A podcast featuring an interview with Cristina Benitez, author, Latinization:How Latino Culture is Transforming the U.S., is available in the Podcast Section of Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations, HispanicMPR.com. During the podcast, she discusses her book with Elena del Valle, host of the HispanicMPR.com podcast.
Cristina is the founder of Lazos Latinos, a Chicago branding and advertising company specializing in Hispanic markets. Prior to founding her company in 1998, she was senior vice president, Ethnic Marketing, DraftWorldwide. Before that she was vice president at FOVA, Grey Advertising’s Hispanic marketing group. Her experience includes teaching secondary and college students Spanish for eight years. She is a board member of the Gateway Foundation, The Chicago Public Library, and The Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement and Luna Negra Dance.
In her recently released 128-page book, Latinization: How Latino Culture is Transforming the U.S. Cristina, a second generation Latina, relied on 20 years of Hispanic marketing experience and the input of 20 leaders.
In the book, she also included quotes and the insights of 14 men and six women in the arts and sciences, many from the Chicago area, in her efforts to define the influence of Hispanics on American culture. The leaders Cristina consulted include Hispanics and non Hispanics; entrepreneurs, authors, artists, performers, managers and the first woman to walk in space.
To listen to the interview, scroll down until you see the “Podcast” on the right hand side, then select “HMPR Cristina Benitez” click on the play button below 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 December 2007 section of the podcast archive.
The national alliance organization of Women In Film (WIF) and General Motors Corporation (GM) recently selected five winners of the second annual WIF/GM 2007 Opening Doors/Abriendo Puertas: The Acceleration Grant for Emerging Latina Filmmakers. Scroll down to watch “Countdown” and “Stuck” short videos courtesy of one of this year’s grant recipients, Xochitl Gonzalez.
The grant, a project of the WIF/GM Alliance, was created to support talented filmmakers from Latina/Hispanic communities and other under-represented groups. The WIF/GM grant is presented to five up-and-coming Latina filmmakers, chosen through an application process overseen by a WIF selection committee of professional filmmakers and entertainment industry executives from the New York-based chapter of WIF, New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT).
Grant recipients were chosen from among numerous submissions from across the U.S., U.S. territories and three foreign countries. Applicants included women of Brazilian, Cuban, Columbian, Costa Rican, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Spanish and Peruvian heritage. This year’s winners are Erika Bagnarello from Heredia, Costa Rica; Sarah Duran, Xochitl Gonzalez and Brenda Zuniga from Los Angeles, California; and Michelle Malley-Campos from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The grant promises recipients the opportunity to learn about the business of filmmaking through a six-day, full-immersion mentoring program, shepherded by members of NYWIFT, including some of the industry’s better known and women filmmakers.
Filmmakers Brenda Zuniga and Michelle Malley-Campos
“Once again, we are tremendously impressed with the depth of talent among Latina women across the country and in other territories and countries. Women In Film steadfastly believes in mentoring, fostering and supporting exceptional women who want to work in the entertainment industry. And the emphasis of the grant is to support emerging filmmakers from diverse communities. We applaud this year’s winners and look forward to their future contributions to our industry,” said Judith James, chair of the WIF/GM Alliance.
A native of Costa Rica, Bagnarello is a graduate of Florida State University and a former Fulbright Scholar. In 2006, she was awarded an honorable mention in the Latino category of the Directors Guild of America’s Student Awards for her short, The Melting Pot. Her thesis film Inner Sight, won second place in the student category at the 2007 Palm Beach International Film Festival and was chosen to screen at this year’s Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival. Bagnarello’s current project, Flyways, tells the story of a Costa Rican woman illegally immigrating to the U.S. with her daughter via a cruise ship.
“Emotional Branding: How to capture the heart and mind of the Hispanic consumer” audio recording
“Emotional Branding” was recorded January 2007 during the Strategic Research Institute 13th Annual Blockbuster Marketing to U.S. Hispanic and Latin America conference in Miami, Florida. Receive a free downloadable copy by completing our Visitor Survey.
