Posted by Elena del Valle on August 17, 2006
Gloria Cantens Purchon and Belkist Padilla
Photos: Insights Marketing Group, Inc.
Miami, Florida – The RIVA Training Institute, a market research training firm, awarded a Master Moderator Certificate™ to Gloria Cantens-Purchon, qualitative research director, Insights Marketing Group, Inc. (IMG). According to the Insights Marketing Group, this makes IMG home to the only two Hispanic moderators in the U.S. to receive the certification.
Cantens-Purchon was one of nine moderators in the U.S. to earn the certificate. Belkist Padilla, president and founder of IMG, received the the certification before her IMG colleague. Both are bilingual moderators (English and Spanish).
According to Naomi Henderson, founder of RIVA, “simply leading hundreds of groups over 10 or 15 years doesn’t automatically qualify one as a master moderator if new skills have not been acquired and adapted to the ever-changing conditions in the world of qualitative research. The RIVA Training Institute has been conducting trainings in qualitative social and market research for 25 years.”
According to the RIVA website, the company’s staff has trained thousands of researchers and professionals since 1981 through public and custom courses in the skills and techniques of qualitative research. According to Danielle Vontobel, RIVA training coordinator, RIVA course participants benefit from the company’s philosophy of experiential, hands-on learning by writing a moderator’s guide, moderating a focus group, analyzing a transcript or developing a qualitative research practice.
Posted by Elena del Valle on August 16, 2006
By Elena del Valle, MBA, principal, LNA World Communications
Elena del Valle, MBA, principal, LNA World Communications
As part of a national or international franchise chain, franchisee stores are often required to meet certain contractual obligations and standards, offer a set line of products or services, purchase from specific vendors, display pre-approved materials and have a company “look.” In exchange for their compliance with those obligations they reap the benefits of the larger company and its support in the form of an established brand name, negotiated wholesale prices, corporate training, and other advantages that drive their business model.
In spite of the corporate franchise advantages at the end of the day franchisees are responsible for their business success and building a strong customer base. To do this they must understand their local market base and cater to it. For many businesses, especially those offering products and services catering to young audiences, Latinos represent a highly desirable market because they have growing buying power, demonstrate elevated brand loyalty and are superior consumers, spending a higher than average percentage of their income on certain items.
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Posted by Elena del Valle on August 15, 2006
Juan Jose Nuñez, vice president, Operations, StarMedia
Photo: StarMedia
Miami, Florida – StarMedia a Wanadoo company and leader in Internet media for the global Spanish-speaking audience, announced the re-launch of its new woman-themed channel, StarMedia Mujer. Promotional materials promise a new style and expanded content intended to appeal directly to the portal’s existing audience and draw new users.
The new service is the latest in a series of upgrades to the portal. StarMedia recently announced strategic alliances with Hotels.com to launch travel channel StarMedia Viajes, its first and most extensive travel booking engine for Spanish-speaking web users; and also with Voy Music in launching its online digital Latin music service, StarMedia Radios.
“StarMedia Mujer brings a new and welcome touch of glamour to the portal,” said Juan José Nuñez, vice president, operations, StarMedia. “In developing the new women’s channel we’ve implemented many excellent suggestions submitted to us by our users, including the expansion of content generally, particularly in the Fashion & Beauty as well as Diet & Nutrition areas. StarMedia has continually sought to strengthen its brand by developing the relevance and selection of its content; we’re certainly very proud of this latest addition, which we’ll continue working hard to improve, in consideration of our users and advertisers.”
A key feature of StarMedia Mujer is the new “Tu Espacio” (Your Space) section, with family, work, travel and leisure content. Consistent with the portal’s new image and re-design, StarMedia Mujer plans to feature an intuitive menu and navigation meant to allow easy access to its content with a design pallet in lightly shaded orange and gray tones over white.
StarMedia.com is a free-to-web service. According the company, their portals connect more than 20 million Spanish-speakers through the Internet. StarMedia has local operations in Mexico and Spain as well as Los Angeles, Miami and New York in the United States. It is wholly owned by Wanadoo, Europe’s second largest online company and a subsidiary of the France Telecom Group.
