Thursday, July 3, 2025

Terra, V-me establish sales, content alliance

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 24, 2007

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John Begert, chief marketing and branding officer, V-me and Michele Azan, vice president, sales and business development Terra Networks

Photos: V-me, Terra Networks

Terra Networks, a popular Internet portal for Spanish speaking U.S. Hispanics, and V-me, a new national Spanish network developed with public television, recently established a strategic partnership. As part of the agreement, the media entities join forces for online sponsorship sales, shared content, cross-platform promotion, and the creation of packages targeting V-me’s Hispanic demographics. In addition to handling V-me online sales efforts, Terra.com will provide operational and support services including inventory and campaign management for V-me.

As part of the agreement, the sales teams for both companies plan to offer new options for national clients looking to connect to U.S. Latinos. The national sales effort is jointly led by V-me’s Michael Ginn, senior vice president, sponsorship and sales and Terra.com’s Michele Azan, vice president of sales and business development. They expect to work closely with V-me and Terra’s programming, marketing and online teams.

“The relationship that we have established with V-me provides a unique win-win situation. The strengths and growth opportunities that both Terra.com and V-me have as separate entities become magnified when we work together,” said Azan. “This is a perfect marriage of online/offline content integration and provides increased opportunities for future TV web partnerships.”

V-me and Terra.com plan to integrate online content to reflect and enhance V-me’s lifestyle, current affairs and entertainment options, and offer community-enhancing tools and resources for U.S. Hispanics. V-me executives hope to eventually reach 30 million Spanish speaking and bilingual Hispanics.

“V-me is building a new national Hispanic media presence in partnership with world-class brands like Terra.com, who share our mission to reach consumers with quality  TV and web content, educational programs, and events,” said John Begert, V-me’s chief marketing and branding officer. “Combining Terra.com’s reach and expertise with V-me’s innovative online presence and a TV universe approaching 30 million homes, takes our offer to a whole new level.”

V-me, pronounced veh-meh, offers original and exclusive programs about: kids, lifestyle, nature, science, history, current affairs, music, arts, and nightly movies. The 24-hour digital broadcast network is presented by public television stations and carried on basic digital cable and satellite. V-me is the first venture announced by newly formed media production and distribution company, V-me Media Inc. Terra Networks is a global Internet group with a presence in the U.S. and Latin America. The group operates websites in the United States, Spain and Latin America.


“Beyond the 30 Second Spot” audio recording

Listen to a 105-minute discussion

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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

Click here to find out about Beyond the 30 Second Spot


Yahoo! Telemundo celebrates Hispanic Heritage with mini sites

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 23, 2007

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Marlene Urbay

Photos:  Yahoo! Telemundo

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Yahoo! Telemundo created two mini-sites to honor the successes and contributions of their picks of Latinos. The sites, Mosaico Hispano and Battle of the Bands, were designed to celebrate the personal and professional achievements and musical talents, respectively, of Hispanics from across the United States. The sites will be live from September 17 through October 31, 2007.

A tribute site to 10 individuals, Mosaico Hispano features video profiles of Hispanics whose successes and triumphs Yahoo! Telemundo representatives believe have left an imprint on their communities and are a source of inspiration.

Among the stories featured are those of New York City’s Tats Cru, a group that has elevated graffiti to an art form; Concha Rodriguez, a Chicago funeral director who visits schools and community centers to talk about the dangers of gang violence; and Juan Diaz, a Mexican immigrant who is a boxer and law student. Information about Yolanda Aguilar, Carlos Mejia, Hugo Ortega, Annette Taddeo, John Trasviña and Marlene Urbay also appears on the website.


“Segmentation by Level of Acculturation” audio recording

Miguel Gomez Winebrenner

Presenter Miguel Gomez Winebrenner

Discusses

  • Assimilation versus acculturation
  • Factors that affect Latino acculturation
  • How to know if someone is acculturated
  • Number of years necessary for acculturation
  • Effects of immigration debate on acculturation
  • Three main ways of segmenting Latinos

Click here for details about “Segmentation by Level of Acculturation”


Battle of the Bands showcases the artistry and musical talents of 10 up-and-coming U.S. Hispanic bands battling it out for instant online fame. The site features videos of the bands performing one song and interviews with band members and fans. Website visitors are invited to vote for a fan favorite.

