Latin-Pak Teams Up with Que Pasa, Inc.

Posted by Elena del Valle on July 22, 2005

St. Louis, MO—July 2005—  Latin Pak joined forces with Que Pasa, Inc. to provide a web search engine offering both language preference and contents appealing to its’ Hispanic visitors.  Latin-Pak’s new search engine allows visitors to search the web in the language of their preference: English or Spanish! Visitors can reach the search engine via www.latinpak.com  or www.buscarlatinpak.com, new site launched June 2005!

The search engine will allow Latin-Pak to offer to clients’ advertising or banners linked to their home page on a paid per click basis (ppc). 

Latin-Pak’s President & CEO, Vincent Andaloro explained, "After much investigation and research, we are proud to present a search engine which meets our high standards of being user friendly to Hispanic visitors while at the same time providing Latin-Pak clients’ another means of reaching and branding to Hispanics. It is another effective means of targeting the Hispanic consumer for our clients." 

Latin-Pak, a ten-year old Hispanic Direct Marketing firm with offices in Los Angeles, California and headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, has worked with many top advertising agencies and Fortune 500 companies across the United States. For more than ten years Latin-Pak has been marketing to Hispanic homes nationwide, utilizing a combination of various direct delivery methodologies to effectively reach Latino consumers "in-home" through direct mail, door-to-door and Spanish Free Standing Insert Programs. For additional information call 800-625-4283 or visit LatinPak.com

Insights on Effective Hispanic Media Training By Elena del Valle

Posted by Elena del Valle on July 18, 2005

As of the 2000 Census, Latinos are America’s largest minority, representing even by conservative estimates 13-15 percent of the overall market. Although many Hispanics are Spanish dominant, a significant percentage of the Latino population is highly acculturated and English dominant or bilingual. This makes for a complex Hispanic media mix.

There are hundreds of U.S. based newspapers, magazines, television and radio programs and online websites targeting Hispanic consumers in the U.S. and beyond. In addition, because Latino consumers spend a high percentage of their disposable income on food, transportation, clothing and housing, an increasing number of communicators and marketers are beginning to focus their efforts on them.
 
Cultural Nuances

There are plenty of examples of Hispanic market campaigns. How can media training help you create a successful Hispanic market campaign? Many of you have heard of the infamous well-known airline that invited travelers to fly ‘naked’. In the same way, the slogan for pork as “the other white meat” which was successful in the general market was meaningless to U.S. Hispanics.

In an effort to promote their new business class leather seats, an airline invited passengers to fly “en cuero.” It was not until they had launched the campaign that airline executives realized “en cuero” means naked in colloquial Spanish. Oops!

Any public relations practitioner can attest to the challenges of setting up a meeting with an executive producer of a major television show. Years ago, I found myself in that position. At the time, I was working at one of the city’s premier teaching hospitals. Knowing how important meeting colleagues in person is among Latinos; I endeavored to always meet reporters, producers and editors at least once in person before we began a professional collaboration. For months, I tried to meet with one of the executive producers of a top rated Spanish language international TV show with a reputation for a choosy production staff.

Finally, he agreed to join me for lunch at a local restaurant on Thanksgiving Day.  A meeting on Thanksgiving with a mainstream producer would have been unlikely. Because of hectic multi-location schedules, this producer was only able to spare time for lunch on Thanksgiving.  

He was three hours late! Many communications professionals in my position, including my boss, would have left. I waited. My patience was rewarded. When he arrived, he was courteous and apologetic. I minimized the importance of his tardiness; after all, no self respecting polite Latino would leave a woman waiting by herself or stand her up, so it must have been unintentional. We had a productive meeting, which opened the doors of cooperation. From that moment on, the producer’s staff called me with confidence when they needed Spanish speaking health care experts. Thanks to the initial Thanksgiving Day meeting, over the years a number of the hospital’s experts and later my clients, were invited to the highly coveted show.  

Media Training

Thorough media training provides the spokesperson with an understanding of how and why media interviews can be worth their time; describes basic media types; outlines possible interview formats; and conveys the importance of matching the messenger, the medium and the target audience using a well designed and culturally sensitive message.

