By: Alec Fauble withSkyline Magazine Lifestyle.
As cities across the United States celebrated this year with music, food, parades, and cultural gatherings, another movement quietly continued to grow behind the scenes: American brands increasingly recognizing the importance of celebrating and investing in Latin American culture not simply as a marketing trend, but as a meaningful connection with communities shaping the future of the country.
In states like Florida, where Hispanic and Latino communities continue to expand economically and culturally, brands are discovering that authenticity, inclusion, and representation matter more than ever. According to recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Hispanics now represent nearly 20% of the total U.S. population, while Latino purchasing power surpassed $3.7 trillion in recent years, numbers that continue to influence industries ranging from hospitality to entertainment, fashion, food, and luxury beverages.
One brand embracing this cultural bridge is Executive Mezcal, a luxury mezcal company now expanding its presence in Florida under the leadership of entrepreneur and music executive Eric Ruebx Qube Neal.
But for Eric, the story behind the brand goes far beyond business.
“Community is the number one thing for me,” Eric said during an interview with the Editor-in-Chief of Skyline Magazine Lifestyle, Rodrigo Lins. “I’ve always been the kid growing up with friends from different cultures. I had white friends, Hispanic friends, Black friends. I never knew separation. I always knew about inclusion.”
That philosophy became part of his personal mission long before Executive Mezcal was created. Eric even authored a children’s book through his nonprofit focused on inclusion and unity, values he now says are reflected directly in the brand’s identity.
During recent Cinco de Mayo celebrations at Azteca D’oro UCF, Executive Mezcal positioned itself not simply as a beverage sponsor, but as a gathering point where people from different backgrounds could celebrate together. “If you look around, you see everybody from different cultures and different races all in one room celebrating,” Eric explained. “How better are you gonna get than that?”
The emotional connection Eric has with Latin American culture deepened after meeting his business partner during a conference. According to him, what started as a professional conversation soon evolved into a journey of cultural discovery in Oaxaca, Mexico, one of the world’s most recognized regions for mezcal production.
“I went to Oaxaca, and he taught me about the mezcal, but also about the heritage of Mexico,” Eric said. “And I realized the heritage lined up with the heritage I grew up with.” That experience became transformative. As the son of a Puerto Rican father and an African American mother, Eric says he has always lived between cultures, understanding both the beauty and challenges of multicultural identity in America. “My dad’s from Puerto Rico, my mom’s African American, so I’m mixed culture,” he said. “I want kids to be able to look at me and say, ‘I can be that too.’”
Today, Executive Mezcal’s image intentionally reflects Eric’s own lifestyle and journey. The bottle design mirrors his signature style, while the brand itself represents what he describes as “luxury in a bottle”, not only for wealthy consumers, but for dreamers aspiring to build successful futures.
“It’s for the people back home that aspire to live the life I have,” Eric explained. “It’s for the next person that’s me. A little five-year-old kid that can see himself in me.” Industry analysts say this emotional connection between culture and branding is becoming increasingly important in the United States. Studies from Nielsen and Latino Donor Collaborative have consistently shown that younger Hispanic consumers tend to support brands that visibly invest in cultural representation, diversity, and community engagement.
That shift is particularly visible in Florida, where Hispanic-owned businesses continue to grow at one of the fastest rates in the country. Major American companies are now dedicating larger portions of their advertising budgets to culturally focused campaigns, bilingual outreach, and community-centered events tied to Latin American traditions.
For Eric, however, authenticity cannot be manufactured.
“We’re here to make memories and enjoy life,” he said. “Executive Mezcal is an extension of me and an extension of what I believe in.”
The brand’s expansion into luxury spaces including private jets, yacht clubs, exclusive events, and high-end hospitality venues also reflects a broader transformation happening inside American business culture: Latino influence is no longer being treated as niche, it is becoming part of mainstream luxury, entertainment, and entrepreneurship.
Yet despite the success, Eric remains deeply grounded in purpose rather than status.
“Our job is to break the ceiling down,” he said. “I’m just a vessel.”
As the United States continues evolving into one of the most culturally diverse societies in the world, brands that genuinely celebrate Latin American heritage are increasingly becoming part of something larger than commerce. They are helping create spaces where culture becomes connection, where identity becomes empowerment, and where communities feel seen.
And in moments like Cinco de Mayo, surrounded by music, conversation, and people from every background sharing the same room, that vision becomes impossible to ignore.