We found no criteria for inclusion on the mini websites or promotional materials. A planning team of Yahoo! producers, and marketing and public relations executives worked together with Hardee Productions, a productions company, to select individuals and bands for inclusion. Several music festival producers also shared input for the battle of the bands selections. Website representatives declined to share budget numbers or impressions. “We can’t discuss budget specifics, but it was a project that was months in the planning and included filming, production in five major Hispanic markets,” said a company spokesperson.

“Each year, Yahoo! Telemundo honors our Hispanic Heritage by paying tribute to the richness and diversity of the U.S. Hispanic market,” said Jose Rivera Font, general manager, Yahoo! Hispanic Americas. “Mosaico Hispano and Battle of the Bands are, however, more than showcases of success and talent; they are also online venues that allow our users to interact and engage with the U.S. Hispanic community at large.”

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Juan Diaz and Hugo Ortega

The websites are promoted online throughout the Yahoo! network of sites, via a news release, in the case of Battle of the Bands on band fan pages and promotional event materials. The sites were also promoted on the Telemundo television network.

“These sites have been designed to complement Yahoo! Telemundo’s broad offering for the U.S. Hispanic market while giving our users more of what they yearn for, the chance to discover hidden gems within their community and share in that discovery with others,” said Peter Blacker, senior vice president, Digital Media, Telemundo Network Group.

Mosaico Hispano and Battle of the Bands feature Yahoo! Telemundo Respuestas, which allows users to ask and answer questions related to any topic of interest, as well as  forums, voting and polls. Yahoo! Telemundo is a commercial venture between Telemundo Communications Group, Inc., a unit GE’s NBC Universal, and Yahoo! Inc.


Hispanic Marketing and Public Relations Understanding and Targeting America’s Largest Minority book

Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations 1932534083

“A must resource for practitioners/professionals expecting to reach US Hispanics; also valuable for college programs in marketing, public relations and communications. Highly recommended.”

 Choice magazine

 Click here for information on the Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations books


Listen to podcast interview with Frederick Ackourey, CEO, TeleGaleria about the new shopping channel for Spanish speaking Latinos

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 22, 2007

Frederick Ackourey

Frederick Ackourey, co-founder and chief executive officer, GroundWork Equity and Telegaleria

Photo: TeleGaleria

A podcast featuring an interview with Frederick Ackourey, co-founder and chief executive officer, GroundWork Equity is available in the Podcast Section of Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations, HispanicMPR.com. During the podcast, he discusses TeleGaleria, a new TV shopping channel for Spanish speaking Latinos with Elena del Valle, host of the HispanicMPR.com podcast.

Frederick is a founding partner of GroundWork Equity, an active private equity firm focused on media and technology start-ups. He also founded CAG Technologies. As chairman and chief executive officer of CAG Technologies, Frederick realized 14 straight years of profitability and co-developed products with Ascend Communications.


 

“Search Engine Marketing to Hispanics” audio recording

Matias Perel

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
  • Internet use by Hispanics

Click here for information on “Search Engine Marketing to Hispanics”


The products at Ascend were major building blocks that helped to establish UUnet, AOL and MSN as channeling leaders. He was also part of the executive management team of Zhone Technologies, a $500 million start-up. Zhone acquired CAG in 1999 and Frederick became vice president of Product Development.

To listen to the interview, scroll down until you see the “Podcast” on the right hand side, then select “HMPR Frederick Ackourey” 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 October 2007 section of the podcast archive.