A graduate of Cal State Northridge, Duran was recently accepted as one of 16 participants in the 2007 Producers Guild of America’s Diversity Workshop for her feature screenplay The Search for Santiago. She was selected to attend the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) 2007 signature program, the Latino Producers Academy, as a feature production fellow. Duran’s first short film, Red Phoenix, premiered at the 2006 Los Angeles Film Festival and her second short, Girls Night Out, won the grand prize in the 2006 Mercury/NALIP Latino Short Film Challenge. She is working on her first feature-length screenplay which she hopes to direct.
Filmmaker Xochitl Gonzalez
Gonzalez received an MFA in directing from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. She directed two award-winning narrative 35 millimeter shorts, “Countdown” and “Stuck.” Scroll down to watch the her short films. Her films have screened on KCET’s Fine Cut series and at the Film Independent P:I Showcase, Newport Beach Film Festival, San Diego Film Festival and Durango Film Festival. Gonzalez completed screenplays she hopes to direct for a feature film, Dr. Kevin, and a television pilot, The V.A. Spa.
Malley-Campos is a graduate of New York University’s film program. Her senior thesis, the short narrative When Chickens Bark, was was awarded “Outstanding Achievement” at the 2007 International Student Film Festival. She is working in the Puerto Rican production office for the film, The Argentine, directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Benicio Del Toro.
A graduate of the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, Zuniga is exhibiting her thesis film, Santa Teresa, at the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival and the DC Shorts Film Festival. She is working as a cinematographer and camera assistant in feature film production. Zuniga’s goal is to write and direct feature films.
“By providing the opportunity to attend dedicated workshops and to network with professionals from all aspects of the filmmaking industry,” said Terry Lawler, executive director of NYWIFT, “these grants will provide these women with a broad base of skills and knowledge of how to turn creative ideas into reality.”
Founded in 1973 in Los Angeles, Women In Film is a non-profit organization dedicated to women in the global entertainment industry. Its purpose is to empower, promote, nurture and mentor women in the industry through a network of valuable contacts, events, programs, workshops, finishing funds and scholarships.
The Women In Film/General Motors Alliance was created to support women in the entertainment industry and to expand Women In Film chapter programs across the country. The multi-year initiative was announced in Los Angeles in January 2005 and is supporting programs such as the Film Finishing Fund, Women’s Film Preservation Fund, Legacy Series, scholarships, mentorships and local WIF chapter award events across the nation. General Motors Corporation is the National Presenting Sponsor of Women In Film.
Click on the play button to watch “Countdown” and “Stuck” short videos courtesy of Xochitl Gonzalez.
Marsha Butler, DDS, vice president, Global Oral Health and Professional Relations, Colgate
Photo: Colgate-Palmolive
Recently released figures from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention based on the most recent information available (2003-04) indicate that the percentage of Americans with untreated tooth decay began rising this decade, reversing nearly 50 years of improvement in dental health. The reversal seems to be directly related to access to dental care issues. According to an October 11, 2007 The New York Times article, increase in dental fees and 100 million people without dental insurance are to blame.
“For children between the ages of 5 and 17 in the U.S., tooth decay is more common than asthma, more common than hay fever, and it poses a significant threat to our children’s overall health and well-being,” said Marsha Butler, DDS, vice president, Global Oral Health and Professional Relations, Colgate.
As part of its community affairs outreach, Colgate launched the Bright Smiles, Bright Futures dental health challenge program to reach 100 million children in the United States with free dental screenings, treatment referrals and oral health education by 2010. Since 1991, Colgate has reached 73 million children and 59 percent of the reach has been to Hispanic children.
The program’s goals are furthered through the use of a Colgate mobile dental van, one of a fleet of eight “clinics on wheels” that the company sponsors around the U.S., reaching about 130 urban and rural cities across the country.
“Colgate is committed to promoting oral health among Hispanic children and their families. Our mobile dental vans visit schools as well as community enters in neighborhoods with large Hispanic populations. We partner with professional organizations like the Hispanic Dental Association, whose members volunteer aboard the vans that visit schools, community centers and festivals across the United States,” said David Cardona, Marketing Director, Multicultural Marketing – Oral Care/Colgate Palmolive Company. “Colgate also oversees bilingual, cross-curricular educational initiatives designed to raise awareness in Hispanic communities about the importance of maintaining good dental hygiene and the connection between one’s oral and overall health.”
