Posted by Elena del Valle on March 30, 2006
John Burn Marante, managing director, The Marketing Bodega
Photo: The Marketing Bodega
Chicago, Illinois – The Marketing Store, a Chicago based branding company, launched The Marketing Bodega to reach the Latino consumer market. Basing their concept on the premise that a bodega (Spanish for small store) symbolizes “a unique shopping experience” the company hopes to offer brand managers and marketing directors the opportunity to target the Hispanic and Latino mindset.
“When a Puerto Rican immigrant needs a pound of ground beef, she drops by her local Kroger supermarket. But when she wants some tamarind fruit to make a refreshing beverage on a hot summer afternoon, she heads to a local bodega,” said John Burn Marante, managing director, The Marketing Bodega. “Similarly, you get unique things from Bodega’s creative approach, which you don’t get from other mass market agencies. It’s about going beyond demographics and making an emotional connection with your Latino consumer mindsets. Customizing your brand essence to fit this unique emotional landscape and avoiding stereotypical mass communication, which leaves the Hispanic consumer saying, ‘they speak my language, but they don’t understand me,’ is at the core of The Marketing Bodega’s strategy.”
“The Hispanic and Latino cultures are not the target but rather the inspiration that provides the strategic creative direction for Bodega. We have been applying this unique approach to our most experienced multicultural clients (Miller Brewing Company, McDonald’s and Coca-Cola) and now will open up to those experienced Hispanic brand marketers,” said Clive Maclean, president U.S. Agency Services, The Marketing Store. “Marketers who understand the importance of going beyond numbers and obtaining substantial results by creating a human connection that The Marketing Bodega’s creative teams will bring to their businesses.”
Burn Marante has spent the majority of his career overseeing and marketing global brands like Heineken and Diageo throughout South and Central America. The Marketing Bodega will be staffed by its own creative and account management teams.
The Marketing Store specializes in Brand Activation™, a process for bringing the spirit of brands to life. A 450-million-dollar global agency headquartered in Chicago and with offices in the UK (London, Leeds and Birmingham), Paris, Hong Kong, São Paulo, Toronto and Sydney, The Marketing Store activates brands for clients such as McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Miller Brewing, Nissan, General Mills Incorporated, Best Buy and PetSmart.
Posted by Elena del Valle on March 29, 2006
Tom Anderson, managing partner, Anderson Analytics
Photo: Tom Anderson
Stamford, Connecticut – Companies trying to increase sales by understanding who buys what, sometimes rely on analysis of target markets and buying trends. The North American automotive industry is among the many industries and companies seeking to understand an important and growing market segment: Hispanic youth.
In a study presented recently at the 2006 ESOMAR Automotive Conference in Lausanne, Switzerland, a representative from Anderson Analytics looked at economic potential, identification of causal differences, and reachability, in order to determine whether this segment merits a unique marketing approach. Anderson’s analysis of the quantitative and qualitative data made a strong case in support of targeting Hispanic youth with a unique and differentiated marketing strategy.
The research showed that the Hispanic youth segment should be targeted based on standard targeting criteria. The segment, economically attractive and growing faster than any other demographic group, has different psychological needs and attitudes related to cars from mainstream groups. Proponents argue that although Hispanic youth tend to be bilingual, and it is possible to reach the majority via mainstream English media, they are reachable in other ways, and clearly warrant a specific strategy.
“Hispanic teens are indeed a growing target for car makers,” said Tom Anderson, managing partner, Anderson Analytics. “We found that innovative marketers willing to take advantage of the more creative media channels such as websites or magazines catering to Hispanic Youth or via viral marketing could have much greater success reaching this market.”
“The findings are unique in that they combine advanced research techniques with the cultural awareness and sensitivity needed to truly understand this otherwise hard to reach segment. This study is a perfect example of how to successfully model the impact of cultural differences in today’s multi-ethnic business environment,” said Frank Leinweber, director, TNS Automotive, and co-presenter of the findings.