Posted by Elena del Valle on August 14, 2006
Sergio Sanchez, director, Hispanic loan and outreach programs, SallieMae
Photo: Sallie Mae
A podcast interview with Sergio Sanchez, director, Hispanic loan and outreach programs, SallieMae, is available in the Podcast Section of Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations, HispanicMPR.com. During the podcast, he discusses Sallie Mae’s new Hispanic oriented program with Elena del Valle, host of the HispanicMPR.com podcast.
Sergio has been national director of Hispanic loan and outreach programs for Sallie Mae since 2005. Prior to joining Sallie Mae, he was a senior vice president for MiCash, Inc., a Hispanic financial services firm. Before that, he was a vice president for MasterCard International, where he launched products and services supporting major global banks. Before that, Sergio was a director at Europay International in Brussels, Belgium, and he also headed a marketing unit at The American Express Co. in New York.
Sergio holds a B.A. in communications from The American University in Washington, D.C. and a master’s in business administration from Columbia Business School in New York City. Sergio is board president for The Institute for International Mediation and Conflict Resolution, a 501c3 organization. He is a program graduate of the American Bankers Association. Sergio, his wife and two daughters live in McLean, Virginia.
To listen to the interview, scroll down until you see the “Podcast” on the right hand side, then select “HMPR Sergio Sanchez” hit the play button or download it to your iPod or MP3 player to listen on the go, in your car or at home. To download it, click on the arrow of the recording you wish to copy and save to disk. The podcast will remain listed in the August 2006 section of the podcast.
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Posted by Elena del Valle on August 11, 2006
A Taco Testimony cover
Photo: Rio Nuevo Publishers
Denise Chavez who defines her roots as being from New Mexico, Texas, and México is the author of the newly released A Taco Testimony Meditation on Family, Food and Culture (Rio Nuevo Publishers). The 207-softcover book on “ruminations on a life lived among tacos” is set in the U.S.-Mexico border and written as a memoir to the author’s parents and family. Although it includes some recipes it is not a cookbook. The cover price is $16.95.
A Taco Testimony is peppered with words in Spanish and recepies. Although it has menu like section titles it is about Chavez’ memories of growing up in a Mexican American home more than it is about Mexican food.
An award-winning fiction writer, playwright, actress, and teacher, Chávez considers herself a “performance writer.” In 1995 her first novel, Face of an Angel, won the American Book Award. She authored the novel Loving Pedro Infante, as well as nonfiction, fiction for children, and more than 45 plays.
According to her biography, her writing and many community projects have been supported by the Fulbright Commission, the Lannan Foundation, and a Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Award. Chávez founded the Cultural Center of Mesilla and the Border Book Festival, of which she is executive director. She lives with her husband in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Click here to buy A Taco Testimony: Meditations on Family, Food and Culture
Posted by Elena del Valle on August 10, 2006
El Gran Combo
Photos: El Gran Combo, Mariachi Plata de Las Vegas
The world of Latin music is coming to Las Vegas with Las Vegas Caliente, a two-day multi-genre festival, Friday, August 11 and Saturday, August 12. The event, produced by Worldwide Vegas in association with Telemundo and Pochteca Media, will feature 14 bands from different Latin music genres including Salsa, Mariachi, Mexican Regional, Reggaeton, and Latin Jazz in four venues throughout the Vegas Strip. Producers are hopeful that this could add a new element to the city.
“There are people who are music fans, and if they are fans of Latin genres, this is going to help out city and introduce city to people who haven’t been there,” said Minerva Partida, media director for Pochteca Media. “You think of Vegas, you think of gambling, but there are many things they can do.”
One of the things going for Las Vegas Caliente is that Las Vegas is one of the preferred leisure destinations for Hispanics, which represent one of the fastest growing segments of U.S. tourism.
Mariachi Plata de Las Vegas
“I’ve seen growth and everyone is excited as Hispanics come from different parts, such as Central America or South America, and there are different varieties to fulfill musical taste,” said Partida. “Expectations are to continue event for following year and start new trend in Vegas.”
The concerts for Las Vegas Caliente are Salsa Vegas at the Stardust Hotel and Casino, Viva Vegas at Cox Pavilion, Mariachi Vegas at Cashman Theater, and Latin Jazz Vegas at Mandalay Bay’s House of Blues. The artists include El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, Jose Alberto “El Canario,” Mañana de Havana, Banda El Limon, Los Freddy’s, Mariachi Plata, Suzette Marquez, and Zulema Villela Rick Arroyo. Tickets cost $20 in advance and $30 at the door. — Sergio Carmona
Posted by Elena del Valle on August 9, 2006
José Rivera Font, general manager Yahoo! North Latin America
Photo: Yahoo!