It is important to explain how producers, reporters, editors and other media representatives behave and what they expect from a spokesperson.  Once experts understand their role in a media interview, they are better able to decide if a particular media opportunity is appropriate for them; or if they are willing to dedicate the time to it. This is especially relevant when the spokesperson’s time is particularly valuable.  

High profile spokespersons are accustomed to special treatment. Though media representatives may address them as experts during an interview, they usually treat them like regular guests when they arrive at a TV or radio station. If the interview relates to a sensitive issue, the experts may find themselves in a defensive position; or they may have to dedicate more of their time than they anticipated to the interview process.  Public relations practitioners should explain to their clients what is expected of them; and what they should expect during the interview process.

Another way to make the spokesperson aware of what to expect is to examine media types including online, broadcast, and print media. Describing interview formats (e.g. news, entertainment, and talk-show) and their characteristics expands the expert’s understanding and equips him or her to respond appropriately to the situation.

What makes Hispanic media training different you ask? In some cases, everything. How can Hispanic media training support your efforts to create a successful Hispanic market campaign? By understanding the unique aspects of language, culture and economic issues of this valuable target market, your Hispanic market spokesperson will be more effective and your campaign will be more successful.

Beyond Language 

Hispanic media is about much more than just language. Some Latino programs and publications are in English or bilingual. Even though some of the programs may be in English, successful interactions with Hispanic media require an understanding of and sensitivity to the Latino audience they reach. 

Understanding the media outlet is a first step. Knowing how to deal with and approach the producers and reporters is another.  Even if you are successful so far, the message and the messenger have to fit the audience and the medium.  That was the case with the pork example earlier. Before launching a translation of the English language campaign, the pork association representatives learned that Latinos were concerned about health related issues; they had no objections to dark meat.

Because in their countries of origin eating pork that was not fully cooked was dangerous and unhealthy, many Latinos were hesitant to cook pork at home. “The other white meat” slogan was irrelevant to Latino women.  To reach the Hispanic community effectively, in whatever language, the campaign would have to address Latinos’ pork related health concerns.  

To be effective and avoid frustrating and costly mistakes, smart public relations professionals and interviewees do their homework before addressing the public. There are often cultural, political, socio-demographic, historical, and linguistic issues worth considering.   In the same way, Hispanic media training must take into account cultural and linguistic nuances to be effective.

What does that mean in practical terms? Different experts, media outlets and target audience combinations require different approaches. There are eight main possible scenarios, including one discussed here, the Cultural Sensitivity Model. These vary depending on three basic factors; person being interviewed; media where they will be interviewed; and the target audience.  

It is important to know as much as possible about the target audience.  Mainstream viewers might consider an interviewee dressed in solid black stylish. Older Latinos may perceive the person wearing that attire to be in mourning or luto. Younger bicultural and bilingual Latinos may have a different perspective. The speaker’s demeanor can also affect the public’s perception. For example, when addressing a mainstream audience with a mainstream message, a speaker would do well to keep use of his or her hands to a minimum. At the same time, facial expressions and emotions should be discreet. Latinos might perceive someone who behaves this way as cold and unfeeling. 

Under the Hispanic media training Cultural Sensitivity Model a non-Latino expert must be aware of cultural issues to ensure a successful interview, from a Hispanic market perspective, during a general market media opportunity. A non-Hispanic expert addressing a general audience with a general message can end up on the wrong side of an issue without meaning to, if he or she is insensitive to Latino hot buttons.  Such was the case of a magazine columnist who responded to a reader’s letter in a way Latino readers found offensive.  Though she was non-Hispanic, writing in a non-Hispanic magazine to a general market audience, there were Latino readers in her audience who found her comments insulting. Because of her remarks, several Latino leaders called for a boycott of the magazine, which in the end lost credibility and Hispanic readers. 

Think Global, Act Local

Each interview requires an understanding of the particular characteristics of the audience. As the diversification of America continues, it becomes increasingly difficult to create one message to reach everyone effectively. Among U.S. Latinos, this diversification is also a factor. The challenge is that because the market is made up of a number of small groups rather than one single Latino group, there is no one approach or cookie cutter formula. An identical approach could have opposite effects in two different Latino groups. For example, a speaker reaching out to New York Latinos would not necessarily use the same language, media outlet or message as a speaker addressing Los Angeles, El Paso, Chicago or Miami Hispanics.  When in doubt, consult a Latino market expert, preferably one specializing in Hispanic media training.   

