An article today in eMarketer trumpets the fact that Spanish-language TV was the second fastest growing area in media in 2006 (after Internet), but at the same time notes that only 3.2% of all national TV and print ads are in Spanish.

The article then goes on to cite that Fisher Price has stopped advertising in Spanish as evidence that advertisers don’t find Spanish-language advertising effective and don’t believe that Hispanics have disposable income.

It seems that the 3.2% number is more an indication that this is still a very young market with lots of room to grow. I think the more interesting numbers are 16.6% and $5.6 billion. Those are the growth rate of Spanish language TV and print advertising in 2006 and the total size of that market.

Listen to anyone at a Hispanic ad agency these days and they’ll tell you that they’re competing with the big general market agencies who are falling all over themselves to get into Hispanic advertising. Although this market is small, advertisers aren’t stupid. They see the demographic trends. They know that Hispanics are the fastest growing ethnic demo in the country and have almost a billion dollars in spending power.

Fisher Price will come back around. Or lose their shirts.

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