Posted by Elena del Valle on December 22, 2006
Penélope Cruz as Raimunda and Lola Dueñas as Sole in Pedro Almodovar’s “Volver“
Photo: Emilio Pereda and Paola Ardizzoni/El Deseo. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
Sarasota, Florida – Gulf Coast area film buffs will be among the first in Florida to see “Volver,” Pedro Almodovar’s latest film beginning Friday, December 29. According to representatives of the Sarasota Film Society, the film will premier in Sarasota at the Burns Court Cinemas, weeks before it is slated to open in other Florida cities. Tickets cost $7.75 and $5 for Sarasota Film Society members.
The 121 minute long film from Spain is in Spanish with English subtitles. Penélope Cruz stars as Raimunda, a blue-collar mother who already has a lot on her plate; a disaffected teenage daughter, a troublesome sister, and a dear friend dying of cancer, among other things, when it appears that her dead mother (played by Carmen Maura) has come back as a ghost seeking some sort of justice.
Such a mad storyline is pure Almodóvar, and according to promotional materials the famous Spanish filmmaker tells it with “effortless humor, generosity and style.” The female cast was honored at Cannes for its portrait of three generations of women.
Established in 1983, the Sarasota Film Society endeavors to bring the “best in independent, classic and international cinema” to the community. Its mission is to cultivate an understanding and appreciation of film as an international form of artistic expression.
Posted by Elena del Valle on December 21, 2006
Pacha Massive
Photo: Nacional Records
Nacional Records will release the U.S.-based Pacha Massive duo’s new album “All Good Things” in February 2007. Straight from the boogie-down Bronx, Pacha Massive (from Pachamama meaning “Mother Earth”), is the creative collaboration between Dominican-born Nova (keys, guitar, writer and producer) and Colombian-born Maya (writer and bass). The result is described as a funky fusion of traditional Latin rhythms like Colombian cumbia, Dominican palo, reggae, dancehall, dub and electronica.
The duo met in New York while working on a project with Ivan Benavides (Sidestepper, Bloque, Carlos Vives). A creative collaboration between the two led to the formation of Pacha Massive in 2005. Pacha Massive landed an impressive first gig opening for Colombian rockers Aterciopelados at Madison Square Garden and has since gone on to share the stage with artists like Ozomatli, Sidestepper, and Yerba Buena.
After winning the Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC) Battle of the Bands contest (previous winners include Kinky and Los Abandoned who have both gone on to launch successful careers) the duo caught the attention of Nacional Records. Pacha Massive’s track “Don’t Let Go” was featured last year on the Nacional Records soundtrack to “La Mujer de Mi Hermano,” and landed airplay on stations Indie 103.1 (Los Angeles), KCRW (Los Angeles), KEXP (Seattle), and KUT (Austin).
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Nova’s Dominican roots exposed him to a lot of traditional music like palo in addition to music from England and the U.S. played on Dominican radio. As a youth he built instruments out of whatever he could find, using cans for drums, 2 X 4s, and rubber bands.
“When I came to the U.S. I got my first instrument on my 15th birthday, a drum set, and as the years passed I picked up guitar, bass, keys, percussion and finally the instrument that allowed me to solidify my ideas in a flexible and efficient way….a Mac,” said Nova. He describes his musical influences from people “who have influenced me in the way I make music” citing Bruce Lee, Benjamin Franklin and Leonardo DaVinci as “people who had a bigger perspective and were more holistic in their craft.”
Maya was born in Colombia and raised in New York City’s Washington Heights. Her love of music also started at an early age with the violin, and later became a career choice when she went to Cuba after graduating to study double bass. Her musical influences range from classical, salsa, bolero and traditional Colombian folklore to reggae, house and artists like Manu Chao, Hector Lavoe and Sidestepper.
To listen to the single “Don’t Let Go” from the new Pacha Massive album “All Good Things” click on the play button below.
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Posted by Elena del Valle on December 20, 2006
2006 Events
Multicultural Market Intelligence Summit
Register Today with Code: HispanicMPR and SAVE $530 off Registration and Lodging
Registration: $1,650 and Lodging: $85/night (Taxes Included)Event: Multicultural Market Intelligence SummitDate: October 25-27, 2006Location: Miami, FLVenue: Mandarin Oriental Hotel (5 Diamond Hotel)Agenda:Brochure:Registration: 1-888-309-2005
Online: http://www.geoscape.com/conference/registration.aspx
Transform Market Intelligence into Intelligent Marketing
- Attend the premier conference on capturing diverse customers
- Access the most up-to-date and definitive market data for American consumers
- Learn best practices from top industry leaders.