“Best in Class Hispanic Strategies” audio recording
Presenters Carlos Santiago and Derene Allen
Find out what makes 25 percent of the top 500 Hispanic market advertisers out perform the remaining companies
Discover what questions to ask, steps to take to be a Best in Class company
The Bright Smiles, Bright Futures program has hosted events in cities with large Hispanic populations like San Diego, New York, Chicago and Houston. Recently Colgate’s program made a stop in Miami, one of the top Hispanic markets in the country, where Colgate-Palmolive partnered with the United Way and Boys and Girls Clubs of Miami to host an oral health event featuring teen star Corbin Bleu, music, games and the dental van with free screening for 300 Miami-Dade Elementary School students.
“When you think about meeting people at your school, in your neighborhood, from different states or even different countries, there’s nothing more welcoming than a smile,” Corbin Bleu told a group of South Florida students recently. “Traveling on tour, I’ve had an opportunity to see what a smile can do to put people at ease. When I learned of the risks oral health disease presents, especially for kids in urban and rural areas, I wanted to help Colgate and United Way draw attention to the importance of maintaining good dental health.”
“At Colgate, our objective is to work with communities to help reduce and prevent oral health disease, and we are providing children and their families with information and skills that allow them to take charge of their dental health. Over the past few years, we’ve hosted oral health festivals and awareness activities for children from LA to New York. We have a network of eight mobile dental vans that set up clinics in target areas and at cultural events across the United States. Globally, we’ve also reached out to more than 500 million people in 80 countries, encouraging children to see their dentists and recruiting parents, teachers, and community and professional organizations, to help raise awareness about the importance of maintaining good oral health,” said Butler.
Colgate-Palmolive is a global consumer products company, focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition. Colgate sells its products in over 200 countries and territories around the world under such brand names as Colgate, Palmolive, Mennen, Softsoap, Irish Spring, Protex, Sorriso, Kolynos, Elmex, Ajax, Axion, Soupline, and Suavitel, as well as Hill’s Science Diet and Hill’s Prescription Diet pet foods.
“Marketing to New Hispanic Moms – a case study” audio recording
Presenter Cynthia Nelson, COO, Todobebe
Find out about
• New Latina mom market
• Baby demographics including market size, profile
• New moms’ language preferences
• Latino baby market trends
• Factors influencing Hispanic baby market
• Location of new Hispanic moms’ market
• Issues affecting new Latino moms
• Todobebe strategies
According to a series of six surveys conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center between 2002 and 2006 among 14,000 Latinos, most Hispanic adults born in the United States of immigrant parents say they speak English fluently. This is a sharp contrast to their foreign born parents; only a small minority of which consider that they are fluent in English.
Pew researchers, Shirin Hakimzadeh and D’Vera Cohn, analyzed the survey results and drafted a recent report concluding that less than 24 percent of foreign born Latinos consider they speak English very well while 88 percent of their U.S. born children consider themselves fluent in English.
The researchers also found respondents to the survey, of all generations, spoke English at work more frequently than at home. At the same time, more recent generations show a 94 percent of adults who consider they speak English. The figures for adults’ reading ability are similar to their speaking ability.
Target Latinos effectively by anticipating changes in the market with
“Hispanic Projections with 2007-08 update” audio recording
Presenter Roger Selbert, Ph.D.
Find out
About Latino buying power growth in the future
How Latino market growth compares with other markets in the U.S.
Highly educated immigrants who arrived in the United States as children or have lived in the country for many years were most likely to say they were fluent in English. Immigrants from Puerto Rico and South America were most likely to claim proficiency than Mexican-born respondents.
The report findings are based on four measures used by respondent to rate of their abilities, including their own English-speaking skills, their English-reading skills, their level of English use at home, and their level of English use at work.The researchers relied on the results of two of the surveys as well as a national survey conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center in October and November of 2007 which indicate Latinos believe inadequate English language skills are an obstacle to their acceptance in the United States. These findings are similar to those from previous surveys conducted by the Center.
The Pew Hispanic Center, an initiative of the Pew Research Center, is a non-partisan, non-advocacy research organization based in Washington, D.C. The Pew Hispanic Center is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts.