Click the button to hear the podcast:

Search Engine Strategies Conference and Expo

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 19, 2007

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December 3-7, 2007
Chicago, IL

Returning to Chicago in December is Search Engine Strategies (SES) Chicago 2007, which features a lineup of sessions and new content, including a keynote address by  Seth Godin. The event, set for the Chicago Hilton on December 3-7, 2007, will draw delegates from around the world looking to stay ahead of the curve in all areas of the search industry.

This year’s event will explore social media, search privacy and click fraud. Marketers will have a firsthand opportunity to learn from noted search industry experts. Seasoned practitioners and search newcomers alike will benefit from four and a half action-packed days of search. Attendees will have access to practical, real-world techniques and knowledge to tackle: how to drive free “organic” traffic and build a site that pleases search engines and visitors, and how to efficiently purchase lists guaranteed to rank your company at the top of search engine results.

SES Conference and Expo

Film focuses on bitter aspects of sugar industry

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 19, 2007

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The Sugar Babies film poster (click on image to enlarge)

Photos: Joe Serrano, Amy Serrano 

A recent 99 minute documentary, directed by Miami filmmaker Amy Serrano, outlines the plight of the children who work in the sugar cane fields and their families. “The Sugar Babies: The Plight of the Children of Agricultural Workers in the Sugar Industry of the Dominican Republic,” zooms in on the “disturbing remnants of colonial slavery” carefully hidden in paradise on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. The documentary is in Spanish, Creole, French and English. Two versions are available, one with English subtitles; another with French subtitles. 

According to promotional materials, the film explores the lives of the descendants of the first Africans brought to the island of Hispaniola to work in the sugar cane fields. Sugar was at one time a highly valuable commodity.  The poor and disenfranchised who remain on the island, now shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic, the film makers argue, continue to be trafficked to work in the production of sugar under circumstances they describe as modern day slavery.

The documentary was recently featured in the Montreal International Haitian Film Festival.  The next showing will be in November 8, 2007 at the Denver, Colorado National Hispana Leadership Institute annual conference.

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Child on border that separates Haiti from the Dominican Republic

“The Sugar Babies” examines the moral price of sugar from the perspective of the conditions surrounding the children of sugar cane cutters of Haitian ancestry in the Dominican Republic, and the denial of their basic human rights. 
 
The film showcases field testimonies and hidden camera footage obtained during 18 months of documentation. There are also interviews with experts and diplomats: Haiti’s Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador Raymond Joseph; the U.S. Department of States’ Ambassador John Miller from the Office of Human Trafficking; Sidney Mintz, an anthropologist and sugar historian; Carol Pier from Human Rights Watch; and Bill Quigley and Greg Schell, public interest attorneys.

The film makers included interviews with local activists: Noemi Mendez, a Dominican human rights lawyer; Colette Lespinase of G.A.R.R. Haiti, the Organization for Refugees and the Repatriated; Batey Activist Jhonny Belizaire; Television Journalist Huchi Lora, and missionaries Pierre Ruquoy and Father Christopher Hartley.

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Amy Serrano, producer and director, The Sugar Babies

Narrated by author Edwidge Danticat, the film features original music by composer Bill Cruz including the songs “Branded” and “The Devil’s Work.” There is also music of Bola de Nieve, Alberto Beltran, Kenny Rankin, Solomon Burke, the Blind Boys of Alabama and original field recordings by The Sugar Babies. 

“The Sugar Babies” was produced by Miami based Siren Studios  in association with The Hope, Courage and Justice Project ofNew Orleans and The Human RIghts Foundation of New York.  Others involved in the production were Jason A. Ocasio,  editor and art director; Salvador Longoria, production associate and legal counsel; Thor Halvorssen, associate producer;  Constance Haqq, co-producer; and Claudia Chiesi, executive producer.
 
Serrano wrote, shot, produced and directed the film. The Sugar Babies was made possible by The Crowley Children’s Fund, Tico Pujals, Cindy Nord, and The Fund for a Just Society.   


“Emotional Branding: How to capture the heart and mind of the Hispanic consumer” audio recording

Jay Gronlund Mario Quiñones

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.