- Case Studies: Get an executive briefing via case Studies from leading companies such as: Allstate Insurance, Albertsons, Americatel, Comcast, Goodyear, MTV Networks, Nestle and United Healthcare
- Play Golf at the Multicultural Masters Invitational at the scenic Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables
Indulge in 5-Diamond luxury at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel
- Live Entertainment featuring Soul singing sensation: Goapele, Latin fusion artist Javier Garcia and Brazilian-jazz singer Rose Max.
Experience priceless interactions with senior level marketing, media and distribution executives from Fortune 1000 companies throughout the nation and internationally: AAA, ACE Hardware, Allstate, AOL, American Express, Amerigroup, Anheuser-Busch, AstraZeneca, AT&T, Avon Products, Bank of America, Bellsouth, Burger King, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cendant, CAN, CVS, DirecTV, Fannie Mae, Firestone, FOX, Macy’s, NBA, New York Life, Nextel, Office Depot, Starbucks, State Farm Insurance, Telemundo NBC, Time Warner Cable, Toyota, Univision, USPS, Verizon, Walgreen, Wells Fargo, Yahoo…
Registration: 1-888-309-2005
Online: http://www.geoscape.com/conference/registration.aspx
U.S. Hispanic Marketing Conference
September 26-28, Hilton Del Mar, San Diego, CA
Participants at this event will hear innovative marketing approaches from a fresh speaking faculty as well as the latest “success story” case studies and best practices presented by industry trailblazers.
Speaking companies include:
- McDonald’s Corporation
- Houston Astros
- Nortel
- Ford Motor Company
- TodoFut.com
- AOL Latino
- Harley Davidson
- Staples
- CitiGroup
- and so much more!
Attend this event and you can expect:
– Case-study driven presentations
– Marketing experts from a wide array of industries
– Discussion panels providing a multi-faceted view of the market
– Eight brand new workshops offering an in-depth look into important niche topics
– Priceless networking opportunities with your colleagues dealing with the same issues you are facing
Be sure to register early to receive the best early bird pricing. Please visit http://www.ushispanicmarketing.com/ or call 800-882-8684 for full details.
Gold Coast PR Council “How to Reach and Pitch Hispanic Media”
September 19, 2006 Boca Raton, Florida
Carlos Alfaro, editor, Hispanic Trends and Elena del Valle, editor, HispanicMPR.com
This month’s lunch meeting of the Gold Coast Public Relations Council will focus on Hispanic media. During the September 19 meeting, the editors of three Hispanic publications and one website will discuss “How to Reach and Pitch Hispanic Media” with public relations professionals at The Atrium in Boca Raton. Editors Elena del Valle of Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations.com, Carlos Alfaro of Hispanic Trends magazine, Em Mendez of La Palma, and Debbie Ramirez of El Sentinel will explain their editorial operations. The cost for lunch is $15 for members and $20 for guests.
Gary Schweikhart, co-founder and president, Gold Coast PR Council
“Lunch meetings of the Gold Coast PR Council give our members a chance to meet and network with media decision-makers. With the growing influence of Hispanic media in South Florida, this will be a valuable opportunity to find out important information, such as deadlines and the way in which the editors like to receive pitches (by phone or email), even something as important as to whether or not they accept press releases written in English or should we have them translated into Spanish first,” said Gary Schweikhart, co-founder and president of the Gold Coast PR Council. “This is really a great opportunity to get one-on-one with some key editors, so the next time one of our PR professionals call the editor of these Hispanic publications, they can say, ‘Hey, remember me? I met you at the Gold Coast PR Council lunch, and do I have a great story for you…”
“How to Reach and Pitch Hispanic Media” will be divided into three segments. From 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. attendees will have an opportunity to network; from 12 to 12:15 p.m., there will be lunch and organizational announcements; and from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m., there will be a presentation followed by a question and answer session.
The Gold Coast PR Council is an independent group of public relations, marketing and communications professionals from Palm Beach and Broward counties. The Gold Coast PR council holds networking and educational lunch meetings, such as this one, on the third Tuesday of every month. More information is available online at GCPRC.com — Sergio Carmona
September 19, 2006 Boca Raton, Florida
Posted by Elena del Valle on December 20, 2006
Hugo Hernandez
Photo: ImpreMedia
Los Angeles, California – ImpreMedia promoted Hugo Hernandez to corporate accounts manager for ImpreMedia, expanding his role as Impremedia national sales manger; and new business development manager for La Opinión.
Hernandez will continue to manage ImpreMedia’s automotive national sales and develop multi-media opportunities. He is also expected to play an important role developing ImpreMedia’s new national sales programs in sports, entertainment and life style.
