Posted by Elena del Valle on May 1, 2006
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Arturo Nuñez, vice president and managing director, Latin America/U.S. Hispanic, NBA
Photos: NBA
A podcast interview with Arturo Nunez and Saskia Sorrosa, NBA Latin America and U.S. Hispanic, is available on the Podcast Section of Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations, HispanicMPR.com. During the podcast, they discuss marketing basketball to Hispanics with Elena del Valle, host of the HispanicMPR.com podcast.
Saskia Sorrosa, senior manager, Communications, NBA Latin America/U.S. Hispanic
Saskia has more than seven years of public relations and marketing experience working for major public relations firms and multinational corporations in the U.S. and Latin America. Named senior manager, Communications, NBA Latin America and U.S. Hispanic in June 2004, she is responsible for spearheading public relations, corporate communications and Internet initiatives (nba.com/espanol) for the NBA in the region.
Prior to assuming this role, Saskia launched and managed the Burson-Marsteller Medellin, Colombia office, where she was responsible for positioning and growing the firm in the Antioquia region, as well as broadening its client base. During that time, she was also responsible for managing the Ecuador market, exploring new business opportunities, pitching new client prospects and managing the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing account for the launch of the new U.S. $20 bill.
Arturo was named NBA vice president and managing director, Latin America and U.S. Hispanic in October 2003. He first joined the NBA as marketing director, Consumer Products for the NBA Latin America office in August 1999 and was named managing director of the office in December 2000.
Arturo’s responsibilities include managing the sales and distribution of NBA consumer products; working with sponsors and marketing partners in the Latin America region; developing the NBA’s U.S. Hispanic strategy and marketing initiatives; implementing new grassroots initiatives in the region; and overseeing the internet strategies for NBA.com/espanol and its affiliated sites. His parents are Venezuelan and Cuban and he is a native of Harlem, New York. Arturo is trilingual (English, Spanish and Portuguese).
To listen to the interview, scroll down until you see “Podcast” on the right hand side, then select “HMPR Arturo Nunez and Saskia Sorrosa,” 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 May 2006 section of the podcast.
Press the button to hear the interview:
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Posted by Elena del Valle on April 4, 2006
Photographer George Rodriguez
Photos: George Rodriguez
Los Angeles, California – A photo exhibit, “César E. Chávez – A Reflection,” featuring photographs by George Rodriguez recently opened at the Mexican Cultural Institute located at Plaza Olvera in downtown Los Angeles. The artist, union organizer Dolores Huerta, and immediate members from the Chavez family attended the unveiling of the exhibit’s commemorative poster.
Through his collection of black and white and color images Rodriguez meant to capture the legacy of Mexican American labor leader César Chávez and his fight for social justice. The show, which includes photos never before viewed in an exhibit, will run from March 31 through April 28. The exhibit encapsulates the movement that began in the late 1960s with the leader’s struggle in the fields.
“Cesar E. Chavez at ’40 acres’, Delano, California, August 1969”
The exhibit also attempts to describe “the formidable transformation of powerless farm workers into warriors for social justice.” Chavez created a “people’s movement” that transcended the rural environment reaching urban communities and crossing the nation.” César E. Chávez – A Reflection” is presented by the Mexican Cultural Institute and Scandalo Productions with support from Latino Weekly Review, KLCS-TV/DT, and LatinoLA.com.
Posted by Elena del Valle on April 1, 2006
Denice R. Hinden, president, Managance Consulting
Photo: Denice R. Hinden
Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations: Understanding and Targeting America’s Largest Minority. 2005. Elena del Valle, editor. Poyeen Publishing, Boca Raton, Florida. Reviewed by Denice R. Hinden, president, Managance Consulting
Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations is a thoughtful and insightful reference tool for anyone contemplating a targeted marketing campaign, or anyone working in a field where results depends on effective communication with people of Hispanic or Latino origin (the terms are used interchangeably throughout the book), and especially people for whom Spanish is their dominant language. The book is a compilation of chapters written by 19 professionals, across the United States representing a broad range of experiences and perspectives. The authors include two university professors, five researchers, several business owners (whose services target marketers, communicators and Hispanics) and five communicators.
The book quickly dispels any notion that all people of Hispanic origin are “the same” or that communicating with the Hispanic market is just a matter of “speaking Spanish.” The Hispanic market is segmented, primary by country of origin and the distinct culture and Spanish dialect of each country. Further, the book makes a strong case for the value of investing in careful research, planning and translation services as an essential part of any organization’s communication planning and brand awareness efforts. Integrated throughout the book are brief examples that illustrate key points, along with a variety of charts and graphs of data and trends in the Hispanic market. By the end of the book the reader understands that effectively reaching the Hispanic market is both a science and an art and there is still much more to learn about this dynamic and growing market.
The book is organized around 15 different topics that you get a sense are just skimming the surface of the complexities and opportunities for understanding and effectively reaching people of Hispanic origin in the United States. Some of the many topics covered include: the culture of the Latino market, the difference between acculturation and assimilation, trends in specific market segments including baby products, the wireless market, the car market, the banking market and the urban youth market and the tools of effective marketing including qualitative and quantitative research, effective translations, the Latino print and broadcast media, the entertainment factor and specific communication strategies. Integrated throughout the book are helpful (and funny) lessons about challenges and opportunities of working in Spanish and English. For example, when a well known airline wanted to advertise it’s new leather first class seats in the Mexican market it translated its campaign literally. “Fly in leather” or “vuela en cuero” is “Fly naked” in Spanish.
