This weekend I was in Maykoba, Mexico for a very special wedding. When they started developing this region in the 90s, there were 200 species. Now, the ecosystem boasts over 500. It felt like a safari outside my hotel window and it was only 2 short hours away from Miami.
I’ve been enamored with Mexico for some time and I can feel my curiosity turning into a minor obsession. I know I’m not alone in this feeling.
According to the Datassential report, Mexican cuisine has overtaken Italian as young America’s most popular food. Mexican liquor is dominating the spirits category with tequila and mezcal becoming the drinks of choice in the U.S. Mexican beer, too, is outselling all other American brews, crushing the traditional kings.
Mexican music is exploding with stars like Peso Pluma, Grupo Firme, Yahritza y Su Esencia Fuerza Regida, Grupo Frontera, and others rushing the charts and creating the genres of the future. Latin music is dominating the global airwaves in part due to the consumption of music in Mexico and because of all of the music being exported.
Mexico City is believed to be our era’s Paris. It’s where trends in art and cuisine are beginning. Oaxaca is known as the best artisanal food town in the world.
All of these developments are interrelated and connected to the changing landscape of the U.S. Latinos are the nation’s soon-to-be dominant demographic and Mexicans make up over 60 percent of that population. It’s becoming clear that the U.S. will need Mexico’s alliance to retain its superpower status.
From a marketing perspective, to understand Latino sensibilities and incorporate them into your campaigns pays like it weighs. Playing to this growing culture is a win, but nuance is needed. This is an incredibly diverse group that can’t be treated homogeneously. The style and cultural contribution of each country and region will be unique. It’s so exciting to see.
Cheers to Katie & Alex on such wonderful nuptials and for choosing such a joyful place to tie the knot. It was an inspiration in more ways than one. Mexico has so much to offer, and I cannot wait to spend the next couple decades watching it make its mark on the global stage.
Also published on Medium.