Posted by Elena del Valle on May 2, 2022
Ivan Estrada, author, Brand With Purpose
Ivan Estrada, author, Brand With Purpose
A podcast interview with Ivan Estrada, author, Brand With Purpose (see California realtor releases branding book with community financial support), is available in the Podcast Section of Hispanic Marketing and Public Relations, HispanicMPR.com. During the podcast, he discusses branding with Elena del Valle, host of the HispanicMPR.com podcast.
Ivan is chief executive officer of Ivan Estrada Properties, a real estate agent with 12 years of experience and public speaker. He created Brand With Ecosystem which contains Brand With Purpose, Brand With Video, and Brand With Podcast.
To listen to the interview, scroll down and click on the play button below. You can listen by looking for “Podcast” then select “HMPR Ivan Estrada” and download the MP3 file to your audio player. You can also find it on the RSS feed. To download it, click on the arrow of the recording you wish to copy and save it to disk. The podcast will remain listed in the May 2022 section of the podcast archive.
Posted by Elena del Valle on April 25, 2022
Dina Rubio, co-owner, Don Ramon
Photo: Dina Rubio
A podcast interview with Dina Rubio, co-owner, Don Ramon, is available in the Podcast Section of Hispanic Marketing and Public Relations, HispanicMPR.com. During the podcast, she discusses the power of small business creation with Elena del Valle, host of the HispanicMPR.com podcast.
Dina is also a member of Job Creators Network, a small business advocacy organization. According to her bio Dina is a supporter of the free market and a passionate opponent of socialism. She has personal experience with the dangers of socialism. In 1979, she fled the Socialist Revolution in Nicaragua and came to the United States.
To listen to the interview, scroll down and click on the play button below. You can listen by looking for “Podcast” then select “HMPR Dina Rubio” and download the MP3 file to your audio player. You can also find it on the RSS feed. To download it, click on the arrow of the recording you wish to copy and save it to disk. The podcast will remain listed in the April 2022 section of the podcast archive.
Posted by Elena del Valle on April 11, 2022
Stanley Wong, co-founder, DistroScale
Photo: DistroScale
A podcast interview with Stanley Wong, co-founder, DistroScale, is available in the Podcast Section of Hispanic Marketing and Public Relations, HispanicMPR.com. During the podcast, he discusses streaming services targeting Hispanics with Elena del Valle, host of the HispanicMPR.com podcast.
Stanley is vice president of marketing at DistroScale, a media technology company and the parent company to DistroTV, an independent network home to 150 live streaming channels.
Prior to his role at DistroScale, Stanley was an early Yahoo! employee (41st). Since Yahoo!, Stanley contributed to Search Physics (now known as Metavana). He also served as the vice president of Ad Products at Glam Media and co-founded Permuto (acquired by AOL and re-named Buysight)
To listen to the interview, scroll down and click on the play button below. You can listen by looking for “Podcast” then select “HMPR Stanley Wong” and download the MP3 file to your audio player. You can also find it on the RSS feed. To download it, click on the arrow of the recording you wish to copy and save it to disk. The podcast will remain listed in the April 2022 section of the podcast archive.
Posted by Elena del Valle on April 6, 2022
Washington Hispanic market campaign videos link to VacunaDeCovidWA.org
Photo: Tony Teran
Video: Washington State Department of Health
Hoping to reach Hispanics between 18 and 35 years of age hesitant about pandemic vaccines in Washington state with a pro Covid-19 vaccinations message the Washington State Department of Health hired C+C. The Seattle-based marketing agency produced audio and two video spots in Seattle. Production costs for Vacúnate Mijo/a were $168,000 and $205,000 for Mentira Mariachi. The ads were produced for broadcast distribution, YouTube, TikTok and radio. Scroll down to watch videos in English and Spanish (with subtitles).
When C+C conducted the initial research that led to the campaigns’ development, the team found that while most Hispanic people in Washington state were “very willing or somewhat willing” to take a Covid-19 vaccine more English-speaking survey respondents expressed vaccine hesitancy than Spanish speakers. Overall, 62 percent of survey takers said they were very willing or somewhat willing to receive a Covid-19 vaccine; 67 percent of Spanish speakers and 56 percent of English speakers said they were very or somewhat willing to get vaccinated; 2 percent of Spanish speakers who responded to the survey compared to 18 percent of English speakers who responded to it said they would not take the vaccine; 27 percent of Spanish speakers versus 23 percent of English speakers who answered questions said they were unsure; more English speakers than Spanish speakers said they thought Covid-19 vaccines may be unnecessary and ineffective; and more English speakers than Spanish speakers said they had other ways to protect themselves against the virus.