Click here for your free copy of Emotional Branding


Nestle reaches out to Latino youth with Day of the Dead themed activities

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 18, 2007

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One of the winners of the 2005 altar-building contest in Los Angeles 

Photo: Wonka

While Jack-o-lanterns, skeletons and broomsticks adorn the doors and windows of some homes, community centers, schools, museums and arts organizations, in the Mexican-American community, the décor is slightly different, with traditional and personal touches. Some build Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) altars in honor of departed relatives, musicians, artists, cultural heroes or leaders. The altars, designed to celebrate a person’s life and contributions to their family or community, may feature favorite belongings of the deceased, sugar skulls and sweets.  

In an effort to target Latino youth, Nestlé launched the Wonka Arte program in 2005 with free workshops in Los Angeles to teach kids how to build altars. Wonka partnered with Plaza de la Raza, a community based arts organization in Los Angeles, to offer workshops, a contest and an awards ceremony. This year, the program extended its reach to retail locations and the online world. Still in partnership with Plaza de la Raza, the Wonka sponsored program includes a contest for the best altars, an online sweepstakes and free sugar skull building workshops for children at retail locations.  

Wonka.com’s new interactive features allow kids to learn about the Day of the Dead while showing off their altar-building talents in the virtual world for a chance to win prizes. Children are invited to build altars online incorporating virtual Wonka candy and representations of traditional Day of the Dead components such as sugar skulls and cempasuchil (marigold) flowers. 


“Latino Family Dynamics” audio recording

Brenda Hurley Liria Barbosa

 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

Click here to find out about Latino purchasing habits and “Latino Family Dynamics”


“We understand the importance of the Day of the Dead holiday to Hispanic youth and their families,” said Elizabeth Vanemburg, marketing manager of Wonka. “We want to encourage kids to observe, learn more about the holiday and participate in the altar-building tradition on Wonka.com. No experience is necessary. All you need is a bit of imagination and access to a computer.”

Children 16 and younger can submit their online altar for a chance to win a laptop computer, mp3 player and a $100 gift card to download music, as well as $120 toward Internet access.  

Promotional efforts to inform parents and children about the online portion of the program include a press release, fliers and online advertising. The public relations team is also using calendar and public service announcements, press releases and media alerts to inform Los Angeles residents about the workshop, contest and ceremony.   

Día de los Muertos is a Pre-Columbian holiday traditionally observed in Mexico November 1 and 2 to honor loved ones who have passed away by celebrating their lives. According to the Wonka website, some believe the departed join the living during those days to celebrate together. The celebration involves making homemade altars with items that brought happiness to the departed individual. Sugar skulls, candies, photographs, papel picado, candles, incense, and marigold flowers often decorate the altars. Some altars have evolved to include celebrities, musicians, artists, and even pets.

Nestlé USA sells food products and candy including Wonka, Sweetarts, Nerds, and Runts to name a few. Nestlé USA had sales of $8.5 billion in 2006. Its parent company is Nestlé S.A. of Vevey, Switzerland, one of the world’s largest food companies with sales of $79 billion.  

Oyeme! White Latinas Have Rhythm, too!

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 17, 2007

By Sarah R. Bisconte

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Sarah R. Bisconte

Photo: Sarah R. Bisconte

The other night I celebrated my fortieth birthday with a couple of my closest amiguitas, at a well-known Latin dance club in the Bronx. When we arrived, the place was crowded with well-dressed couples moving in sync to the roaring rhythms of Celia, Machito and el bárbaro del ritmo, Beny Moré. 

We found a table next to the bandstand and ordered drinks. Before I had a chance to pull my black, spandex-sequined dress over my hips, Sonya*, one of my “traditional-looking”, almond-eyed-olive-skinned Latina friends, was on the dance floor working-up an enviable sweat. One by one, mis hermanas got to strut their stuff in the arms of elegantly-dressed, cologne-scented Latinos. Three rum and cokes later, I was still keeping clave with my right foot, wondering when it would be my turn to rumbear a todo lo que da“Castellano que bueno baila usted” was in full blast, so I grabbed Sonya and made a mad dash to the floor, unleashing the pent-up fury that had been building in my Cuban-, Italian-American hips. Instantly, two debonair caballeros stepped in.