No single media training, regardless of the language, can address all potential situations and solve all possible problems. It can convey some of the critical issues and challenges to the spokesperson making them more effective and sensitive to Hispanic market nuances. It can help them avoid the pitfalls of cultural misunderstandings and improve the chances of success of your Hispanic market campaign. 

Elena is a 20-year marketing and communications veteran specializing in Hispanic media training, health care and Hispanic markets.  She has provided media training in English and Spanish to hundreds of professionals, including executive, physicians, medical staff and health care executives in the public and private sectors in the U.S. and Latin America. Part of this article is derived from the Hispanic media training chapter in the upcoming Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations (Poyeen Publishing $49.95).
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Hispanic Market Update by Roger Selbert, Ph.D.

Posted by Elena del Valle on July 15, 2005

The Coming Age of Native-Born Latinos

Hispanic Americans are not just the largest ethnic group in the United States  they may well be the most dynamic, vital force shaping America¹s future.  So write the editors of Hispanic Trends magazine (March/April 2005). 

Exerting an ever-increasing influence on American media, music, fashion and cuisine, Hispanics are themselves in flux, retaining much of their cultural heritage as they adopt American habits and mores.  The key to Hispanic American influence might well lie not in the constant stream of immigration, but in the coming of age of the second and third generations that will swell the ranks of US Latinos in coming decades.  Young, US-born and educated, and primarily English speakers, Hispanics are poised to bring about the next American cultural and social revolution.

Younger than other population groups and rapidly gaining economic and political clout, Hispanic Americans are a vibrant mix of immigrants and families encompassing several US-born generations; the second-largest group in the US labor force, after non-Hispanic whites; evidencing an entrepreneurial bent that is helping to fuel US economic growth; and projected to account for 46% of total US population growth over the next two decades.  Consider the following statistics, drawn from various sources:

As of March 2004, US Hispanics numbered 40.4 million (14% of the total US population).  That number is expected to reach 47.7 million by 2010, and 60.4 million by 2020.  Average Hispanic family size is 3.87 people; the national average for all families is 3.19.

Hispanic economic clout is growing at an annual compound rate of 8.2%, nearly twice the 4.9% rate for non-Hispanics, and is projected to reach $1 trillion annually by 2010.

In 2004, 31% of all US Hispanic households  nearly a third  had incomes over $50,000.

Hispanics made up 4% of the 7.7 million US business owners with paid employees in the 2002 Economic Census.  Self-employment by Latinos grew 41% between 2000 and 2003 (while overall self-employment grew 6.2%).  The number of Latina-owned businesses surged 62.4% for the seven years ending in 2004 (vs. 9% for all businesses).

Of the 3.4 million immigrants aged 25 or older who arrived in the US from 2000 to 2004, 34.3% had a bachelor¹s degree or higher, compared with 32.5% in the 1990s.  Of foreign-born Hispanics in that category, 13% had college degrees, compared with 9% in the 1990s.

According to the US Census Bureau, 49.7% of US Hispanics are homeowners, up from 47.3% a year ago.  (The homeownership rate for non-Hispanic whites increased from 75.5% to 76% over the same period.)
Reaching the Hispanic Market in English or Spanish: The Debate Continues

We¹ve been writing about this debate for years, because it has been evident for years that the numbers of bilingual, English-dominant, and even English-only Hispanics would continue to grow rapidly, especially among younger and US-born Hispanics.  According to Global Insight, by 2025 nearly one-third of Hispanic households will not speak Spanish at all, and only 15% will speak Spanish exclusively (down from 21% today).  In the same time frame, the total Hispanic population is expected to grow to 70 million.

The increasing English-speaking and bilingual Hispanic population is already reflected in the changing media landscape.  When watching television, Hispanics spend about 65% of their time with English-language TV, according to Nielsen Media Research.  Among Hispanic kids and teens, the figure is about 75%.  Thus, advertising campaigns geared to bilingual Hispanics  commercials that use both languages, running in both Spanish and English media outlets  are becoming more prevalent.