Coral Gables and Hialeah, Florida — Yahoo! Telemundo, leaning on Toyota sponsorship muscle, is launching a Hispanic short film festival, the Yahoo! Telemundo Short Film Festival. This festival is designed as a competition which promoters promise will enable Hispanic filmmakers to showcase their independently produced work to millions online, and allow online visitors to cast votes for the best short films in four different genres.
The winning U.S. filmmaker will travel to the Sundance Film Festival January 25 to 29, 2007; and the winning short will be featured on the Yahoo! Telemundo front page for 24 hours and on Telemundo and Mun2 networks.
Filmmaking enthusiasts have until September 5, 2006 to submit their two-to-ten minute short films on Yahoo! Telemundo Cine, the recently re-launched online movie channel. Films can be submitted in English or Spanish, or both, in the following categories: Comedy, Horror, Action/Drama and Animation. The online voting begins September 11 and runs through October 20.
“The Yahoo! Telemundo Short Film Festival was created for filmmakers in need of an outlet for their boundless creativity, talent and imagination,” said José Rivera Font, general manager, Yahoo! North Latin America.
“We are committed to the next generation of creatives whose stories need to be heard, with no limitation of language or media, by giving them access to a media world only Yahoo! Telemundo can offer. This is a groundbreaking competition where we may find the next Alfonso Cuarón or Alejandro González Iñárritu,” said Antoinette Zel, senior executive vice president, network strategy, Telemundo.
Festival organizers hope online visitors will vote weekly for their favorite film in each of the four genres. During the final week, the films with the greatest number of votes in each genre will compete to become the overall users’ choice. The short film which earns the most votes will air on Telemundo’s broadcast network in its Weekend Prime Time Movie Block and on mun2’s soon to be premiered movie-driven show, “Have you Cine?”
“We are targeting a market that is young, fresh and full of creative energy, much like the spirit evident in the new Yaris,” said Teri Hill, car advertising manager, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Toyota, the exclusive sponsor of the festival, is learning on the Festival and Yahoo! networks’ 12.8 million U.S. Hispanic online visitors* to promote Yaris, its new sub-compact model. The sponsorship is part of a multi-channel marketing campaign created by Conill, Toyota’s Latino communications agency. Additional information is available online at Yahoo!Telemundo Festival
*comScore Media Metrix, May 2006
Posted by Elena del Valle on August 8, 2006
Luis Baraldi, CEO, Baral
Photo: Baral Group Studios
Coral Springs, Florida – “Mexico Lindo y Futbol,” produced in the Baral Group Studios in Coral Springs, Florida and in Mexico City, covers soccer, the lives of Mexicans living in the U.S., their culture, and their interest in Mexican soccer. The program, which claims a viewer ship of 11 million homes, has been broadcast since May 2006 on GolTV Monday through Friday at 11 p.m.
“This program gives us a chance to show Mexico through various points of view. Soccer is a universal sport and the leagues in Mexico are among the most important in the world,” said Luis Baraldi, CEO, Baral. “However we don’t only show soccer since Producer Alina Baraldi and Exec Producer Julio Sonino from GolTV can be very creative in including the culture, and lifestyles from the major Mexican cities, and the beauty of Mexico and how they relate to soccer.”
The show anchor is Javier Vargas. Other staff include co-anchor Gerardo Ruiz, and Paloma Marquez from the studios in Coral Springs. Vargas reports on soccer while Marquez focuses on Mexicans living in the U.S., their cultures, and their continued dedication to Mexican soccer. Gustavo Ramírez España, Santiago Cortes, Víctor González, Guillermo Portillo, and Alfonso Hidalgo are the Mexican correspondents and Luis Arrieta is the reporter in Los Angeles, California.
Other programs produced by Baral Group include, “Tenis Con Clerc”-ESPN, “A Year in the Life of Lorena Ochoa” for ESPN and“Soccer Legends” for HBO and Canal+. GolTV is devoted exclusively to soccer, 24 hours a day, broadcasting over 1,500 games per year, in English and Spanish. Baral Inc. specializes in the production of programming for various networks in the U.S. and Latin America.