“Segmentation by Level of Acculturation” audio recording
ComEd recently launched a new Spanish-language advertising campaign to promote its compact fluorescent energy-saving light bulbs (CFL). The television and radio campaign, created by ComEd’s Hispanic advertising agency of record, the San Jose Group (SJG), highlights a company program that discounts compact fluorescent light bulbs.
According to information provided by The San Jose Group, the 30-second spots focus on a hairdresser and will air in Chicago and Rockford from October to December 2007. The agency’s team members believe the stylist character provides the right mix for a creative and simple execution, humor, credibility and a memorable medium. They hope a humorous approach to the serious topic of energy conservation will be well received by Spanish speaking Latino audiences.
Antonio Lovera, creative director at SJG
“Humor is a common cultural thread that transcends borders and nationalities,” said Antonio Lovera, creative director at SJG. “With the variety of Latin American cultures represented in ComEd’s marketplace, we used humor as an element to engage all Hispanics in a meaningful way.”
Taking advantage of the gossip stereotype of beauty shops, the 30 second ads focus on a hairdresser gossiping to a client about how a man left “her” for something younger, that lasts longer and even saves money. In fact, she’s referring to the new CFL bulb instead of her personal life.
A compact fluorescent energy-saving light bulb
According to promotional materials, CFL bulbs use 75 percent less energy than traditional light bulbs and last up to 10 times as long. Promoters say that replacing one standard bulb with a CFL can save customers up to $30 in electricity costs on their bill over the lifetime of the bulb.
The San Jose Group was recently reappointed as the Hispanic advertising agency of record for Exelon and its operating companies, ComEd and PECO, allowing the agency to continue to develop branding strategies and advertising executions for the company; and marking the continuation of a 12-year relationship between Exelon and The San Jose Group.
Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd), a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation, provides service to 3.7 million customers across northern Illinois, 70 percent of the state’s population. Incorporated in 1981 and headquartered in Chicago, The San Jose Group is a consortium of marketing communications companies specializing in reaching the Hispanic and non-Hispanic markets in the U.S. and Latin America.
“Best in Class Hispanic Strategies” audio recording
Presenters Carlos Santiago and Derene Allen
Find out what makes 25 percent of the top 500 Hispanic market advertisers out perform the remaining companies
Discover what questions to ask, steps to take to be a Best in Class company
Photo: Jerry LaCay
Video: Ed Rodriguez, Diesel Media
New York Latin band Zon del Barrio recently released its debut CD, “Cortijo’s Tribe” with the help of Emusica Records and Barrio Zone Productions. The Spanish Harlem group describes its style as structured on a solid foundation of Afro-Caribbean rhythms with a New York twist and a celebration of Afro-Antillian music.
Led by Latin music historian, writer, composer and musician Aurora Flores, Zon del Barrio’s Cortijo’s Tribe: La Tribu de Cortijo relies on Afro-Puerto Rican music veterans Yomo Toro, the King of the cuatro (the national 10-stringed guitar of the island) and Sammy Ayala, Cortijo alum, singer and songwriter. Hector “Papote” Jimenez, a native New Yorker, is the youngest addition to the band.
Zon del Barrio is a play on words for the musical genre son of Latino communities. Produced by musical director David Fernandez, the CD blends dance rhythms of Cuba and Puerto Rico within a New York setting. According to promotional materials it includes elements of jazz, R&B, hip-hop, funk and reggaetón, raw street plenas and bombas. Cortijo’s Tribe follows the production style of salsa artists Al Santiago whose approach is said to have paved the way for the Fania music explosion of the 1970s.
Zon Del Barrio has shared the stage with Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Oscar D’Leon, Bobby Valentin, Michael Stuart, Larry Harlow, Jimmy Bosch, Andrea Brachfeld, La India, and Chembo Corniel. The band has appeared on Univision during the Latin Grammy Awards, on the morning show “Despierta America” on Telemundo, Fox 5, Manhattan Neighborhood Network and the Vic-Fezensac Salsa festival in Toulouse, France; the Howl Festival in the Lower East Side, the Orchard Beach Salsa Concert Series, the Half Marathon in Battery Park, The River to River Festival, and the Borgata Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City.
Presenter Cesar Melgoza, managing director, Latin Force Group
Find out about
• How demographic, social, political and economic factors affect Latinos
• Number of Hispanics in U.S.
