All Inclusive: Lisa Fernández on Capturing the Cultural Subtleties of Language

Representing top-notch award-winning directors, ALTERED.LA understands that client growth depends on authentically engaging the ever-growing U.S. Hispanic market—now with a GDP surpassing $3.6 trillion. To do it right, the production company believes Hispanic representation both in front of and behind the camera is essential.

For this series with LBB, ALTERED.LA is speaking to representatives from the biggest agencies in the industry to see what they too are doing to advocate for more authentic bicultural storytelling, how this will grant the next generation of Hispanic talent a foot in the door and why this will result in greater Latin representation within the general US market overall.

Kicking off the latest edition of the series is Lisa Fernández, a celebrated copywriter at Deutsch. Lisa’s impressive resume includes stints at Republica Havas and A+E Networks Latin America, and she has garnered a wealth of bilingual experiences while catering to both English and Spanish speaking audiences. These experiences make her an exemplar authority to share some wisdom on the tried and true methods of impactful and authentic bicultural marketing, and shed further light on the purchasing power of the Latin community.

LBB> As a bilingual copywriter, how do you balance the nuances of both Hispanic and general market cultures when writing copy for a campaign? Can you share any specific challenges or opportunities this presents in your creative process?

Lisa> A common mistake that some brands make is thinking that simply translating a campaign from English to Spanish will connect with the audience just because it's in their language. It's more complicated than it seems, as we recently saw with the movie ‘Emilia Pérez’, which was made by a foreign director who admitted to not having researched Mexico at all—and it showed. The translations were poor and generic, and some scenes didn’t accurately represent the country, among many other flaws. This sparked a lot of controversy because, just like with brands, if you don’t truly understand the local context and customs, the message won’t resonate or, worse, it could create a negative perception of the brand.

The challenge is that it’s not just about translating words; it’s about capturing the expressions, rhythms, and key moments that connect with each audience. For example, a phrase like “Spill the beans” in English doesn’t translate the same in Spanish; “derramar los frijoles” doesn’t have the same impact. Instead, in Spanish, we use “tirar la sopa” or “contar el chisme,” which feel much more authentic. And this is just one of the reasons why it’s so important to have a copywriter who truly knows the audience, either from personal experience or by learning from them.

With copywriting, the fact Spanish tends to be longer than English presents another challenge. It can be tricky in different formats, especially those with a lot of dialogue, where the rhythm and timing needs to work well in both languages. Sometimes phrases need to be adjusted, but without losing the meaning or tone.

The trick is using expressions and vocabulary that the audience understands and recognises. If you do it right, you know the message is landing where it should.

LBB> How do you ensure that the messaging in your campaigns feels both authentic and relatable to Hispanic audiences, while still resonating with the wider US market? How important do you think it is to capture the cultural subtleties of language in your work?

Lisa> When you’re creating campaigns for both Latin audiences and the general market, it’s all about balance. You want to keep things real for the Latin crowd, but also make sure it resonates with everyone else. What works for me is focusing on universal emotions and experiences, like food or music, that speak to both groups.

For example, I worked on a campaign where we were targeting both general and Latin audiences. We centred around a happy food dance while eating, which might be something very specific to Latin culture, but food is a universal experience and this moment of pure joy is something everyone can connect with. We made sure to cast a mix of people to represent our diverse audiences, mixed American and Latin dishes, and picked a Spanish song that’s well-known in the U.S. That way, we brought them together in a way that felt natural.

Capturing the cultural subtleties of language is key. There’s a special kind of feeling Latin audiences have with certain things, and to make sure your message lands, you’ve got to know that. At the same time, you want to make sure the language is relatable for the broader audience, too, so it doesn’t feel too niche.

LBB> From your perspective, as a bilingual creative, how do you think more Hispanic voices in creative roles can impact the quality of campaigns targeted to the Hispanic community? What value does diverse storytelling bring to a brand’s overall message?

Lisa> From my perspective, the impact of having more Hispanic voices in creative roles is huge. Storytelling is what makes connections happen, and those connections come from the minds of people who truly understand the audience. When brands tap into that, they’re not just reaching an audience; they’re creating a real bond.

A lot of times, brands underestimate the purchasing power of the Latin community. They focus on the general market, but they miss out on what could be a huge opportunity. We’re consumers, too. We buy products, we invest in experiences, and we’re a major force in the country’s economy. If brands took the time to speak to us authentically, they’d see real growth. Think about how many brands that don’t even target us are bought by our community out of habit or just because they haven’t tried anything else. Now, imagine if those brands actually invested in marketing that truly connects with us, or even if their competitors had seized the opportunity. That’s how you build loyalty and turn a brand into a loved brand.

Ultimately, it’s the minds behind the work, multicultural creatives who truly get us, that create those lasting connections. When you get it right, it can turn into real brand love and long-term sales.

LBB> In your experience, how has the demand for more bicultural and bilingual creatives evolved at agencies like Deutsch? What do you think needs to change within creative teams to better reflect the growing influence of Hispanic audiences in mainstream media?

Lisa> Some brands prefer to keep everything under one roof, while others turn to Hispanic independent agencies for more focused marketing.

At Deutsch, I’ve seen the agency grow by showing clients the value of having an internal multicultural-focused team. When I first started, the demand for culturally relevant multicultural work was still growing, and over time, we've seen the internal presence of Hispanics increase to meet that demand. Brands are starting to realise the value in authentically connecting with this audience. We're showing them how they can benefit from a multicultural-focused team in-house.

It’s not just about us creatives, either. It's about Hispanic producers, media, accounts, and other key players all playing important roles. From my perspective, us Hispanics need to have a voice in the room. Our needs, perspectives, and insights should be heard and validated by everyone involved. On the client side, it’s also essential to have someone who truly understands the Hispanic audience, so communication with the agency’s multicultural team is seamless. Without that understanding, explaining why a certain insight or approach works can be overwhelming.

At the end of the day, when brands invest in diverse teams and ensure that the right people are in key positions, they can create campaigns that authentically connect with the audience and really drive impact.

LBB> What advice would you give to bilingual or bicultural creatives looking to enter the advertising industry? How can they ensure they’re bringing their unique perspectives to the table in a way that influences authentic storytelling?

Lisa> A mistake I made at the beginning was doubting myself and feeling like I had to prove I belonged, especially when it came to English. When you enter an agency where most people are from here and English is their first language, it’s easy to second-guess yourself.

I used to feel embarrassed about my accent, worried about making mistakes in English, and maybe even tried to tone myself down. But over time, I realised that was just imposter syndrome talking. Being bilingual is a huge advantage. My accent, instead of something to hide, became a point of pride. I even started speaking Spanglish, which helps me find balance and is now part of my personality! Always carry your heritage, and by this, I mean our music, our traditions, all of ourselves with confidence, and shine the way only we Latinos know how. We bring energy, joy, drive, and passion to every team we’re part of. We are chingones, and we show it every day in our work.

Put yourself out there. Manifesting alone won’t take you as far as you’d like. You have to actively make things happen. I reached out to people in the industry, networked, entered every possible student competition, and showed up at events. But more than anything, be kind to everyone and stay true to who you are. There’s a huge opportunity for us in general market agencies too, and I’d love to see more of our community here.