The TNS Teen Auto Survey, conducted by TNS in English and Spanish in 2004, was administered to 1,307 US youth, 290 who identified themselves as Hispanic. In January 2006, Anderson Analytics conducted projective interviews with an additional 236 youth, 12 percent of which identified themselves as Hispanic.
Anderson Analytics is a full service marketing consultancy, providing quantitative and qualitative solutions. TNS is a market information group. One of the world’s largest custom research companies, TNS operates a global network spanning 70 countries and employs more than 13,000 people. It provides market information and measurement, together with insights and analysis, to local and multinational organizations.
Posted by Elena del Valle on March 28, 2006
The 3rd Annual Multicultural Marketing for Financial Services and Insurance Companies conference, organized by the Wolburn, Massachusetts based Center for Business Intelligence (CBI), is scheduled to take place April 20-21 at the Marriott New York at the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. The event, co-sponsored by The Wall Street Journal and the Hispanic Marketing & Communication Association, HMCA, is expected to draw 120-150 attendees.
Presenters will address issues related to marketing financial services to multicultural markets including Hispanics. According to event organizers seven of 18 presentations will be Hispanic market specific and other presentations will include Hispanic markets. Sponsored presentations represent approximately 10 percent of the program. The cost of admission is $1895.
“CBI’s goal is to create a forum for unbiased learning and sharing of information,” said Jennifer Jansen, program manager for the conference.
Invited speakers include: Tariq Khan, vice president, Marketing Development and Diversity Nationwide Financial Network; Rebeca Vargas,vice president, director of Hispanic Markets, Global Consumer Group, Retail Banking North America, Citigroup; Lily Fong, director, Multicultural Markets, Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America; Cristian Sandoval, vice president, Hispanic and Multicultural Marketing Manager, National City Corporation; Michael Marx, vice president, Research Services Visa USA; Maylene G. Moneypenny, translation program manager, Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Florida (BCBSFL); and Babette A. Honore, assistant director, Market Development, Northwestern Mutual.
Some of the topics addressed this year include: Developing Strategic Approaches to Your Multicultural Marketing Initiative; Ethical, Legal, and Public Policy Considerations; Case Examples of Effective Initiatives – Marketing to Key Diverse Segments – African-American, Latino, Asian-American, GLBT; Building the Business Case for Multicultural Initiatives; Best Practices from the top 50 companies for Diversity; Health Insurance – the Latino Market Focus; Determining links between employee diversity and customer diversity; and Developing a strategy to identify targeted organizations, diverse communities and centers of influence. For conference information or to register visit CBInet.com
Founded in 1994 in Boston, CBI Research, Inc. is dedicated to developing market-driven, conferences in pharmaceuticals, biotech, medical devices, risk and insurance and managed care markets. CBI Research, Inc. offers conferences and summits targeting senior executives and government officials by providing a platform for highly focused content and presentation.
Posted by Elena del Valle on March 27, 2006
The newly launched HispanicMPR.com podcast is mentioned in an article by Mariana Lemann on the latest podcasts in this month’s issue of Marketing y Medios magazine. The article, entitled “Podcasts Grow and Attract New Listeners,” appears in the print and online editions of Marketing y Medios
Posted by Elena del Valle on March 27, 2006
Gloria P. Ruiz, Ph.D., department chair, Communication Arts, English and Humanities, St. Thomas University
Photo: Gloria P. Ruiz, Ph.D
A podcast featuring an interview with Gloria P. Ruiz, Ph.D., department chair, Communication Arts, English and Humanities, St. Thomas University in Miami, Florida, is available in the Podcast Section of Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations, HispanicMPR.com. During the podcast, she discusses the University’s Hispanic media graduate program with Elena del Valle, host of the HispanicMPR.com podcast.
Dr. Ruiz’ work includes designing and managing media and multicultural projects. She served as producer of “The Network” a live, interactive, multicultural and multilingual television tutorial program for middle and high school students in San Francisco which at that time was recognized as the most watched cable access program of record in that area. As promotions director and general manger in Los Angeles for American Cable Systems, she was instrumental in developing the first bilingual cable guide for the area and developed Spanish language programs for employees and the public through public access. She instituted Latinos in Cable, an organization that educated the cable television industry about Spanish speaking cultures and their market potential.
