Code-Switching vs. Spanglish For Advertisers

Hispanics have turned out to be the preferred target of many future-focused brands in America.

It’s no secret that the next largest consumer segment will have a big impact on marketing efforts in the years to come. As culture has evolved, communicating with Hispanics has evolved as well. Spanglish and Code-switching are both major elements in the evolution of how Hispanics express themselves, but there are important differences between these two impactful components of the culture.

Code-switching is the art of jumping from one language or style of speaking to another, depending on your environment. According to ThoughtCo, Code-switching occurs more often in conversation than in writing and is used to mark switching from informal situations to formal ones. While Spanglish is the active mixing of both Spanish and English within the same sentence. Spanglish is ever-evolving, and there are no universal rules on how to use it correctly. A major characteristic of Spanglish is the “borrowing” of words from one language to another, such as janguear to refer to hanging out or parquear to parking.

Gentefied, an LA-based Netflix Original about gentrification, exemplifies what Spanglish is all about, the mixing of two languages in one culture and creating conversations only available to bilingual speakers. For example, the series uses language like, “Con esos Landlords que nos quieren convertir en Ramen spots”, which translate to: "those landlords that want us to turn into Ramen spots". Blatantly intermingling language and culture.

A great example of Code-Switching in advertising is how Wells Fargo leveraged the behavior in some of its Hispanic-focused TV spots. In 2015, they presented “Gaby,” a spot featuring a family that runs an at-home business. The family speaks Spanish among themselves and English when addressing anyone externally, showcasing how effortlessly Hispanics switch back and forth.

While both Spanglish and Code-Switching are commonplace among younger Hispanics, Code-switching provides a safer space for advertisers to play in. Primarily because it does not come with the baggage/divisiveness of Spanglish. Although it’s a prominent part of language for younger Hispanics, the more traditional (often older) crowd may consider it “street slang” and even attribute it to laziness or disrespect.

Everything comes into play when communicating with Hispanics. Context and terminology are key areas of due diligence for brands who want to deliver their message in a more impactful way. Code-Switching represents a smaller margin of disapproval than Spanglish and it's used to express words that don't have a direct translation or are often the best available choice for what bilingual Hispanics want to say.

by Andres Talavera, Conill, May 11