Click here to read more of Oyeme! White Latinas Have Rhythm, too!


“Latino Identity and Situational Latinidad ” audio recording

Diana Rios, Ph.D.Federico Subervi, Ph.D. 

Presenters Diana Rios and Ph.D., Federico Subervi, Ph.D.

Find out

• Who is Latino
• Assimilation, acculturation and pluralism
• Hispanic culture dynamics affecting Latino
• Role of Latino identity
• Three factors that contribute to Latino identity

Click here for information on Latino Identity and Situational Latinidad


SBS, DirecTV deal expands MegaTV reach to national level

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 16, 2007

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Cynthia Hudson-Fernandez, executive vice president, Mega TV

Photo:  Spanish Broadcasting System

As a result of an exclusive contract signed recently by Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. (SBS) and DirecTV, beginning October 17, Mega TV Spanish language programming will be broadcast via the DirecTV Más platform on channel 405. According to promotional materials, MegaTV’s programs will be available to DirecTV viewers in 210 markets across the country. No specific information was available from company representatives on Spanish language programming or viewer numbers.

During the last year and a half, Miami based Mega TV has been beefing up its content and growing steadily and quickly. The Emmy Award winning channel has leveraged programming with nationally recognized personalities Jaime Bayly and Maria Elvira Salazar and shows like Paparazzi TV to expand its reach beyond South Florida.

“This is the first step in our strategy for expansion and growth for Mega TV in the United States,” said Raul Alarcón Jr, chief executive officer of SBS. “We are reaching the Hispanic consumer with greater strength each and every day, and we will continue to integrate radio, TV, and the Internet as part of our overall strategy of disseminating original content through different media outlets.”


“Segmentation by Level of Acculturation” audio recording

Miguel Gomez Winebrenner

Presenter Miguel Gomez Winebrenner

Discusses

  • Assimilation versus acculturation
  • Factors that affect Latino acculturation
  • How to know if someone is acculturated
  • Number of years necessary for acculturation
  • Effects of immigration debate on acculturation
  • Three main ways of segmenting Latinos

Click here for details about “Segmentation by Level of Acculturation”


“Mega TV will add tremendous value to what is already the most comprehensive Spanish-language programming offer available nationwide,” said John A. de Armas, vice president of WorldDirect, DirecTV, Inc. “As an exclusive channel on the DirecTV Más platform, Mega TV will provide our customers with a unique and compelling viewing experience. We look forward to having SBS join the DirecTV Más family.”

“We are excited to start our national expansion by partnering with DirecTV,” said Cynthia Hudson-Fernandez, executive vice president and chief creative officer of Mega TV. “To be able to offer original programs that deal with topics of national and international importance, while covering the events that truly concern the Hispanic community, confirms that Mega TV has the quality and originality to become a major player at a national level.”

Several original productions will be incorporated into the new channel concept of Radio en Television with SBS radio shows “El Cucuy” from Los Angeles’ La Raza 97.9 and “El Vacilón de la Mañana” from New York’s Mega 97.9 serving to expand the radio brands onto television. According to Mega TV promotional materials, DirecTV Más customers will be able to watch the following Mega TV programs “María Elvira Live,” “Bayly,” “Paparazzi TV,” “Mega News,” “Chocolate con Pimienta,” “Xpediente,” “El Círculo,” “Lamusica.com,” “Código Astral,” “Handyman,” “Raíces & Recuerdos,” “Mis 15,” “Agenda del Inmigrante” and “Mega Cine.”

DirecTV is a leading satellite television service provider. DirecTV Más offers Spanish and English language programming and satellite technology for digital quality picture and sound. The service provides access to 55 Spanish-language channels with programming from Mexico, Central and South America, Spain, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic

Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. is one of the largest publicly traded Hispanic-controlled media and entertainment companies in the United States. SBS owns and operates 20 radio stations located in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco and Puerto Rico. The Company also owns and operates Mega TV in Miami.