Dr. Ruiz, is professor in Communication Arts at St. Thomas University in Miami, Florida. Prior to her work at St. Thomas, Dr. Ruiz was a Title VII Fellow at Stanford University. In 2001 she was a faculty fellow with the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE). In 2004, Dr. Ruiz was a fellow for the American Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE) and completed her Fellowship at The Miami Herald. Recently, Dr. Ruiz developed the master of arts in Communication Arts with a Hispanic Media specialization. Dr. Ruiz’s research interests address multiculturalism and diversity issues as they relate to communications; she is exploring Asian portrayals in American media.
To listen to the interview, scroll down until you see “Podcast” on the right hand side, then select “HMPR Gloria Ruiz, Ph.D.,” hit the play button or download it to your iPod or MP3 player to listen on the go, in your car or at home. You can also subscribe to the podcast by right clicking over the podcast box and selecting “copy shortcut” then inserting the URL address in the podcast section of your iTunes program listed under the “advanced” column. The podcast will remain listed in the March 2006 section of the podcast.
Posted by Elena del Valle on March 24, 2006
Yahoo! Postman
Photos: Yahoo!
Sunnyvale, California – Yahoo! Inc. introduced a new public beta of its instant messaging suite, Yahoo!® Messenger with Voice including enhanced PC-based calling capabilities. Yahoo! is casting a broad net, cross-promoting this new service in all of its properties, including Yahoo! en Español and Yahoo! hoping to interest Hispanics among other groups. According to the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Hispanics collectively spend close to $8 billion for telephone services a year.
The new Phone Out, Yahoo! representatives say, will allow U.S. consumers to make low-cost Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls using their PC to call traditional or mobile phones in more than 180 countries. Calls within the U.S. and to more than 30 countries can be made for two cents a minute or less.
Additionally, U.S. consumers can receive calls on their PC from traditional and mobile phones for $2.99 a month or $29.90 a year with the Phone In feature. Phone In gives users a virtual presence in their city of choice, and portable phone service wherever they travel.
The new PC-based calling features were initially introduced to international users in December 2005, and will continue to be rolled out in localized versions. The enhanced Yahoo! Messenger with Voice features will also be introduced into Yahoo!’s co-branded Internet access services, including AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet, in the coming months.
Brad Garlinghouse, vice president, Communications Products, Yahoo! Inc.
“Yahoo!’s top priority is to provide a stellar communications service through a variety of easy, fun and inexpensive ways to stay connected with others around the world,” said Brad Garlinghouse, vice president, Communications Products, Yahoo! Inc. “We look forward to further incorporating voice features into Yahoo!’s global services, from communications to search, to help simplify and improve the Internet experience for our hundreds of millions of users around the world.”
In the beta service, country-based phone numbers are initially available in France, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Additional country-based numbers are expected in the coming months.
Headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, Yahoo! Inc. is a leading global Internet brand and one of the most trafficked Internet destinations in the U.S. More information about the service is available at Yahoo.com and calling rates can be found at Voice.Yahoo.com
Posted by Elena del Valle on March 23, 2006
Selling to Latinos by Andrew Erlich, Ph.D.
A new book, Selling to Latinos: The Bridge to Understanding (Multi-cultural Publications, $39.95) was recently published. It was authored by Andrew Erlich, Ph.D., cross-cultural psychologist, multi-ethnic market research pioneer and the founder of Erlich Transcultural Consultants (ETC). The 192-page hardbound book was published by a division of ETC and is available for purchase on the company website.
The author’s goal is to provide sales professionals with in-depth cultural understanding and ethnic awareness to facilitate their efforts in the rapidly growing U.S. Latino markets. Dr. Erlich explains to readers how to differentiate generations of Hispanics by their connection to their culture as well as how and why Hispanic culture has shaped the prospect’s approach to a sales transaction. Stressing that sales staff don’t need to speak Spanish to understand the culture, the author shares examples of how to make the customer comfortable in various sales settings.
