15 Oct The Many Cultures of AC&M

Today marks the last day of an extraordinary Hispanic Heritage Month. Throughout the past 30 days, we have shared how we worked with our clients to create culturally relevant campaigns in celebration of HHM. We also helped bring Hispanic Heritage Month to the community by proudly supporting the NUEVOlution Exhibit, which premiered at the Levine Museum of the New South.

At AC&M, Hispanic Heritage Month is every month. Our team doesn’t just understand the Hispanic Market, we immerse ourselves in hands-on multicultural experiences every day. We use cultural insights to connect brands with consumers all year long. Each one of us brings our own unique approach to marketing thanks to our varied cultural backgrounds, so we want to take this time to invite you to get to know us better!

It is inspiring to hear the various aspects different people take away from a culture that’s new to them.

What do you like most about the Latino culture?

Gail: The importance of family and celebrations. I have never seen family, love of family, and celebrating the accomplishments of family members given the level of importance that Latino people appear to place on this. It is what makes your culture so warm and inviting … people appear to be invited in as family even if there is no blood shared. It is a beautiful thing.

April: Having Hispanic co-workers is phenomenal. The best part is that I get to learn things every day that I wouldn’t normally otherwise. My favorite thing about Latino culture is the music and dancing. It has such a different style than I am used to hearing and seeing, and everything about it seems like so much fun!

Being able to share the distinctive aspects of your own culture can be just as rewarding as learning about other cultures.

What is your favorite thing about your culture that is unique from other cultures?

Thalia: I think Guatemalans are incredibly friendly and welcoming. I often hear from backpackers that travel to many countries in Latin America that they have the most amazing time in Guatemala, because the people there are so nice and welcoming and make them feel at home.

Nacho: Uruguayan culture is really different and unique compared to that of some of my colleagues here at AC&M. Everything from the accent, to the food and the music is different. There’s not one particular thing that I prefer, but just having the chance to share that with others is great. For such a small country that a lot of people don’t know about, it’s great to be able to be a sort of ambassador and teach others what being Uruguayan is all about, while also learning about their cultures too.

Lucas: My favorite thing about the Brazilian culture is our typical food. Every time I come back to visit my parents I cannot wait to eat a delicious “feijoada” for lunch and some amazing cheese breads (“pão de queijo) for breakfast.

Gio: Puerto Rico is a very small island (111.5 x 39.83 miles) with a big heart! We Caribbean’s are very affectionate, friendly, cheerful and lively. We even clap when the plane we are travelling on lands! Sometimes we are stereotyped as loud, but nevertheless, always characterized as humble people. Puerto Ricans love to help everybody, and that’s one of the things I love the most about our culture—we go out of our way to help others.

Manuel: Diversity. In Colombia everyone is different from each other. Our vast variety of territories and cultures make you have certain behaviors depending on where you were born or raised.

The best way to let your culture shine to others is by simply being yourself.

What is the strongest influence your culture has had on you?

Gricel: The strongest influence my culture has had on me is the idea that family is the most important bond in this world. Even though my family is spread all throughout the country, and we’re not perfect by any means, we never lose our bond and don’t hesitate to drop everything we are doing to help each other out.

Cesar: Etiquette and Behavior: What is considered common courtesy and what is considered impolite. Human Relations: The role and structure of the family. Beliefs and Values: What worthwhile goals in life are. For example getting ahead without expecting any help. Communication: The language we speak.

Pacino: Family Ties: it is the strongest and more rewarding thing my culture has given me. I try to pass it to my daughter so she’ll never feel alone. When I lived in Mexico, I took that for granted; but when I moved here…man it was thought… Even though I was far away the strength of the relationship never whither. And it gives me a sense of belonging that defines who I am… My family is stories, warmth, food and identity…

Carolina: I think my culture has shaped my entire life since a little girl until today, at 32 years old. It still influences me in every aspect of my life and my family member’s lives. From the type of food we eat at home, the languages we speak, the music we listen to, the games we play, and the songs we dance to, my culture plays a huge part.

As you can see, culture and diversity is a key part of what we do here at AC&M. We feel like it makes for a stronger team where we can all learn from each other in many ways.