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"People attend things with their relatives and their compadres (close friends or associates). That’s a very important social category. And the success is due to word of mouth. 'My cousin did this,' that sort of thing." – A Chicago priest’s experiences, as paraphrased by an ethnographer  Active engagement in cultural and artistic practices not only fosters civic engagement, but also can be extremely lucrative. For example, many Mexican immigrants are such avid consumers of music that producers and venues compete actively for their patronage. Operations such as the historic Aragon Ballroom enjoy handsome profits from hosting events catering to the local Latino population. Local businesses take interest in Mexican immigrants not only for their patronage, but also for promotion. Despite the large publicity budgets of some venues, the single most effective way of spreading the word about an event is word of mouth. Individuals and organizations that successfully piggybacked on immigrants’ personal social networks to promote their own messages and products often successfully revitalized their businesses. The power of personal and community-based social networks to influence the behavior of its members is now recognized, even by corporate giants, as the most influential form of advertising. A small investment in the informal arts, such as hosting a poetry reading or quilting group, may ultimately lead to a very large return in the form of increased support from the immigrant community. Diagram this! |
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