• Hispanics as a percent of the mainstream population
• Number of Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico
• Hispanics, including Puerto Rico, as a percent of U.S. mainstream
• Number of Asians and African Americans
• Estimated size of Hispanic market by 2012
• Percentage growth of new Hispanics per year
• Number of counties where Latinos are majority
• Areas of significant Latino growth
• Area of U.S. with a 950 percent Latino growth
• Role of acculturation
• Hispanicity segmentation
Rick Najera, vice president, Programming Development, LATV
Photo: LATV
LATV Networks, a bilingual music and entertainment network distributed via digital multicast, signed an agreement with Over-Man Productions for the comedic animated series “Caesar and Chuy.” The second animated series in LATV’s original programming block, “Caesar and Chuy” premiered November 8 at 9:30 p.m. PT.
“Our viewers look to us for edgy and fun programming, reflecting the bicultural and bilingual experience in America. ‘Caesar and Chuy’ provides exactly that, an irreverent slice-of-life commentary that is classic LATV,” said Rick Najera, vice president, Programming Development, LATV. “This series is funny, top-notch and very on-the-mark. We certainly think it will connect with our audience nationwide.”
Caesar and Chuy are animated rockers and music video critics who comment on people and music from their very cheeky point of view. According to the LATV website, Ceasar likes positive energy, meditation and wheat grass. Chuy loves fried food, partying, and get rich quick schemes.
The animated series is the work of Artistic Warfare and Alfonso Arney Designs as Over-Man Productions. The executive producers are Keu Reyes and Alfonso Arney. The voice of Caesar is played by Reyes who is also the creator and writer of Nut’n Nice; the voice of Chuy is played by Najera.
“The Homies Hip-Hop Show,” based on the worldwide figurine created by Dave Gonzales, was the first LATV animated program. Skits on the show parody popular culture and life in general. The stop-motion, one-hour program animated by Nicholas Romero is written by Renee Sandoval, Oskar Toruno and Najera who also wrote for “MAD TV” and “In Living Color” as well as creating “Latinologues.” The program which consists of eight to 10 sketches and music videos, airs Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9 p.m. PT.
Headquartered in Los Angeles, LATV has been on the air in the Los Angeles market since 2001 and launched nationally on April 23, 2007. LATV Networks, LLC is owned by Costa del Oro Media. Post-Newsweek Stations, Inc. is an investor in the national network and has a minority ownership interest in the Company as well as a seat on its Board of Directors. LATV is ad-supported and offers original and live programming, music, lifestyle and entertainment. The network targets 12 to 34 year-old Latinos.
Listen to Cesar Melgoza discuss
“Changing Latino Landscape” audio recording
Presenter Cesar Melgoza, managing director, Latin Force Group
Find out about
• How demographic, social, political and economic factors affect Latinos
• Number of Hispanics in U.S.
• Hispanics as a percent of the mainstream population
• Number of Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico
• Hispanics, including Puerto Rico, as a percent of U.S. mainstream
• Number of Asians and African Americans
• Estimated size of Hispanic market by 2012
• Percentage growth of new Hispanics per year
• Number of counties where Latinos are majority
• Areas of significant Latino growth
• Area of U.S. with a 950 percent Latino growth
• Role of acculturation
• Hispanicity segmentation
Voy recently launched VoyPlaza.com, a digital service for young Latinos offering content and social applications including a Latin-themed virtual reality world, news, blogging, music, and video.
“VoyPlaza.com serves Latinos’ deep desire to connect with both our culture and each other. Based upon the feedback of our audience, we’ve created innovative services to further deepen this connection among Latinos and our friends through the best tools, relevant content and organic Latin design that Voy Plaza embodies,” said Fernando Espuelas, chairman and chief executive office of Voy. “Voy Plaza is the preferred Latin social network for both English and Spanish dominant Latinos in the U.S. We will innovate relentlessly in order to best serve our community of sophisticated and demanding consumers.”
According to promotional materials, Voy features include Voy Plaza Virtual, a 3D version of the Voy Plaza experience where visitors can create a personalized avatar, find virtual environments to socialize, listen to music, dance, watch videos and participate in special programmed events. Voy Scout is a personalized blog and news portal, updated in real-time and offering over three million blog and news articles a day in English, Spanish and Portuguese. Voy Scout allows Voy Plaza users to search for information, view, share and vote on news and blog content, from millions of information sources.