Other valuable elements of the book include a detailed table of contents and index, a brief introduction to each chapter and a summary at the end of each chapter emphasizing key points. Another feature of the book is its companion website HispanicMPR.com. The website is a unique forum for the exchange of information and ideas on Hispanic marketing and public relations. The site is updated regularly and resources include books, media, events, people, press, entertainment and podcasts from movers and shakers in the communications industry. Together, the contributing authors to Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations have decades of experience on the front lines of the country’s communication industry. Their wisdom and experiences are a valuable resource for anyone entering or working in the Hispanic marketing and public relations industry.
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 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 14, 2006
Kagan estimates 3.4 percent of TV ad dollars in 2005 went to Hispanics, who accounted for 10.2 percent of TV households; those shares should rise to 4.2 percent of TV ad spend and 11.1 percent of TV households by 2009. According to Kagan Research, Hispanic TV will capture 4.2 percent of TV ad spending by 2009.
Graphic: Business Wire
Monterey, California — With more than 75 Spanish-language cable networks available to multichannel subs, Kagan Research, LLC expects those outlets to be the leaders in television ad revenue growth rates over the next decade. Kagan’s “Economics of Hispanic Television in the U.S.” reports that, compared with total U.S. media spending, Hispanic ad dollars are up significantly, about 12.1 percent in 2005 compared with a 6.6 percent boost for all U.S. advertising markets. The numbers for 2004 were similar, with Hispanic media up 12.1 percent versus a 5.7 percent rise for all U.S. media markets.
Kagan forecasts total Hispanic ad spend will achieve a hefty 10.3 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2004-’09, bettering 6.2 percent growth for all U.S. media. The beneficiaries of the boom include four over-the-air Spanish-language TV broadcasters, Univision, Telemundo, Telefutura and TV Azteca.There still exists a significant gap between Hispanic ad spending and Hispanic population share.
“Despite accounting for approximately 14 percent of the U.S. population, the Hispanic audience has been the ‘forgotten demo’,” said Deana Myers, senior analyst at Kagan Research. “That has changed as advertisers look to target this group’s rapidly growing buying power.”
Filling the ad spend gap of this increasingly valuable demographic will be a major focus of Hispanic media over the next ten years. Kagan estimates 3.4 percent of TV ad dollars in 2005 went to Hispanics, who accounted for 10.2 percent of TV households; those shares should rise to 4.2 percent of TV ad spend and 11.1 percent of TV households by 2009.
“Economics of Hispanic Television in the U.S.” provides an analysis of population trends, buying power and the Hispanic media market in the U.S., with market projections for broadcast networks and cable networks through 2009. The detailed profiles of 14 broadcast and cable networks include ownership information, subscriber data, and projections of gross and net ad revenues, programming expenses and cash flow, as well as programming descriptions and contact information for 32 other Hispanic-targeted networks. The report also compares affordability of Hispanic packages from multichannel distributors and dissects advertising revenues in the top ten Hispanic markets.
Kagan Research consulting and publishing services offer financial data and analysis, relevant market advisories and 5- to 10-year projections on cable and DBS, broadcast television and radio, movies, entertainment and sports, digital, wireless and Internet technologies and media finance and law.
Kagan’s “Economics of Hispanic Television in the U.S.”Electronic Edition with license for five users sells for $2,695; the Print Edition sells for $895 and both editions sell for $3,095. For table of contents and more information on the Report, visit Kagan.com.
Posted by Elena del Valle on March 9, 2006
Eric Shannon, president and founder LatPro
Photo: LatPro
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida — LatPro.com, an employment Web site for professional bilingual talent in the Americas, was chosen as a recipient of Weddle’s Annual User’s Choice Award for 2006, ranking LatPro among the top 30 employment sites online.
More than 30,000 job seekers, recruiters and employers cast ballots in Weddle’s 2006 User’s Choice Award to determine the most outstanding employment sites on the web. Weddle’s has been conducting surveys of recruiters, job seekers and employment-related Web sites since 1996. Through a year-long polling process at Weddles.com, users voted for the sites they felt deliver the best level of service and value.
“We are especially proud to receive this award because it was determined by the employers, recruiters and job seekers who actually use our service,” said Eric Shannon, LatPro president. “Our focus has always been on providing the absolute best user experience, customer service and value for our clients, and we’re pleased that our efforts have been recognized in this way. We want to thank everyone for their votes on our behalf.”
Previously featured in the 2001 print edition of Weddle’s Recruiter’s Guide to Employment Web Sites, LatPro connects employers and recruiters with Spanish and Portuguese speaking professionals within the United States and worldwide. Since 1997, LatPro has provided online employment resources for Hispanic and bilingual professionals. With more than 275,000 members and 90 of the Fortune 100 companies using its service, LatPro is one of the largest diversity employment sites in the U.S. The list of winners may be viewed online at Weddeles.com
