Mazda’s latest ad campaign targets Hispanic consumers – in Japanese

US – The automotive brand is focusing on the consumer demographic most ostracised by Trump’s administration.

The campaign plays on the brand’s Japanese origins with ads that are initially communicated entirely in Japanese, before reverting to English and Spanish. Recent research conducted by the brand found that while Hispanics identify Mazda as an Asian company they are often unaware of its Japanese origins.

‘The Hispanic community has a great affinity and trust for Japanese brands, [which they associate with] craftsmanship and quality,’ says Russell Wager, vice-president of marketing for Mazda’s North American operations.

The campaign features a combination of Japanese and American tropes, such as a sushi chef and a baseball player, to better connect the two cultures, but moves away from the Made in America theme that many brands have adopted in recent times.