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Chances are that by 2015 — the year Latinos make up 50 percent of Tucson's population — businesses won't be devising "Hispanic marketing" plans.

By then, catering to this population will simply be called "marketing."

Just as Spanish is no longer considered a radio format — rather, the language of multiple formats — ad campaigns with a familiar face and language likely will be the norm, experts say.

Some businesses are resistant to taking the plunge into a Spanish-language format, but if they wait until Latinos are the majority, it could be too late, said Manny Molina, president and CEO of Molina Media Group in Phoenix.

"The biggest issue is trust," he said. "Behind closed doors, I think (businesses) still give it lip service. Budgets are always directed at the general population."

Businesses need to gear their message to Latinos, not just translate commercials into Spanish, Molina said.

Bob Feinman, director of Hispanic operations at Clear Channel Radio Tucson, said businesses are responding to the demand.

"I think people are waking up to what the fastest-growing community is," he said. "You have to be blind not to see that."

The demographic shift is something the radio industry has embraced, Feinman said.

"Today, Spanish-language radio doesn't mean a format. It just identifies the language of the station," he said.

Tucson has six Spanish-language stations, three on the FM dial and three on AM. Offerings include Tejano music, talk/call-in shows and sports.

La Caliente KCMT-FM, which plays regional Mexican music, is No. 3 in the Tucson market for listeners 12 years and older, according to figures from Arbitron Ratings Data.