A member of the advisory board for Urban Call, a trade magazine for retailers, Dr. Erlich has appeared on local, national and international Spanish-language radio and television shows. He has more than 20 years of experience in transcultural marketing research, consultation, organizational development and cultural competency training. As president of ETC he oversees the firm’s business, moderates Spanish-language and general market focus groups, and leads cultural competency training sessions.
Dr. Erlich is an active member of the National Speakers Association, The Speakers Academy and the Arizona Speakers Association. He has written articles for Marketing News, Quirk’s Market Research Review, the Journal of Marketing and International Business magazine. Raised in El Paso, Texas, he is English-Spanish bilingual. Dr. Erlich, a cum laude History graduate of the University of Texas, received an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology.
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Filed Under: Books
Posted by Elena del Valle on March 22, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: HispanicMPR.com
editor@ hispanicmpr.com
Editors: JPG photo available
Boca Raton, Florida – Hispanicmpr.com, a forum for the exchange of information and ideas on Hispanic marketing and public relations, launched a podcast audio show by the same name. Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations, the first podcast about reaching Latinos with marketing and public relations tools, is hosted by Elena del Valle and listed in many podcast directories including Apple’s iTunes.
The podcast has featured songs from debut albums and popular Latino performers including Andrea Echeverri, Mexico Institute of Sound, The Pinker Tones, Diego Diego, Sara Valenzuela, Spigga, and Hip Hop Hoodios. Podcast guests have included Alex Carvallo, U.S. Hispanic media manager Intel Americas; Jaime Suchlicki, Ph.D., editor, Cuban Affairs Journal at the University of Miami; Juan Ochoa, director, Program Development, MFM Trade Meetings; Matias Perel, president, Latinthre3.com; Jeffrey Duque, commercial director U.S., Cuatro-Media, Inc. and Bill Colton, president, Global Telesourcing. Podcast discussion topics have included: Hispanic online market, Fourth Annual Innovations in Hispanic Markets conference, newly launched Fox Sports en Español magazine and Cuban Affairs Journal, Intel’s efforts to reach Latinos and Hispanic call centers.
Started as a weblog for the Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations book (Poyeen Publishing, $49.95), the podcast’s host website provides a place for readers and authors of the book, subscribers and visitors to connect, discover the latest Hispanic market news and updates and listen to expert interviews and presentations in an audio format. Visitors may listen to the podcasts on the website audio player which appear under the heading “Podcast” or download them for convenient listening on their MP3 or iPod players.
To listen to a podcast, go to the Podcast Section (box with blue background on the right of the page) on www.HispanicMPR.com . Select the title by placing your cursor on it then click on the play button. To download the podcasts to your MP3 player or iTunes folder, right click on the RSS box above the Podcast box and select “copy shortcut.” Insert the shortcut into the download podcast URL box in the “advanced” file on your iTunes folder.
The Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations book provides 435 pages of information, case studies, graphics, market data and opinions based on the experiences of nineteen U.S. Hispanic market experts. Seventeen practitioners and two university academics, contributed fifteen chapters to the book, which benefits the Hispanic Marketing & Communication Association (HMCA), a volunteer driven nonprofit professional association dedicated to Hispanic marketing excellence.
Posted by Elena del Valle on March 21, 2006
VW campaign “Gone tamale” ad
Auburn Hills, Michigan – VW (Volkswagen) is using Latino cartoon icon Speedy Gonzales™ to promote the GTI Mk V to Hispanic audiences. The campaign, created by CreativeOndemanD (C.O.D), Volkswagen of America’s Hispanic advertising agency of record, blends animation with real footage.
Just barely beyond the start line and the campaign has sparked controversy among Latinos. Popular political Hispanic blog Latinopundit.com mentioned the campaign March 18 in relation to the reaction of some Latinos to a Spanish language word used in one of the ads and its vulgar meaning in Spanish.
VW “Gracias” ad
Two Volkswagen engineers take the new GTI Mk V for a test run. Speedy Gonzales™ goes out for a cheese run. Somewhere in the middle of the desert the two icons of speed coincide. So goes the spot titled “Speedbump,” part 1 of an episodic three-part TV campaign for the Hispanic market launch of the new Volkswagen GTI Mk V launched recently.