According to Kevin Downey, writing in Marketing Y Medios (February 2005), total ad spending directed at the Hispanic market is projected to grow 38% by 2008, from $3.3 billion last year to $4.6 billion.  Of that amount, perhaps as much as 10% will be used to reach English-speaking and bilingual Hispanics.  Hispanic and general-market agencies will be vying to cope with these developments.

With that in mind, a group of Latino marketing professionals has founded the New Generation Latino Consortium, whose mission is to educate the business world about the critical role this hot demographic will be playing in media, marketing and entertainment.  Primarily comprised of U.S.-born Latinos, New Generation Latinos are 12-to-34-year-olds who are English-dominant or bilingual, lead largely bicultural lives, and predominantly consume English-language media.  According to David Chitel of LatCom, these early-adoptive, trend-setting, more educated Latinos are an upwardly mobile US Hispanic segment whose spending power has been estimated at $400 billion.  They are evidence that the US Hispanic market is both growing and evolving.

The New Hispanic Market 

We have written many times over the years about the size, growth and importance of the Hispanic market ($1 trillion by 2010), and the significance of the Hispanic youth market as a bellwether, leading-edge group.  In issue #945 (September 2002), we reported on several sources of research that suggested a trend toward English preference among a large majority of US Hispanic youth in terms of media usage (TV, radio, print media, film and Internet).   That trend appears to be accelerating.

According to a recent study conducted by researchers at the State University of New York (SUNY), English remains the language of choice among the children and grandchildren of Hispanic immigrants, despite continuing waves of migration from Latin America.  In contrast to concerns from some analysts that English may be losing ground to Spanish in some parts of the United States, the study finds the majority of Hispanic Americans moving steadily toward English monolingualism.  Among third-generation Hispanics, the fastest-growing segment of the US Latino population, 72% speak English exclusively.

Further, the study finds that this trend has generally continued among Mexican-Americans, the country¹s largest immigrant group, even during the immigration boom of the 1990s.  Even for Hispanics in Los Angeles, a magnet for immigration from Latin America, the pattern of language shifts across generations remains similar to those among Hispanics nationally.  The report suggests that many other researchers and analysts have underestimated the pressures of assimilation, and are missing its contemporary signs.

Who We Are, What We Are Becoming

For example, Samuel Huntington, a professor of political science at Harvard, touched off a furor last year by warning in his book, Who Are We: The Challenges to America¹s National Identity, that continuing high levels of Hispanic immigration might ³eventually change America into a country of two languages, two cultures and two peoples.²   He is quoted in the International Herald Tribune as saying that the SUNY study reflects the experience of current third-generation Hispanics, but does little to predict the experience of future third-generations.

Richard Alba, director of the SUNY study, counters that available statistics do not suggest a substantive change in historical patterns.  His view is echoed by Ruben Rumbaut of the University of California, co-director of the largest multiyear survey of children of immigrants, whose findings show that continued bilingualism among Hispanics does not occur at the expense of English.  Even among Mexican-born young people who came to the US as young children and are living on the border, the UC survey finds, English is still overwhelmingly preferred.

What¹s behind this English preference trend?  Although not generally understood or appreciated, Hispanic immigration to the US, as well as the share of the US Hispanic population that is foreign-born, both peaked years ago.  Migration to the US will decrease even further after 2010, according to University of California professor Philip Martin, due to a drop in Mexico¹s birthrate.  Hence, the explosive growth of the US Hispanic population in the coming decades will be fueled more by natural increase (native births) than by immigration.  This will speed the processes of assimilation, acculturation and English-proficiency.

Spanish is certainly not going to fade away in the regions of the country that serve as gateways to new immigrants.  The sheer size and continuous nature of Hispanic immigration, the proximity of Latin America to the US, and the availability of Spanish options in media, business and government services guarantee the continued proliferation of Spanish usage in the US.  But it¹s not what the kids are doing: young Hispanics may be very proud of their heritage, but English is the language of that powerful machine known as American culture.