According to a C+C spokesperson the overall goal of the campaigns was “to increase vaccination rates among the Hispanic community in Washington by tackling key research findings. Misinformation on vaccine safety and efficacy was indicated as one of the main drivers of vaccine hesitancy among this community. While protecting themselves, their loved ones, and their community ranked as the main motivation for getting vaccinated.”
The agency addressed concerns about trust in the vaccines with emotional pleas to family ties, Spanish language and Mariachi music. Tony Teran, campaign writer and creative director, C+C, replied by email via an intermediary, “At the center of the Vacúnate Mijo/a campaign is the relationship between a grandchild and a grandmother or abuela, a much loved and nostalgic figure among many Hispanic/Latinx families, often seen as a trusted voice of reason. We follow their bond through different life stages that showcase the core of our message: protecting each other. The Spanish language is also a powerful connecting thread in these ads, as we hear the word mijo/a express different emotions at different times, a word so simple, yet incredibly purposeful. Abuela is saying ‘I care about you’ with every mijo and ultimately encouraging her grandchild to receive the vaccine.
The idea behind the Mentira Mariachi campaign is that we all listen to the voice of our conscience when making decisions. So, what if that voice came accompanied by trumpets and guitarrón, as in traditional Mariachi music, to remind audiences to listen to science and their good judgement, and not to misinformation? The :30 video spot shows a young guy at home. Every time he is exposed to fake news about the COVID-19 vaccines, he’s surprised by a Mariachi band popping out of nowhere to humorously remind him, with a catchy jingle, that those are mentiras (lies). At the end of the spot, we see him coming out of a vaccination site after getting his shot as Mariachi band members give him a nod of approval and a health care worker delivers the campaign’s tagline: ‘Escucha a la ciencia y a tu conciencia.’ (Listen to science and to your conscience.)”
The Vacúnate Mijo/ ad goal was to encourage community members to get vaccinated by emphasizing the importance of protecting their loved ones during the pandemic; while the Mentira Mariachi ad was meant to dissipate vaccine misinformation by encouraging the audience to “trust science.”
According to information provided by C+C the Hispanic population in the state represents 13 percent of the total population, yet in mid-July 2021, had 27 percent of the coronavirus cases, 19 percent of total hospitalizations, and 8.4 percent of total deaths in Washington; about 60 percent of the state’s Hispanic population remained unvaccinated, according to the Washington Department of Health.
Tony Teran, creative director, C+C
“Creative concepting for both of the campaigns began in August 2021,” Teran replied when asked how many months the campaign project required. “Vacúnate Mijo/a launched in November 2021 while Mentira Mariachi launched in February 2022.
The C+C team used three different types of research when developing the strategy and concept for this Hispanic/Latinx-focused campaign: 1:1 Interviews, since 2020, the team has been conducting monthly 1:1 in-depth interviews with Hispanic/Latinx community members to learn about their overall attitudes, barriers and motivators for getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
Focus Groups, C+C conducted four focus groups with Hispanic/Latinx community members to test the campaign’s creative approach and gain insights into what type of creative would resonate most with the community. A total of 20 community members participated.
Secondary Research, The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) and C+C worked hand-in-hand with partners like the University of Washington’s Latino Center for Health to analyze insights about vaccine hesitancy among the state’s Hispanic/Latinx population that helped shape the campaign, including a report released by the Center in April 2021. The team also referenced findings of COVID-19 surveys conducted regularly by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation/Civis Analytics.”
When asked how the agency measured results Teran replied, “We have been correlating the success of the campaigns with the increase in vaccination rates among Hispanic/Latinx adults in Washington. Approximately 63 percent of the Hispanic/Latinx community 18+ in Washington have initiated vaccination as of 3/25. This is up from 49.9 percent in November 2021 before the campaigns launched. This amounts to an increase of 13.1 percent. The overall vaccination gap has also closed by 7.4 percent among the Hispanic/Latinx community. The gap closed on Hispanic/Latinx community vaccination rates from being 29.5 percent behind the overall Washington state rates in November 2021 to only 22.1 percent behind in March 2022.”
The campaigns were developed and produced by a team that included members of Washington state’s Hispanic community, including Terán, the creative of Venezuelan roots behind the original concepts. He wrote the video and audio scripts, and oversaw the campaigns’ production process; featured Hispanic cast member for both campaigns; and the production team selected Spanish speaking talent seeking a cultural fit, and with good acting skills and on-camera presence, according to information provided by C+C.
The Vacúnate Mijo/a production included creative input from Mauricio Valadrian, of Valadrian Creative & Consulting; the Mentira Mariachi video production was co-directed by Marvin Lemus, director of Netflix’s Gentefied, and also a Hispanic creative; the Mentira Mariachi video and audio ads feature an original song written for that campaign by a Hispanic musician and performed on-screen by Tacoma-based Mariachi Ayutla, a mariachi band, according to information provided by C+C.