VoyPlaza Music promises the largest network of 40 originally-programmed, free Latin radio stations on the Internet. It allows users to create, broadcast and syndicate customized stations, rank music, send songs to their friends and listen to stations created by other Voy Plaza community members.
At Voy Plaza Games, Latino gamers can connect with other like minded gamers and find hundreds of games. The website has a library of music, sports, cooking, travel, films, TV, celebrities, and urban-Latino culture videos. Video channels are also available at Voy Plaza Virtual. Voy Plaza media players can be embedded into users’ blogs as single clips or full channels. Voy Plaza is also syndicated across Verizon’s VCAST network, Vuze and Joost.
At Voy eLabel, musicians can make music without the help of traditional record companies, reaching Voy Plaza’s users to develop a fan base that can sample their music through free downloads, and eventually buy it. Voy Plaza hopes to reach users in 150 countries. Visitors can Voy Plaza services through voyplaza.com on the Internet, Verizon’s VCAST Mobile TV service, and IPTV services Joost and Vuze.
“Search Engine Marketing to Hispanics” audio recording
Presenter Matias Perel, founder and president, Latin3
Find out about
The 16 million Latino online users
Types of online access among Hispanics
Latino online user language preferences
What they do online
Usage by age
Income levels among Hispanics who visit the Internet
Todobebé Inc, a leading multimedia company of dedicated to parenting, recently launched Mi Todobebé, a social networking site for Spanish speaking families planning, expecting, and raising children. On the new website, visitors can share pregnancy photos, videos of their baby’s first steps and questions about infertility, breastfeeding and raising their children.
The idea for the website initially came from members of the online forum community. They wanted an online space, in Spanish, where they could personalize their own pages, upload photos, and invite their friends and family to view and to share in the joy of their children’s first smiles, tooth, steps, days of school and other special moments.
“Todobebé has earned the trust of Spanish speaking families over almost a decade,” said Jeannette Kaplun, editor in chief, host and founder of Todobebé. “They know us from our book, our TV show, radio, events, and our website, and they share with us their pregnancy photos, the videos of their baby’s first steps and their questions about infertility, breastfeeding or raising their children.”
“Latino Family Dynamics” audio recording
Brenda Hurley and Liria Barbosa
Discuss
Latino purchasing habits and products they favor
Latino family characteristics
Latinos and extended families
Division of duties, responsibilities within the family
Who is the decision maker in the Latino family
Who is the information provider in the Latino family
Mi Todobebé invites families to create personal profile pages where they can publish photos and videos of their pregnancy and children and create blogs on their personal pages where friends and loved ones can participate. They can also meet other members, and via invitation, make new friends living through similar experiences. According to promotional materials, Mi Todobebé allows members to control their level of privacy, approve who can view their profile page and decide whether to communicate with other members.
The free membership to Mi Todobebé also provides access to the rest of Todobebé’s online tools including expert tips, personalized pregnancy and child development newsletters, baby name finder, ovulation calendar, and forums.
“Mi Todobebé is just the beginning of a series of new online features, tools, events and incentives that the company is rolling out in 2008,” said Cynthia Nelson, chief operating officer of Todobebé, Inc. “Mi Todobebé and the expanding Todobebe.com platform is an exciting and growing world and truly allows advertisers the chance to connect, engage, brand, promote, and learn about Spanish speaking families within a positive, engaging, fun and relevant context.”
In its ninth year of operations, Todobebé Inc. reaches United States Spanish speaking Latino parents with books, television programs, radio, events and online. Todobebe.com, the online platform of Todobebé Inc., seeks to inform and entertain with original content, exclusive videos, and advice from experts.
“Marketing to New Hispanic Moms – a case study” audio recording
Presenter Cynthia Nelson, COO, Todobebe
Find out about
• New Latina mom market
• Baby demographics including market size, profile
• New moms’ language preferences
• Latino baby market trends
• Factors influencing Hispanic baby market
• Location of new Hispanic moms’ market
• Issues affecting new Latino moms
• Todobebe strategies
Karen Garnik, chief marketing officer for Rums of Puerto Rico
Photo: Rums of Puerto Rico
Rums of Puerto Rico launched “Here,” a new $2.2 million marketing and advertising campaign in the United States developed by Group LIH in Puerto Rico, in late October. No termination date, media outlets or information regarding which cities or markets the campaign will reach were disclosed.