“In a challenging automotive market, Hernandez has demonstrated his ability to develop new creative ways to build advertiser programs that meet their ever-changing marketing needs. As a result, he has been able to establish new relationships, further enhance current partnerships and build revenue streams into the diverse portfolio of ImpreMedia products. I look forward to working with Hugo as we develop new opportunities for national advertisers across all of our properties,” said Erich Linker, ImpreMedia’s senior vice president of Sales.
As La Opinión’s new business development manager, Hernandez will work with sales teams and Integrated Marketing to identify and leverage new partnerships utilizing the company’s multi-media assets.
ImpreMedia is one of the top Spanish language newspaper and online news publishers in the United States. ImpreMedia publishes El Diario La Prensa and El Diario Contigo in New York, El Mensajero in the San Francisco bay area, La Opinion® and La Opinion® Contigo in Los Angeles, La Prensa in Orlando and Tampa and La Raza in Chicago, leading Spanish language newspapers in their respective markets.
Posted by Elena del Valle on December 19, 2006
By Sergio Carmona
Hector Prado
Photo: San Jose Network
The Miami-based creative agency Firefly recently became an affiliate of the San Jose Network, one of the largest marketing communications group serving the United States Hispanic and Latin American markets. Firefly, which also has creative teams in Buenos Aires and São Paulo, joins 25 other affiliated agencies of the network. The agency uses initiatives, as well as emerging trends, to create different personalities associated with their clients’ products.
“Many U.S.-based companies are beginning to realize the rapid transformation of the Hispanic segment,” said Tatiana Vieira, executive director for SJN. “With Firefly as part of the network, we will be able to expand our creative initiatives to offer more approaches to this evolving segment.”
Firefly began as a division of the Miami-based creative shop, The Lab. This past September, one of the company’s co-founders, Hector Prado, spun off Firefly as an independent agency. According to promotional materials, Prado has won over 150 awards in his 17-year career. In the past he was also the creative development director for Zubi Advertising.
Firefly has produced creative initiatives for HBO, American Airlines and Procter & Gamble. In addition to joining SJN and becoming independent, Firefly has also joined SJN’s Creative Board.
Posted by Elena del Valle on December 18, 2006
Wayne Eadie, senior vice president, Magazine Publishers of America
Lou Lopez, vice president, Diversity Practice, Synovate
Photos: Synovate, Magazine Publishers of America
A podcast interview with Wayne Eadie, senior vice president, Magazine Publishers of America and Lou Lopez, vice president, Diversity Practice, Synovate is available in the Podcast Section of Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations, HispanicMPR.com. During the podcast, they discusse Synovate’s recent telephone survey of magazine readers with Elena del Valle, host of the HispanicMPR.com podcast.
Wayne is responsible for initiating and implementing new research programs and methodologies to measure the impact of magazines in the multimedia mix. He spearheads new advertising accountability and effectiveness studies and oversees all marketing research activities for the organization.
Prior to joining MPA in 2001 Wayne was vice president of Global Advertising Research for Reader’s Digest. He joined Reader’s Digest in May 1997 as director of Advertising Research and Development for the magazine’s U.S. edition. Prior to that, he spent 15 years at Newsweek, most recently as director of Research and Development. He began his career at Grey Advertising and later held research management positions at Business Week and Family Weekly.
“Latino Media and Hispanic Media Training” audio recording
Presenters Federico Suverbi, Ph.D. and Elena del Valle, MBA
To purchase a downloadable or CD audio recording with presentations on Hispanic media training by Elena del Valle and on Latino media by Federico Subervi, Ph.D. visit the HispanicMPR.com Resources Section
Lou is a researcher and strategist with more than a decade of experience helping Fortune 500 companies understand the Hispanic and African American markets. He has shared insights into the behaviors and attitudes of multicultural consumers with advertising and publishing companies including the largest Spanish-language publication in the U.S. and the leading media brand for African-American women.Lou worked with VIBE magazine conducting research for the launch of Vixen, a new magazine for women of color.
Lou focuses on questionnaire development, project management, data analysis, report writing and strategic planning. He has made presentations to corporate executives in a wide variety of fields and at conferences nationwide, including at the Hispanic Association of Corporate Responsibility and World Research Groups’ Proven Marketing Strategies that Resonate with U.S. Hispanic Communities. Lou attended college at Princeton University and obtained his MBA from Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management.
To listen to the interview, scroll down until you see “Podcast” on the right hand side, then select “HMPR Wayne Eadie and Lou Lopez,” click on 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 December 2006 section of the podcast.