According to the Latino Intelligence Report, a national survey of Hispanic teens conducted by a division of Creative Artists Agency, Hispanic teens watch more television than their general-market counterparts and cite MTV, Fox and Comedy Central as their favorite TV networks.  While only 8% of those surveyed said they speak Spanish better than English or Spanish only, 48% said they speak English and Spanish equally well.  Interestingly, however, only 20% of those responding to telephone interviews volunteered to take the survey in Spanish.  In other words, Hispanic teens overreport their Spanish-speaking ability.

Growth Strategies Implications

Note well: while assimilation and acculturation to the mainstream is still the paradigm of ethnic minorities in the US, what is different and unique about Hispanics is how much they have changed, and are changing, the mainstream in the process.  Every facet of American culture, every aspect of American society, now includes and is transformed by Hispanic influences, and young Hispanics are driving the trend (a very current example would be Spanglish rap songs).

Juan Faura, president of Hispanic advertising agency Cultura, agrees that Hispanic culture has evolved into an integral part of the overall pop-culture fabric in the US.  He writes in Marketing Y Medios that he has come to realize, after many years in the industry, that the Hispanic market is not so much a mix of two cultures as an emerging third culture:

This third culture is unique to its time in history.  It is a culture rich in tradition and pride, but defined by its own values, values forged over generations in this country.  It is defined more by the expectations of the future than the memories of the past.

Andrew Erlich of Erlich Transcultural Consultants agrees, writing that bicultural youth are individuating and creating their own new culture, which they express and experience in just about all aspects of their daily lives.  Appreciating the experience of bilingual youth, he concludes, will give marketers a window to understanding the Latino market and a key to designing successful strategies for today and tomorrow.

Dr. Roger Selbert is one of the best-known and most respected trend experts in the United States.  He is a principal of The Growth Strategies Group, editor and publisher of Growth Strategies, and a senior fellow at the La Jolla Institute.  As a business futurist, his 20-year track record of economic, social and demographic foresight is unequalled. He is a contributing author of the upcoming Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations (Poyeen Publishing $49.95).

Arbitron Study Reveals Hispanics Radio Listening Habits While Driving

Posted by Elena del Valle on July 13, 2005

An Arbitron study resulting in an outline titled "How Hispanics Use Radio in Their Car" conducted in July 2003 among 125 Hispanis out of a total of 1505 respondents provides insights into the radio listening habits of Latinos in the U.S.

It provides results on topics such as Hispanics listening habits, their like for satellite radio, age demographics of Hispanic radio listeners, Latinos’ preference for radio over other alternatives, impact of billboards on their listening habits, their propensity to display bumper stickers and leave preset stations untouched and more. Details

Garcia Research to Conduct Hispanic Omnibus Study

Posted by Elena del Valle on July 11, 2005

Next wave of the quarterly Omnibus Study, which focuses on Spanish-speaking Hispanics nationwide, to be conducted in August

Garcia Research Associates’ (GRA) Hispanic Omnibus Study provides an opportunity to obtain specific, custom information about the Hispanic consumer without having to invest in a full-blown research study.  Conducted on a quarterly basis, the study provides the opportunity to track information over time, such as brand and advertising awareness, purchase likelihood, perceptions, and slogan recall.  

GRA’s Hispanic Omnibus Study focuses on 500 Spanish-speaking Hispanic adults in over 40 DMAs across the U.S.  The sample is stratified regionally according to Census data and is split evenly between men and women and ages 18-34 and 35-65.  The result is a meaningful, projectable read of Spanish-speaking Hispanics nationwide.

The deadline for participation in the next wave is August 3, 2005.  Details  at  http://garciaresearch.com/omnibus.htm 

GRA is 100% Latino owned and operated.  The firm specializes in qualitative, quantitative and copy testing market research for the Latino market.  Their research and consulting guides many of firms to better understand and reach this dynamic population.  Earlier this year, the company won top honors (under $5mm revenues) at the Latin Business Association’s prestigious Sol Awards Gala in Los Angeles, and the San Fernando Valley Business Journal honored the company’s founder, Mr. Carlos Garcia, with their Small Business Entrepreneur Award. 