The campaign consists of ten 15-second television commercials produced by Alfa Recording Studio in San Juan. Each spot will feature a Puerto Rican celebrity speaking about a different aspect of Puerto Rican rum such as the history, tradition, location, quality, leadership in sales and versatility of rum. The ads show celebrities holding a rum cocktail such as piña colada, rum and cola and mojito at various locations in Puerto Rico. The campaign includes messages on responsible drinking and choosing a designated driver.
Featured celebrities include: Wilo Benet, restaurateur and owner of Pikayo and Payá restaurants in San Juan; Latin Grammy Award winners David Sanchez, saxophonist and Nestor Torres, flutist; Lisa Thon, fashion designer; Melina Leon, singer and Latin Billboard Award winner; Alberto Marti, environmentalist; Kristina Brandi, Olympic athlete and professional tennis player; Mariem Pérez and Carlos Ruíz, motion picture directors; Shirley Rumierk, actress; and Quetzacoatl, painter.
“We want to communicate that Puerto Rican rum is of the highest quality and offers more versatility for mixing than any other spirit, both as an ingredient for cocktails and for cooking. The ads are meant to show rum enjoyed by sophisticated consumers who appreciate top shelf spirits in the most fabulous locations. The audience will be dynamically transported to our Caribbean paradise in these ads and presented with appetizing rum cocktails by our spokespersons: highly talented and respected artists, athletes, designers and socially and environmentally conscious individuals who are of Puerto Rican descent, to help us portray the unique qualities of Puerto Rico both as a rum producer and as a rum destination,” said Karen Garnik, chief marketing officer for Rums of Puerto Rico.
“Best in Class Hispanic Strategies” audio recording
Presenters Carlos Santiago and Derene Allen
Find out what makes 25 percent of the top 500 Hispanic market advertisers out perform the remaining companies
Discover what questions to ask, steps to take to be a Best in Class company
Puerto Rican rums are aged a minimum of one year in charred white oak barrels. Gold and dark rums are aged longer to give them a smooth balanced taste. According to Adams Beverage Group, rum is the second largest spirit category in the U.S. after vodka. Seventy-five percent of all rums sold in the U.S. come from Puerto Rico, totaling over 15 million cases. Three of the five top selling distilled spirits sold in the U.S. are rums from Puerto Rico: Bacardi, Captain Morgan and Castillo.
“Seven out of every 10 bottles of rum sold in the U.S. are from Puerto Rico. Sales in the U.S. from Bacardi and Captain Morgan alone represent three-quarters of all rum sold in the U.S. Puerto Rico is by far the market leader in this spirit category,” said Garnik.
Although the campaign is not identified in promotional materials as specific to Latino consumers and no details were released regarding the percent of the Hispanic market that purchases rum; in conjunction with the advertising launch, Rums of Puerto Rico is hosting events in three of the top Latino markets in the United States, New York, Miami and Los Angeles.
Company plans include a Rum Academy for bartenders led by mixologists Steve Olson, partner in Beverage Alcohol Resource (BAR), for the New York event; and Tony Abou-Ganim, The Modern Mixologist, for Miami and Los Angeles. Evening cocktail receptions will feature performances by jazz artists Nestor Torres in Miami and William Cepeda in New York. Chef Wilo Benet plans to prepare dishes made with rum as an ingredient.
Rums of Puerto Rico, a division of the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO), was created in 1948 to promote the sale of all rums shipped from Puerto Rico to the mainland U.S. Rums of Puerto Rico sponsors events in collaboration with the Puerto Rico Tourism Company.
“Beyond the 30 Second Spot” audio recording
Listen to a 105-minute discussion
Panelists Ivan Cevallos, Hunter Heller, Kitty Kolding and Cynthia Nelson
Our panel of national experts discuss
• Challenges of measuring the impact of the 30-second ad spot
• Innovative tools are useful to reach Latinos
• Changes in marketing to Hispanics
• On which market segment are the changes most relevant
• Effects of technology and time shift on consumer behavior
• Role of multi-screens
• Getting started
• Tips for marketing professionals
