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ANECDOTE

Hernan's Agency Start Story

Hernan started his agency focusing on the Hispanic market from his home with one client in Orlando, Florida.
Over nearly 20 years, he grew it to serve Fortune 500 companies and become a multicultural marketing leader.

ADVICE

Culture Over Language Matters

Focus on culture over language when engaging Hispanic consumers to trigger authentic emotional responses.
Use data and research to understand consumer DNA and nurture long-term relationships, beyond just the sale.

INSIGHT

Family & Trust Drive Loyalty

Hispanic consumers are family-driven with strong values and pride in heritage, often making family-based purchase decisions.
Trust earns loyalty across generations, making cultural understanding essential for brand engagement.

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What if cultural relevance isn’t just a marketing strategy but a business imperative?

In this episode, I speak with Hernan Tagliani, a multicultural marketing expert, award-winning strategist for Fortune 500 companies, and author of The Hispanic Market for Corporate America and Multicultural Mainstream, that explains how brands can drive lasting growth by truly understanding and serving Hispanic consumers.

Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Hernan shares how he rebuilt his career from the ground up after moving to the U.S., started his agency with a single client, and went on to lead multicultural strategy for some of the world’s most recognizable brands. His approach? Culture before language. Data before assumptions. And storytelling that builds trust, not just transactions.

We explore:

Why many brands are missing out on long-term growth by overlooking multicultural strategy
The biggest myths corporate leaders still believe about U.S. Hispanic consumers
Why translating a campaign isn’t enough and how “transcreation” builds loyalty across generations
How Hernan helped a national brand go from pilot campaign to national success by earning trust first
What it takes to create a brand that reflects, and respects, the communities it serves
How AI and digital media are reshaping what it means to be culturally relevant in real time

Hernan also shares personal insights on leadership, reinvention, and why taking risks, even when it’s uncomfortable, is key to becoming a purpose-driven entrepreneur.

Whether you’re building a brand, scaling a business, or trying to connect with today’s fastest-growing consumer segment, this episode offers practical strategies and a powerful reframe on what it means to lead with culture, not just campaigns.

Get Hernan’s book here: https://rb.gy/jjvvs4

Multicultural Mainstream: The Power of Hispanics In Consumer Marketing

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