Listen to podcast discussion on innovations in online, events and branded entertainment with Ivan Cevallos, Hunter Heller, Kitty Kolding and Cynthia Nelson

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 15, 2007

Ivan Cevallos Cynthia Nelson

Ivan Cevallos, CEO, Ethos Group, Inc. and Cynthia Nelson, chief operating officer, TodoBebe Inc.

Hunter Heller Kitty Kolding 

 Hunter Heller, associate vice president, International Licensing Global Consumer Products, Sesame Workshop and Kitty Kolding, senior vice president, Business Development, House Party Inc.

Photos: Ivan Cevallos, Hunter Heller, Kitty Kolding and Cynthia Nelson

A podcast featuring a discussion with Ivan Cevallos, CEO, Ethos Group, Inc.; Hunter Heller, associate vice president, of International Licensing Global Consumer Products at Sesame Workshop; Kitty Kolding, senior vice president of Business Development at House Party Inc. and Cynthia Nelson, chief operating officer of TodoBebe Inc. is available in the Podcast Section of Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations, HispanicMPR.com. During the podcast, they discuss Beyond the 30-second spot – innovations in online, events and branded entertainment with Elena del Valle, host of the HispanicMPR.com podcast.

Ivan is a marketing strategist with more than fifteen years of experience dedicated to tailoring media, marketing and direct marketing tools to the Latino and Asian communities. Some of the clients he has worked with include Comerica Bank, The Red Cross, Blue Cross, NORPAC Foods, Nissan Motors, Universal Studios, Sony Pictures, Pepsi, SBC, MTA and H&R Block.


“Beyond the 30 Second Spot” audio recording

Listen to the complete 105-minute discussion

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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

Click here to find out about Beyond the 30 Second Spot


Ivan’s creative approach to brand and identity development focuses on the utilization of strategies that transcend culture and geography.  As business development director for KAZN AM-1300, an Asian radio station serving Los Angeles, California, he became one of the founding organizers of the Chinese New Year Parade and Street Festival held annually in the San Gabriel Valley, California. 

In 2006, Hunter joined Sesame Workshop as associate vice president of International Licensing Consumer Products. His territory management includes Canada, Mexico, Latin America as well as some countries in Europe and the Middle-East. In addition, Hunter is spearheading Sesame’s consumer product initiatives for the U.S. Hispanic marketplace.

Prior to Sesame Workshop, he was senior account manager in Disney Publishing Worldwide’s licensing department. During his 13 year tenure, he was primarily responsible for the U.S. continuity and direct-response business, and the Canadian marketplace. He also served as a member of U.S. Hispanic and infant/toddler task forces.


“Marketing to New Hispanic Moms – a case study” audio recording

Cynthia Nelson

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

Click for information on “Marketing to New Hispanic Moms – a case study”


Kitty oversees and activates all partnerships for House Party. She has engaged clients such as Kraft, TiVo, Palm, Hershey’s, Cartoon Network, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Todobebe, Whirlpool and Avon to deploy the House Party viral marketing platform.

Prior to joining House Party in early 2006, she founded and was chief executive officer of an outsourced services firm specializing in strategic sales and partnerships. From 1998-2003 Kitty held a series of senior executive positions at Jupiter Research. Her roles included senior vice president of Global Sales & Client Service, senior vice president of International Business Development and vice president of Global Strategic Accounts. Throughout her tenure at Jupiter, she worked with Fortune 500 clients from major industries in 13 countries.

Cynthia joined the Todobebé team in 2004 as chief operating officer. In her current role, she is responsible for corporate operations, strategic partnerships, and product development and licensing for Todobebé’s media channels including TV, radio, Internet, direct mail, publishing, products, research, and events. This role includes global profit and loss responsibility and legal oversight. 