“The Speedy Gonzales and new GTI Mk V match-up is a natural,” said Kerri Martin, director of brand innovation for Volkswagen of America, Inc. “Both have permeated pop culture. Both have a loyal and passionate fan base. Both have achieved iconic status in a world of high-powered acceleration. Speedy Gonzales will help take the new 2006 GTI’s message to a group of Hispanic drivers who may have not yet experienced the speed and responsiveness of our German engineered hot hatch.”
The GTI Mk V, dubbed by VW as the “original pocket rocket,” has a high-tech, 200 hp 2.0T 4-cylinder engine that produces 207 ft.-lbs of torque from 1,800 to 5,000 rpm, a new fully independent, sports tuned suspension and “an understated but dynamically aggressive style.”
“In the Hispanic market, Speedy Gonzales is our superhero,” commented C.O.D’s founding partner and creative director, Priscilla Cortizas. “Not only is he the epitome of speed, he communicates positive values like altruism, resourcefulness, intelligence and confidence.”
VW “Turbo-Cojones” ad
According to VW’s promotional materials, famous Speedy Gonzales, touted as “the fastest mouse in all Mexico,” sports enviable credentials like the ability to accelerate at great speeds; a quick-thinking mind and unselfish heart; and the ability to outrun and outwit his foes. In “Cats,” the second spot in the campaign, Speedy Gonzales taunts alley cats from the back of the new 2006 Volkswagen GTI. Later, the spot entitled “Replay” takes the audience back to Speedy’s hungry mouse friends who clamor for some cheese. Thanks to Speedy’s quick thinking, the convenient location of a cheese factory across town, and the campaign’s turbo-charged 2006 GTI Mk V’s, the problem is solved to the sounds of “Andale, andale, arriba, arriba.”
To create the spots C.O.D worked closely with Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Warner Bros. Animation. The spot entitled “Replay” fuses vintage Speedy Gonzales cartoons with state-of-the-art computer animation created by Radium. Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, one of the world’s largest automakers.
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Filed Under: Books
Posted by Elena del Valle on March 20, 2006
Bill Colton, founder and president, Global Telesourcing, LLC
A podcast featuring an interview with Bill Colton, founder and president, Global Telesourcing, LLC, is available on the Podcast Section of Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations, HispanicMPR.com. During the podcast, Bill discussed call center servicing and Hispanic markets with Elena del Valle, host of the HispanicMPR.com podcast.
Bill Colton is the founder and president of Global Telesourcing, LLC, a leading provider of inbound call center services for the U.S. Hispanic market. With more than 2,500 seats in Argentina, Global Telesourcing has combined the economic benefits of offshore outsourcing with the expertise and convenience of a U.S.-based agency.
Prior to founding Global Telesourcing, Bill was the Latin America managing director of Optima Direct, then one of the world’s largest direct marketing agencies focused on call center services. After Optima Direct was sold to Omnicom Group’s Rapp Collins Worldwide, Bill spent three years helping affiliated advertising and direct response agencies in 10 Latin American countries.
In addition to more than a decade of experience in the U.S. Hispanic and Latin American markets, Bill has applied his direct marketing expertise to campaign politics and grassroots government lobbying. Bill, who worked in the United States Senate and numerous senatorial and presidential campaigns, helps Fortune 50 companies apply direct marketing techniques to leverage their political clout in Washington with the Hispanic and general markets. Bill is a graduate of the George Washington University in Washington, D.C, with a degree in Political Science.
To listen to the interview, scroll down until you see “Podcast” on the right hand side, then select “HMPR Bill Colton,” hit the play button or download it to your iPod or MP3 player to listen on the go, in your car or at home. You can also subscribe to the podcast by right clicking over the podcast box and selecting “copy shortcut” then inserting the URL address in the podcast section of your iTunes program listed under the “advanced” column. The podcast will remain listed in the March 2006 section of the podcast.