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Posted by Elena del Valle on December 15, 2006
Places to kick back, hear bachata and savor a medianoche
By Monica Perry (NYU Livewire)
Great ropa vieja, stuffed potatoes and live music draw crowds to New York’s best Cuban restaurants
Photo: Monica Perry
Though New York has the country’s fourth-largest Cuban population, authentic Cuban food is, curiously, hard to find. You’ll stumble across plenty of poseurs and disappointments in your search for the great medianoche (Cuban sandwich), black bean soup or natilla, the traditional cinnamon custard.
Luckily, there’s Havana Central (22 East 17th Street), a lively Chelsea hangout. As hip-swaying bachata and sensuous salsa play in the background, you could make a feast of fried sweet plantains, rice and red beans alone. But don’t miss out on the barbecued ribs slathered with mango ginger habañero sauce ($12.95-19.95) or – success!– the classic Cuban sandwich, a grilled mess of ham, roasted pork, pickles and cheese ($6.95), called medianoche because it was originally conceived as a midnight snack. Wash this all down with soothing Guanabana nectar ($2). Though you’ll fill every crevice of your stomach, you’ll find yourself trying to get in a few more bites before rolling out the door.
If you’re in the mood for a romantic atmosphere with jazz undertones, head to Cubana Café in Greenwich Village (110 Thompson St.). Seconds after the salty roast pork ($9) grazed my tongue, I found myself eating the delicate yellow rice and soft brown beans to tone down the flavor, and to give my cholesterol a break. The Jarrito soda ($2) was an excellent accompaniment, bursting with sweet natural mandarin flavor. The restaurant’s most unfortunate feature is lack of space. Take the spot an inch from the door and you’ll not only get the same kiddie-sized table as everyone else, but also be interrupted by every arriving customer. (Admittedly, I liked the food so much that I didn’t care about being near the door).
For a more formal atmosphere, visit Havana Alma de Cuba, also in Greenwich Village (94 Christopher St.), where reservations are recommended. Dive into the papas rellenas (fried potatoes stuffed with ground beef and grated cheese, $5) that melt on your tongue, and tender and sweet ropa vieja (shredded steak and mashed plantains, $16). Throw in a little sangria and a clap-along to a live performance, and you’ll have yourself a night out on the town.
The meal at Café Habana (17 Prince Street) wasn’t bad, for a Latin restaurant in very-un-Latin Soho. It’s tricked out as a kitschy diner, and is another cramped spot, though it attracts couples. The one-page menu is at times mistranslated, so it’s good to know some Spanish if you’d like to figure out what you’re really eating. My steak was succulent, but accompanied by flavorless yellow rice and unimpressive red beans. My companion’s slivers of roast pork were pretty juicy, though they seemed dry and gummy at first. The odd signature dish: grilled corn on the cob, strangely smothered in butter, Parmesan cheese, and cayenne pepper. If that sounds good to you, you’ll probably like this place.
Don’t bother with midtown poseurs like Azucar, a new place near Columbus Circle (939 8th Ave.). Despite the elaborate décor and atmosphere– palm ceiling fans, white tablecloths, Guayabera-clad waiters marching past colorful murals of Cuban natives – the place lacks real savoir faire. The pollo criollo ($16) was acceptable, but the place spends more time keeping up appearances than producing magnificent food. No one stepped forward play the two lonely congas on the corner stage. Indeed, there was no live music at all; very late at night, a DJ finally appeared.
Through such restaurants you can experience a little of Cuba in Nueva York.
Listings
- Havana Central, 22 East 17th St. (Union Square), Tel: 212-414-2298
- Cubana Café, 110 Thompson St. (Greenwich Village), Tel: 212-966-5366
- Havana Alma de Cuba, 94 Christopher St. (Greenwich Village), Tel: 212-242-3800
- Café Habana,17 Prince St. at Elizabeth (Soho), Tel: 212-625-2001
- Azucar, 939 8th Ave. (Midtown), Tel: 212-262-5354
Monica Perry studies journalism and cinema at New York University, and has interned at Jane magazine. She is interested in film and music criticism, and enjoys photography and blogging.
Posted by Elena del Valle on December 14, 2006
Robert Herrera, Aide Castro, and Edward Acevedo
Photo: LULAC
New York, New York – The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) presented awards to Aide Castro, Edward Acevedo, and Robert Herrera to recognize their success and community contributions. Developed last year to honor a new generation of outstanding Latinos making a difference in their respective communities, this year’s awards were also presented to three honorees in Chicago, Yanet Bahena, Martin Cabrera, and Jose Rivera; and three in Phoenix, Ana Maria Chavez, Francisco Heredia and Matt Molina. The awards were sponsored by Crown Royal Canadian Whisky.