A serial entrepreneur, Cynthia founded several boutique strategy and branded entertainment consulting companies and has served on the board of several Silicon Valley start ups. In her most recent venture, Nexos Consulting, Cynthia worked with Fortune 500 clients and brand managers by providing research, strategic planning and business development for companies such as AOL, Omnicom, Volkswagen, Audi, Panasonic de Mexico, Kraft, Delta Airlines, and USA Networks.

To listen to the interview, scroll down until you see the “Podcast” on the right hand side, then select “HMPR Ivan Cevallos, Hunter Heller, Kitty Kolding, Cynthia Nelson” 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 October 2007 section of the podcast archive.


Read Cynthia’s chapter about “Marketing to U.S. Hispanics Online” in

Hispanic Marketing and Public Relations Understanding and Targeting America’s Largest Minority book

Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations 1932534083

 Click here for information on Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations book


Click the button to hear the podcast:

DC theater caters to diverse Latino tastes

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 12, 2007

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Hugo Medrano and Gabriela Fernandez-Coffey 

Photo: GALA Hispanic Theatre

For the last 32 years theater lovers in Washington D.C. have been able to attend performances at the GALA (Grupo de Artistas Latino Americanos) Theater at Tivoli Square. For the 2007-08 season the theater will receive support from Target, American Airlines, Starbucks Coffee Company, Telemundo Washington, DC and Viva 900 am; and partner with, to name a few, Embassy of Spain, The San Francisco International Arts Festival, La Peña Cultural Center, Mexican Cultural Institute, New Performing Arts Center, National Endowment for the Arts, National Performance Network, Program for Cultural Cooperation between Spain’s Ministry of Culture and U.S. Universities, and Washington Performing Arts Society.

“As one of the leading Latino theaters in the nation, GALA is proud to be at the heart of DC’s dynamic and diverse cultural landscape,” said Hugo Medrano, founder and producing artistic director of the theater. “At GALA culture is never a barrier but always a bridge, uniting us across boundaries and awakening our identity, pride, and endless passion.”

GALA’s 2007-08 season features works by and about some of masters of the Spanish language, such as Jorge Luis Borges and Federico García Lorca. The season also embraces Latino authors and performers whose language is forging a new chapter in Latino culture. There are works by spoken word poets and hip-hop performance artists like Chicano-Cubano Paul Flores, Nuyorican La Bruja, and DC’s Quique Aviles, and a new play by Venezuelan Gustavo Ott. The theater will also hold its annual flamenco festival and showcase the work of Mexican composer-poet Agustin Lara.

Some of the performances this year, in Spanish with English subtitles, include “Cita a ciegas” (Blind Date) by Argentinean Mario Diament, directed by José Carrasquillo and starring Hugo Medrano from September 20- October 14, 2007; the U.S. premiere of “Tu ternura Molotov” (Your Molotov Kisses) by Venezuelan Gustavo Ott and directed by Abel López from January 31-February 24, 2008; “Bodas de sangre” (Blood Wedding) by Spaniard Federico García, directed by Hugo Medrano and with guest artist Mel Rocher, April 3-27, 2008; and the world premiere of “Boleros & Blues, The Legacy of Lara,” a musical by Abel López with pianist Mari Paz and mezzo-soprano Anamer Castrello, June 5–29, 2008.

Over the past 15 years GALA and the Washington Performing Arts Society partnered to commission over 20 new works of theater, music, dance and spoken word and presented hundreds of established and emerging artists such as Tito Puente, Guillermo Gómez Peña, and Gilberto Gil.

GALA is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization supported in part by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, the DC Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs, private foundations, corporations and individuals. GALA is a member of the League of Washington Theaters, the Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington, the Theatre Communication Group, the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture, the National Performance Network, the Association of Performing Arts Presenters, and the Latino Federation of Greater Washington.


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“Hispanic Projections with 2007-08 update” audio recording

Roger Selbert, Ph.D.

Presenter Roger Selbert, Ph.D.

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  • What is the size of the Hispanic affluent market
  • If the luxury Latino market is growing 

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