Fact: Immigration is not considered a major issue by either Hispanics or non-Hispanics.
Fact: More than half of both groups feel their concerns are not being addressed by elected officials.
Fact: Despite their concern regarding the upcoming presidential election, non-Hispanics are more likely than Hispanics to feel the country is too concerned with politics.
These are some of the truths uncovered in America 2012: What Keeps Us Awake at Night and What Makes Us Dream In a Politically Charged Election Year, a new research study published today by Conill.
Focusing on the concerns, aspirations and political leanings of Americans, the quantitative study shows unexpected similarities and contrasts between Hispanics and non-Hispanics. It analyzes perceptions across a variety of geographies and segments: Republicans, Democrats and Independents; gender and age cohorts; Influencers and non-Influencers.
"We unearthed a variety of insights about what's on peoples' minds, exposing discrepancies between those learnings and the topics around which political discourse is built," said Conill Chief Strategy Officer Verena Sisa. "For example, the subject of illegal immigration typically triggers shockwaves in the Hispanic media landscape, yet Latinos aren't any more concerned about it than non-Hispanics. In fact, of all the concerns tracked, immigration fell at the very bottom of the list among Hispanics."
Other insights from the study with implications for politicians and marketers include:
- Hispanics are more concerned about social issues, including the environment, drug abuse and obesity.
- There is a great sense of optimism among Hispanics, which presents an historic opportunity for marketers whose products and services align for a better future.
- The Hispanic vote will play an even greater role in the 2012 election - not only on the basis of population growth, but with higher self-reported engagement on Election Day as well.
A full version of the study is available at: http://conill.com/assets/whitepapers/AF_050112145053.pdf
An executive summary is available at: http://conill.com/assets/whitepapers/AES_050112145107.pdf