Movida Expands to Texas

Posted by Elena del Valle on July 8, 2005

Miami, FL–(HISPANIC PR WIRE – BUSINESS WIRE)–July 7, 2005–The Cisneros Group of Companies announced that Movida, the nation’s first pay-as-you-go wireless communications service specifically targeting the 40 million Hispanics living in the United States, is now available in Dallas and Austin, Texas and is preparing to launch in Los Angeles, the nation’s largest Hispanic market.

The Cisneros Group’s holdings include interests in: Venevision, the leading broadcast television channel in Venezuela; Venevision International, a Spanish-language entertainment company with specialization in TV programming; Univision Communications Inc. (NYSE:UVN), the number one provider of Spanish-language content to the U.S. Hispanic audience; Claxson Interactive Group Inc. (XSON), an integrated Ibero-American media and entertainment company; DIRECTV Latin America, a direct-to-home satellite TV provider with operations across the region; Cerveceria Regional, the second-largest brewery and beer distributor in Venezuela; Backus & Johnston, the largest brewer in Peru and the sixth-largest in Latin America; and Pueblo, one of the leading supermarket chains in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information, visit http://www.cisneros.com.

The Cisneros Group of Companie, one of the largest privately held media, entertainment, technology, and consumer products organizations in the world, owns, or holds interests in companies ranging from broadcast television networks and pay television services, to beverage businesses and supermarkets. The Group has recently expanded its activities from Ibero-America to countries worldwide.

The Cisneros Group’s holdings include interests in: Venevision, the leading broadcast television channel in Venezuela; Venevision International, a Spanish-language entertainment company with specialization in TV programming; Univision Communications Inc. (NYSE:UVN), the number one provider of Spanish-language content to the U.S. Hispanic audience; Claxson Interactive Group Inc. (XSON), an integrated Ibero-American media and entertainment company; DIRECTV Latin America, a direct-to-home satellite TV provider with operations across the region; Cerveceria Regional, the second-largest brewery and beer distributor in Venezuela; Backus & Johnston, the largest brewer in Peru and the sixth-largest in Latin America; and Pueblo, one of the leading supermarket chains in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information, visit http://www.cisneros.com .

Nextel.com/espanol Website Enhanced

Posted by Elena del Valle on July 7, 2005

Reston, VA–(HISPANIC PR WIRE – BUSINESS WIRE)–July 6, 2005–Nextel Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:NXTL), a leading provider of fully integrated wireless communications services, announced the launch of its newly-designed Spanish language Nextel.com/espanol website. The new site features more than 800 pages of Spanish language content and streamlined navigation to meet the needs of Nextel’s Spanish speaking Hispanic customers.

Customers can access Nextel’s Spanish language website through the prominent "En Espanol" welcome button located on the Nextel.com home page or access it directly through http://www.nextel.com/espanol. The new site content provides extensive information about Nextel, its products, services and accessories, special promotional offers and support options for Spanish speaking customers.

"We have created an online experience for our Hispanic customer community that focuses on their core needs," said Miguel Avila, senior director, Nextel’s Hispanic marketing.

Nextel.com/espanol features user-friendly navigation allowing Hispanic customers to quickly locate information and make informed buying decisions.  The site indicates if any subsequent pages will be in English. Key features of Nextel.com/espanol include: Search Capacity which allows customers to conduct a full search within the Spanish language site to find information about Nextel’s products and services as well as support, service and repair information; Store Locator through which Spanish speaking customers can locate and get turn-by-turn directions to their nearest Nextel Retail Store with bilingual sales representatives; Product User Guides are available in Spanish for download; Business Section for Hispanic Small Office/Home Office businesses; Enhanced Customer Service with easy-to-find links to information customers need most frequently, including Nextel customer care, service and repair options, upgrade information and answers to FAQs. Spanish speaking customers can also request to have a Spanish speaking sales representative call them at their convenience

Nextel will promote the launch of its Spanish language website with a Spanish online marketing campaign. The online campaign includes placements in Yahoo en Espanol, MSN Latino, AOL Latino, Terra and Univision, as well as Spanish search in Yahoo and Google.

