The 2010 Census

As the 2010 Census nears, I think back to the last time new census numbers were released. About 10 years ago, it was the top story of the day; people were shocked that Latinos comprised 10 percent of the population and 1/3 of California's population. This year, the U.S. Census Bureau wants to ensure that the entire population is included. In the past, many undocumented immigrants have been fearful of being included in the Census. In 2010, the Census Bureau will receive help from Univision and Telemundo; the networks will inform Latinos about the Census and encourage them to participate.

Currently, Latinos make up 15 percent of the U.S. population and account for nine percent of the total national buying power, the equivalent to one trillion dollars. However, marketing/PR budgets allocated to this market only represent about four percent of the nationwide overall marketing budgets.