Mentira Mariachi ad in Spanish
Vacúnate Mijo ad in English
Posted by Elena del Valle on March 30, 2022
Brand With Purpose
Photos: book cover, Page Two Publications; author, Ian Maddox
With the help of sponsors and a GoFundMe campaign Los Angeles realtor Ivan Estrada dedicated some three years to the publication of Brand With Purpose Find Your Passion, Stay True to Your Story and Accelerate Your Career (Page Two, $25), a 277-page hardcover autobiographical branding book. According to the author the book is for anyone in business, not just real estate practitioners.
“Brand With Purpose is filled with tools and expert advice on growing your career and business, with enlightening case studies and inspirational wisdom from other successful trailblazers,” Estrada said by email via an intermediary. “In this book, Ivan recounts his journey of growing up Latinx, queer, and working class, and shares the critical lessons about personal growth and self-discovery he learned along the way.”
Ivan Estrada, author, Brand With Purpose
When asked to define the primary target audience for the book he said, “The primary audience for this book is younger entrepreneurs and teenagers. This book is something that I wish I had early in my entrepreneurial career. Of course, I wouldn’t change a thing; I love where I am today. However, if I can change the path of a young entrepreneur or teenager, that would be amazing for me. Brand With Purpose is also for those looking to get inspired and be motivated. If someone feels stuck or needs a change of pace, this book would be great for them as well.”
Regarding funding of the title he said, “Yes, we did receive sponsorship funds and in-kind support. The Sponsorship funds came from Making Education The Answer (META) Foundation, Leap foundation, Junior League of Los Angeles, University of Southern California Lambda Scholars, The Harmony Project, and Youth Business Alliance. We also organized a Go fund-me teaming up with Next Gen to donate books to students in Los Angeles. I was blessed to have family, friends, coworkers and colleagues make contributions for the book as well.”
How will he measure success? “Just being able to influence one person and change their path, allowing them to go down a more authentic and purposeful path, is more than enough. I don’t make judgments wholly based on sales numbers and the revenue generated. If I can help just one person change their life to be more meaningful, authentic, and purposeful, it helps fuel my purpose. Since the book was published, I have had people reach out to me via text, email, and social media, telling me that the book changed their life in some shape or form, and that was when I knew the book was a success, and I hope I continue to find success.”
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Filed Under: Books
Posted by Elena del Valle on March 7, 2022
Andrew Ross, author, Sunbelt Blues
Photo: Valerie Terranova
A podcast interview with Andrew Ross, author, Sunbelt Blues The Failure of American Housing (see NYU professor examines homelessness issues in Osceola County, FL), is available in the Podcast Section of Hispanic Marketing and Public Relations, HispanicMPR.com. During the podcast, he discusses his book with Elena del Valle, host of the HispanicMPR.com podcast.
Andrew Ross is professor of Social and Cultural Analysis at New York University. A contributor to The Guardian, The New York Times, The Nation, and Al Jazeera, he is the author or editor of more than twenty-five books, including Bird On Fire: Lessons from the World’s Least Sustainable City, Stone Men: The Palestinians Who Built Israel, The Celebration Chronicles: Life, Liberty and Property Values in Disney’s New Town.
To listen to the interview, scroll down and click on the play button below. You can listen by looking for “Podcast” then select “HMPR Andrew Ross” and download the MP3 file to your audio player. You can also find it on the RSS feed. To download it, click on the arrow of the recording you wish to copy and save it to disk. The podcast will remain listed in the February 2022 section of the podcast archive.
Posted by Elena del Valle on February 23, 2022
Southbound
Photos: University of Georgia Press for cover, Mira Sydow for author photo
Anjali Enjeti, who teaches creative writing at Reinhardt University, believes her move from Michigan in 1984 to Tennessee forced her to experience a new environment where she was racially targeted. In Southbound Essays on Identity, Inheritance, and Social Change (University of Georgia Press,$24.95) she describes the effects of the move on her life, on her own self-perception and as the source of much anger.
When asked if there is a way to right wrongs without discriminating and or committing new wrongs she replied, by email via her publisher, “I suppose we’d have to define what we mean by discrimination. Is undoing some of the legacy of slavery or Jim Crow through affirmative action in college admissions discrimination? Is providing grants to minority owned businesses discrimination? Of course not. Attempts to level the playing field and address the ways that systems have historically marginalized various groups are not discrimination, and they are certainly not committing new wrongs.
What’s that saying? When you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like discrimination. We can’t right wrongs unless we go deep into history, understand systems of power, and how they benefit, and explore how meaningful reparations can make people whole again. For people who are privileged, I suppose this could look like committing new wrong, but it’s really not.”