Nextel Communications, a FORTUNE 200 company based in Reston, Va., is a leading provider of fully integrated wireless communications services and has built the largest guaranteed all-digital wireless network in the country covering thousands of communities across the United States. Nextel and Nextel Partners, Inc. serve 297 of the top 300 U.S. markets where approximately 263 million people live or work.

LatinClips, Papel Media Network Launch Ad Equivalency Measurement Tool for Hispanic Market Press Clippings

Posted by Elena del Valle on July 6, 2005

Miami, FL–(HISPANIC PR WIRE)–July 6, 2005–U.S. Hispanic news and opinion monitoring service LatinClips, via a strategic partnership with Hispanic advertising placement group Papel Media, will launch the Hispanic public relations industry’s first True Ad equivalency measurement tool “TrueVal” in August. “TrueVal” calculates a story’s value based on its actual size in comparison to the publication’s advertising column inch cost. LatinClips’ clients can select the ad equivalency feature optionally with any of their press clipping accounts.

“In today’s ROI-driven marketing world ‘TrueVal’ will definitely shed more light on the overall value of campaigns and how clients can maximize the allocation of resources,” said John Trainor, CEO of Papel Media Network.

Miami-based LatinClips is the nation’s most comprehensive ethnic media monitoring service. Its Diversity Solutions Services features tracking of news content and opinion from online, print, broadcast TV and radio sources. The company offers several industry “firsts” and exclusive products including retroactive searching of Hispanic print publications, quantitative measurement tools and tracking of Online Forums- opinions posted directly by Hispanics online. LatinClips is a certified, 100 percent minority owned entity and is a sister company of Hispanic and Black news distribution leaders Hispanic PR Wire and Black PR Wire. Chicago-based Papel Media offers Hispanic Print media services to national advertisers such as ROP, inserts and direct mail. Papel works on behalf of advertisers diligently matching vehicles with key demographics using highly developed targeting tools and techniques. For details about ‘TrueVal’ contact LatinClips at (305) 971-8687 or visit http://www.latinclips.com .

St. Thomas University Offers 2,000 Partial Graduate Scholarship

Posted by Elena del Valle on July 5, 2005

New Master’s Program Sites Cultural Communication as Key to Success 

Miami – The Department of Communication Arts, English, and Humanities of St. Thomas University established of a $2,000 one-year scholarship.  The scholarship will be awarded to a full-time graduate student pursuing an advanced degree in the Communication Arts with a Specialization in Hispanic Media program at St. Thomas University.  The scholarship may be consecutively renewed subject to all criteria being met.

Gloria Ruiz, Chair of the Department of Communication Arts, English, and Humanities, said, "With the rapid growth of Spanish-speaking populations in South Florida and throughout the country, priorities for communications programs are changing.  The diversity of the working world demands a broad understanding of the issues that shape intercultural communication within and beyond the Spanish-speaking community." 

The University’s new Master of Arts in Communication Arts with a Specialization in Hispanic Media responds to this demand.  The program’s multidisciplinary approach prepares students for interpersonal and management challenges of today’s bilingual communication’s workplace. Courses focus on critical communication issues involved in the field of media.  Students can expect a blend of academic theory and practical skills.

A graduate open house is being held on Thursday, July 7, 2005 from 6- 8:00 pm at the Evelyn & George Goldbloom Convocation Hall at St. Thomas University.  Students interested in applying for the partial scholarship will be able to speak the chair of department and representatives from admissions and financial aid.  The application fee will be waived for all students that apply that night.  RSVP to 305.628.6546 or online at www.stu.edu.

St. Thomas University is an urban, student-centered, Catholic university located in Miami, Florida dedicated to educating leaders who contribute to the economic and cultural vitality of the regions they serve.

National Survey of Multicultural Public Relations Practitioners Reveals Barriers to Diversity

Posted by Elena del Valle on June 9, 2005

Women Owned/ Managed Agencies Lead the Way Achieving Diversity

 New York, NY, June 9. 2005 — A 2004-2005 study of Black and Hispanic public relations (PR) practitioners in the United States reveals significant dissatisfaction with the PR profession’s commitment to diversity, perceived pervasive discrimination, and widespread concern that multicultural practitioners are relegated to a slow professional track.  The findings also indicate that women-owned / managed firms have a significantly greater commitment to and success in retaining multicultural practitioners, compared to their male counterparts.

