Dive Brief:

• White Castle is partnering with Puerto Rican singer and songwriter Gilmarie on a new Hispanic national ad campaign including the artist's new song, "Make a Bold Move," which was co-commissioned by the fast-food chain, according to a news release. 
• "Make a Bold Move" was released on International Women's Day and is dedicated to the empowerment of young people. It encourages them to "be bold to keep working to achieve their dreams," the release said. The song is available on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, Pandora and YouTube, with proceeds from downloads going to help Gilmarie move to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music. 
• White Castle's Hispanic-focused campaign will feature several versions of TV and radio spots promoting discount combos and the limited-time return of Ghost Pepper Cheese. Gilmarie and her family will also be featured in the commercials. 

Dive Insight:

By showcasing the musical talents of a young artist and sharing proceeds from downloads of her campaign song, White Castle is hoping to tap into the social consciousness of millennials and Gen Z and their desire for authentic marketing. The chain also recently partnered with fashion designer Telfar Clemens on new team uniforms. The partnerships with creative people are part of the chain's push to empower young "Cravers" — a term used to refer to fans of the chain's food — and encourage them to keep working to achieve their dreams. 

White Castle's latest is not only tapping into the Hispanic market, but also focused on raising awareness for the destruction caused by Hurricane Maria last fall and the slow response to clean up. The fast-food chain is using the campaign to help Gilmarie tell her story of pursuing her dream of becoming a singer, which includes having already received a scholarship to Berklee but being unable to attend because of Hurricane Maria. 

Younger consumers, Gen Z in particular, have a strong sense of purpose and feel connected to important causes, and 69% expect brands to help them achieve goals, research from PSFK found. They also expect brands to help them live their true identities, and 30% say they’ve felt excluded by brands because of their identities. Brands also fare well with the younger crowd when they take stances on important issues, and 39% of consumers like brands to donate to social causes and 37% like it when they encourage followers to do the same, according to Sprout Social research.

Marketers aiming to reach younger consumers should follow White Castle's lead in incorporating more diversity, something that millennials and Gen Z appreciate. In 2018, more brands are expected to focus their marketing efforts on Hispanic audiences, according to MediaPost. Featuring Hispanic musical artists in campaigns is one way that brands can create campaigns that resonate with this population.