“The problem is that the people who are deciding how to right wrongs are often very privileged folks who have never been harmed by these wrongs to begin with,” she said when asked to define the boundaries to address such changes and who gets to decide. “In an ideal world, the communities who have endured the harm will get to decide how we can address the harm. Communities most affected by police violence, for example, should determine whether their city’s police force should be defunded and what community programs should be implemented to replace the police.”
When asked who should shoulder the burdens, financial and otherwise, of righting those wrongs she said, “In some sense, we all should. We all pay taxes, and our taxes should absolutely be going toward righting wrongs. Our governments and agencies need to center those most harmed. But more generally speaking, people with privilege need to get more involved in writing the wrongs. We need to be supporting mutual aid organizations by amplifying their work and donating funds. We need to quit self-segregating and push for programs that help everyone.”
When asked if “articles must be judged for bias on an individual basis” as she states in her book how she would judge her book for bias she replied, “Because I wrote Southbound, it’s difficult for me to judge it for bias – that’s a job better left to readers! But I did hire an authenticity editor for the book. She went through the manuscript with a fine tooth comb to help ensure that my words didn’t harm others.
We are all biased as human beings – we can’t not be. And of course this bias is reflected in our writing. But we need to be cognizant of the fact that our internalized biases in writing can harm others, and minimize this harm as much as possible.”
In relation to the anger she described feeling in her book and the acceptable limits of anger she said, “Well if we’re talking strictly about anger, not, say, harassment, bullying or other kinds of violence, then I don’t believe there are or should be acceptable limits to anger. But I suppose this is because I don’t see anger as a failing or an inherently bad thing to begin with – I find it crucial to justice work and the push to make our world more humane. Ultimately, anger is the engine for advocacy.
At this very moment, scientists, and doctors from all over the world are railing against governments and public health bodies that have failed to do their due diligence to slow the spread of COVID and take care of our most vulnerable people. Their critiques have been harsh, angry, enraged. We’re talking about the value of human life. So I don’t find this anger unacceptable in any way – it’s being deployed to reduce and end suffering.
And on an individual level, anger is such an important emotional release. I’m angry when my children are mistreated by others. I’m angry about my chronic pain. I’m angry about a lot of things. This kind of anger is healthy and important and helps me cope. It also helps me grow. And after it’s released, I have far more space in my heart and head for joy.”
Anjali Enjeti, author, Southbound
When asked what prompted her to write the book she said, “I’ve been doing progressive social change work for most of my adult life. Even pre-2016, I never had any delusions about how this country worked, who it benefited, and who it disenfranchised, incarcerated, killed, or deported. But Trump’s election in 2016 shook me to my core. And then I learned something that shocked me – that Asian American and Pacific Islanders have one of the lowest voter turnouts among any racial group. So I switched into electoral organizing, and began volunteering for campaigns. It was different kind of work for me, and I was doing this work in my forties, a decade when my perspective on the world began gradually shifting. A space in my mind began to open up for this book to come through.”
From idea to publication it took five years for the 230-page softcover book to be published in 2021. About 20 percent of the essays in the collection had previously been published.
She added, “And my ideas for new essays were seeds that had been planted in my mind years earlier, so by the time I sold the book proposal to UGA Press and sat down to write them, the essays came easily to me.”
Regarding the primary target audience for the book she said, “I wrote this book for all kinds of people, including southerners, and people of multi-ethnic or multi-racial identity. But I primarily wrote this book for people who think about social change, and activism, and for those whose identities and communities shape how they hope to get involved in social change work. I wanted to write about what identity can do out in the world, how it can build coalitions within and between communities, and this is the audience I was hoping would find the book.”
When asked for her definition of ethnicity she said, “Ethnicity is a cultural group irrespective of race.” To the idea that some people dislike or take offense to labels that others consider essential to their identity and when it may be acceptable to describe someone as brown, black, white, white passing, she said, “This is an excellent question and it’s also a tough one to answer. Terminology to describe race or ethnicity is ever-evolving. It changes every few years, and with each generation. But I think the most important thing to understand is that communities are not monoliths. One person in a community might take offence to an identifier another member in that same community connects with.
I personally identify as mixed race and brown, but not all South Asians or Indians identify as “brown.” I also identify as a minority – a term that many non-white people reject, and I completely understand why. But I feel empowered by it. “Minority” has historically been used to define members of an ethnic or racial group that is smaller in number, but now minorities are becoming the majority, and I love the irony of using the term today where whites are now becoming the minority.
We need to be flexible when we discuss language of identity. It is not one-size-fits-all. We need to listen to individuals and respect how they want to be addressed.”
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Filed Under: Books