The award recipients were selected informally from a pool of individuals known to LULAC officers. The selection was based on the individual’s advocacy and commitment to issues of long standing importance to Latinos. Each of the award recipients received a custom-made ring crafted by jewelry designer Michael Spirito, of Exhibitionist, NYC.
“Not only have they been successful in their own life, but they have made a contribution to their community. Another criteria, is that they had not been recognized before,” said Marcos Rincon, executive director of the LULAC National Housing Commission.
Sven Muhlenberg, associate brand manager, Crown Royal; Edward Acevedo; musician Obie Bermudez and; Giovanni Sgro, multicultural brand manager, Crown Royal
Aide Castro is a real estate entrepreneur and salon beauty owner who created Lynwood’s home buying seminars where she offers free credit counseling and helps families achieve their dreams of home ownership. Castro serves as commissioner of the Lynwood Block Grant Advisory Board, and is also a board member of the Lynwood Athletics Community Services. She is a member of the Lynwood Chamber of Commerce and was recently named executive director of the Center for Community and Family Services Inc.
Edward Acevedo is a community activist known for his commitment to enhancing educational opportunities. He is a teacher for special education in the Long Beach Unified School District and is the founder of Open Hands of Long Beach, a grassroots organization devoted to strengthening families through early literacy, anti-gang initiatives, and programs for the elderly.
Robert Herrera is an activist devoted to educating others about human rights. Robert works to improve the achievement level of local youth and has taken a leadership role in gang prevention and immigration reform advocacy. Robert is currently LULAC’s vice president of the Great Long Beach Council 3088 and treasurer of District 7.
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is one of the oldest and largest Latino civil rights organizations in the United States. LULAC goals are to advance the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, health, and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 700 LULAC councils across the country.
Posted by Elena del Valle on December 13, 2006
Rossana Rosado, publisher and CEO, El Diario La Prensa
New York, New York – El Diario La Prensa, a leading Spanish language newspaper in New York, had an increase in circulation of 5.8 percent daily and 8.4 percent on Sunday, as reported by the Fas-Fax Sept. 2006 statement. Additionally, El Diario’s daily readership experienced an extraordinary year over year growth rate of 25 percent, based on Scarborough Research 2006 R1. According to promotional materials, this gives El Diario La Prensa the highest circulation and readership growth rate of any major New York newspaper.
As of September 2006, El Diario La Prensa had paid circulation of 53,090 copies daily, up from 50,151 in September 2005, and 36,712 copies on Sunday, up from 33,859. The paper has over 266,000 daily readers, according to Scarborough.
“While the newspaper industry in general is experiencing slow or even negative growth, and some general market papers have plunged, our daily and Sunday circulation increases are a testament to our 93-year tradition of journalistic excellence,” said Rossana Rosado, publisher and CEO of El Diario La Prensa. “It’s also a function of our deep knowledge of the needs and desires of the expanding Latino community, our prize-winning journalism and our strong focus on product innovation.”
“These numbers indicate how vibrant our media vehicle is for both local and national advertisers,” said Jorge Ayala, El Diario La Prensa’s general sales director. “In the current media environment, reporting jumps in circulation above 5 percent and 8 percent and readership growth above 25 percent is an amazing indication of the vitality of our publication and our market.”
Established in 1913, El Diario La Prensa is one of the oldest Spanish language newspaper in the U.S. The paper features coverage of local, national and international news as well as human-interest stories, politics, business, health, entertainment and sports.
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Posted by Elena del Valle on December 12, 2006
Felipe Korzenny, Ph.D.
Tallahassee, Florida — Beginning in January 2007, the Florida State University Center for Hispanic Marketing Communication will offer an online course in Hispanic Marketing Communication. The center, headed by Felipe Korzenny, Ph.D. is among several higher education centers pioneering education in Hispanic Marketing in the U.S.
“We are proud to satisfy the demand of many marketers in U.S. industry that have requested an online course in Hispanic Marketing Communication,” said Korzenny. “This is the first online offering of its kind and will make the content of our on-campus courses available to anyone in the world with an interest in the subject.”
The 15-week course is recommended for professionals targeting the Hispanic market, or those who would like to launch a Hispanic marketing initiative. The online course is also available to Florida State University students not currently residing in the Tallahassee campus.
Classes begin January 8 and end April 20 for the new course which promises to address language use, Hispanic cultural insights for marketing, research and marketing strategies and case studies. Students who complete the course will receive a certificate of completion. Eligible students can receive three hours of undergraduate/continuing education credit.