 The on-line survey was conducted in October 2004 and January 2005 by Lynn Appelbaum, APR, associate professor, chair, Department of Media & Communication Arts at The City College of New York, and Rochelle Ford, Ph.D., APR, assistant professor, Advertising and PR Sequence Coordinator, Howard University.  RF Binder Partners was the underwriter.

“This is a wake-up call for the PR industry to take significant steps to address diversity,” said professor Appelbaum.  “While we have begun to talk about how to diversify our workforce, industry professionals and HR staffs must take action if we are going to effect meaningful change.  The industry may want to look to women-owned firms for leadership in this important area.”

 “This study gives a snapshot of practitioner perceptions and experiences, and while the news is not all bad, organizations need to work to alleviate the double standards and racism practitioners feel they face in order to attract and retain talent,” said Dr. Ford.

Job Satisfaction

Survey results indicate that job satisfaction among Black and Latino professionals is lower than job satisfaction among the general PR practitioner population, with only 45.8% of the respondents feeling satisfied or very satisfied with their jobs, all things considered.  Additionally, Hispanic practitioners experience significantly lower levels of job satisfaction than Blacks.

Work-Related Racism

Respondents consistently report that they have experienced incidences of racism in their careers – 54% experienced subtle discrimination by current or past employers and 40% experienced overt discrimination.  The most common problem (reported by 62%) was having to be more qualified for positions than Caucasian American counterparts.  Additionally, 60% feel multicultural practitioners are put on slow moving career tracks, and 56% feel that multicultural practitioners are frequently relegated to menial tasks.
Nearly half of all respondents reported that they are treated unfairly in the workplace. In 9 of the 18 racism measures, Hispanic practitioners reported significantly higher levels than Black respondents.

Workplace Integration

Despite these negative experiences, multicultural practitioners feel that they are integrated in the workplace and do not see themselves as being relegated to only multicultural clients.  Two thirds note that their projects receive a lot of attention outside their organizations, 72 % interact professionally outside their ethnic group, and 58% interact socially with Caucasian Americans.

Mentoring

Importantly, nearly two thirds agree or strongly agree that they have been mentored by one or more PR practitioners, who made a difference in their success; nearly 84% had at least one white male mentor and 87% had at least one white female mentor. 
Recommended Action Steps

 Multicultural practitioners identified several strategies for professional organizations and employers to take to improve the industry’s diversity initiatives: provide diversity and management training for staff and managers, actively recruit at universities with high minority enrollment and at conferences and job fairs that target minorities.

Survey respondents identified three major areas for PR associations to play in promoting diversity: create a campaign geared toward recruiting multicultural practitioners getting the message out earlier to youth; offer development opportunities to diversity professionals; and assist businesses with recruiting competitive diverse candidates.

Survey Design

The survey was designed to provide feedback on multicultural PR practitioners’ experience in the workplace, assess discrimination issues and the PR industry’s diversity initiatives, and identify strengths and weaknesses of membership in race-neutral professional organizations, such as the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), compared to racially-based membership groups, such as the Black Public Relations Society (BPRS) or the Hispanic Public Relations Society (HPRS).  The survey also sought ideas from multicultural practitioners to help the industry chart a plan of action to improve diversity within the PR industry.
The sample includes members of multicultural PR organizations: National Black Public Relations Society and its New York, Washington, DC, Chicago and Atlanta chapters; Hispanic Marketing Communication Association Miami Chapter; and PRSA’s multicultural communication section members. Recipients were invited to forward the survey to non-member multicultural practitioners. Findings are based on 132 completed surveys, about a 10% response.

The press conference is a major initiative of the Diversity Committee of the Public Relations Society of America- New York Chapter (PRSA-NY). The committee’s co-chairs are Lester Davis, Executive Director of Marketing at CommCore Strategies, Inc and Lilly Loh, Director of Business Development & Marketing at Hill & Knowlton.  Complete survey findings and analysis can be obtained at the City College of New York web site: www.ccny.cuny.edu/prsurvey, or www.prsany.org.