Posted by Elena del Valle on August 7, 2006
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Latin pop rock singer Diana Mera and Lorena Schmit, public relations professional, SGM Records
A podcast interview with singer Diana Mera and Lorena Schmit of SGM records, is available in the Podcast Section of Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations, HispanicMPR.com. During the podcast, they discuss Diana’s career and marketing music to Latinos with Elena del Valle, host of the HispanicMPR.com podcast.
Diana was born in Quito, Ecuador. She was raised in Lima, Peru and lived in México, Venezuela, and Switzerland prior to arriving in the U.S. were she now resides. Diana, who always had a great desire to sing, started her career in TV shows such as “Despierta América” on Univisión and “De Mañanita” on Telemundo. Four of her music videos have appeared in VHUNO and MTV Español. She has appeared on radio and television shows like “El Gordo y La Flaca,” “América en Vivo,” Univisión Radio, Caracol and Cadena Azul and on Cristina Saralegui’s show.
Diana is also a composer and an actor. She was participated in a play written by Eve Ensler and was nominated as best actress for “The Vagina Monologues.” Diana is recording her second music album with two-time Grammy winning producer Gustavo Borner and Dany Tomas composer of hits that have been recorded by celebrities like Araceli Arambula, Cristian Castro, Diego Torres, Lara Fabian and many others. Song writer Claudia Brant is also collaborating in the new album.
Lorena Schmit recently joined SGM Records as a publicist and works closely with the public relations team to generate national and international television, print, radio and tour press for artists like Diana. Lorena has 16 years of experience in communications and public relations.
Lorena comes from Más Arizona, Channel 55 in Phoenix where she worked as programming director, news anchor and producer for six years. As programming director she had the opportunity to work directly with record labels and artist managers since the station broadcasts music videos and entertainment news 75 percent of the air time.
She began her public relations career in 1990 as a spokesperson for the government of the State of Mexico. Her responsibilities included coordinating media interviews and representing the governor’s office at public events. Lorena later joined the “Sistema de Radio y Televisión Mexiquense” in Toluca, Mexico as a public relations manager. Within a couple of years she was offered a position as reporter and later she became a news anchor.
In 1997, Lorena accepted a contract with Univision Phoenix and moved to the United States to become the news anchor for “Noticias 33”, 5 pm and 10pm editions, Monday through Friday. Three years later she left Univision to go to Telemundo KDRX Ch. 48 also in Phoenix, Arizona where she joined the news team as a news anchor and reporter.
We’re excited to include a short preview of “Conmigo,” one of the songs from Diana’s next album, following the interview. Enjoy!
To listen to the interview, scroll down until you see “Podcast” on the right hand side, then select “HMPR Diana Mera and Lorena Schmit,” hit the play button or download it to your iPod or MP3 player to listen on the go, in your car or at home. To download it, click on the arrow of the recording you wish to copy and save to disk. The podcast will remain listed in the August 2006 section of the podcast archive.
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Posted by Elena del Valle on August 4, 2006
Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán
Photos: Adrian Mealand, Richard Haughton
Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) will air “Mariachi: The Spirit of Mexico,” on August 6. The program made its national premiere on May 3, 2003 and features presentations from the 9th Annual International Mariachi Festival, a ten-day program held in Guadalajara in September 2002. Operatic Tenor Placido Domingo, who is a mariachi enthusiast, narrates the program.
“I have loved Mariachi ever since I first came to Mexico from Spain as a child. When I courted my wife, I hired mariachi singers to serenade her just as lovers do today. So how could I pass up a chance to experience the greatest mariachi festival in the world,” said Domingo, who also performed his favorite Mariachi song, “Paloma Querida.”
Plácido Domingo
The music list of “Mariachi” ranges from passionate love songs where performers are covered in red and white rose petals to celebratory anthems of Mexican culture. The program includes some of the festival’s 500 mariachis performing in concert halls and street markets. These include Mariachi America, Mariachi Los Caballeros , Mariachi Los Camperos, Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlan, Mariachi Real Jalisco, and Mariachi Vargas performing such songs as “El Mariachi, Pajarillo, (LittleBird),” “La Negra (The Dark-Skinned Girl),” “La Fiesta del Mariachi,” and “Guadalajara.”
The program was produced by WLIW New York in association with KCET Hollywood. More information on television listings can be found on PBS.org — Sergio Carmona
