AHAA AGENCIES TAKE DEEP DIVE INTO DIGITAL MEDIA STRATEGIES
Chicago Conference Explores Interactive Media

Five hundred savvy marketers from around the country attended AHAA's 22nd Semi-Annual Conference, The Latino Mutant Conspiracy, in Chicago last month.

According to Forrester Research’s Hispanic Technographics Consumer Q1 2007 Phone Survey and Fall 2005 Phone Survey, 13.9 million Hispanic adults are online and more than half of those, 8.5 million, have broadband. This means that digital marketing is becoming a critical element of Hispanic media planning. “There is a perception that Hispanics are lagging behind the general population in the use of new technology,” said Larissa Acosta, conference co-chair and general manager of Dieste Harmel & Partners in San Francisco. “In reality, Latinos are in some cases early adopters of new media, as with mobile phones. And often they are heavier users of technology than non-Hispanics, as in the case of text messaging. While television and radio are still strong vehicles to reach our Hispanic audience, the digital world is growing and we as Hispanic marketing specialists need to redefine the way we approach the evolving Latino population.”

During the last September's conference, AHAA unveiled the results of a year-long study on Latino Identity and rallied agencies around a common hypothesis that intricate, interrelated values -- rather than language and acculturation -- define Latinos. The typical U.S. Hispanic today is anything but typical, according to Carl Kravetz, past chairman of AHAA.

“Latino consumers are multidimensional and our approach to marketing must be as creative and complex as the audience we serve,” Kravetz said. “Our member agencies are uniquely suited to reach Latino consumers on a rational level but also on an emotional and spiritual level. We must keep pace with the changing technology and dynamics of our industry. If we are Hispanic specialists we must translate our consumer insight into multi-channel platforms blending interactive and traditional media to communicate and connect with our consumers on every level.”

Conference organizers intended to debunk the myths and misperceptions surrounding Latinos’ use of new media and showcase how some U.S. Hispanic agencies are integrating the digital discipline into traditional media campaigns. Representatives from Conill, the AdAge Multicultural Agency of the Year, shared their holistic approach to building the Yaris brand that turned Toyota ’s virtually unknown entity into the most recognized entry-level subcompact car in the Hispanic community in just one year.

“The media you choose tells a lot about the brand personality,” said Karen Treydte, executive media director for Conill. “We focused on the attitudes of our target audience rather than demographics and found they were so diverse in the way they wanted us to speak to them. We couldn’t limit our channels to one or two but rather we had to provide a breadth of innovative options for consumers to connect with the brand. We engaged in nontraditional programs to create an active consumer relationship with the medium and the message. The instantaneous and ongoing response and dialogue we developed with consumers allowed us to consistently measure our effectiveness. Media is changing as fast as the interests of our consumers and integrating new technology is exciting.”

With an enhanced understanding of the online space and Latinos role in new media, more Hispanic agencies will begin to embrace interactive marketing and conquer the new media frontier, according to Diego Naranjo, director, marketing strategy & services for Latin3. “Digital media is the most efficient medium and provides an instant result that is appealing to corporate marketers. We, as agencies and marketing experts, have an opportunity to utilize this fresh approach to deliver relevant content in any language. We must master the new media method of connecting with consumers rather than simply communicating with them.”

  On Thursday afternoon during a Q&A   session Gilbert Davila, chair of the ANA   Multicultural Committee and Carl Kravetz,   AHAA Past Chairman dealt with some of the   hottest issues facing our industry including   language fragmentation and the impact   impact of Hispanics in general media.

  Conference sessions explored social   networking, affiliate marketing, online search, budgeting for digital marketing, and the fundamentals of building interactive campaigns.

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NEW AHAA CHAIRWOMAN TAKES BOLD POSITION ON FUTURE OF HISPANIC MARKETING IN NEW LEADERSHIP ROLE
Education for Hispanic Marketing Professionals and Outreach to CMO’s Key Initiatives for New Chairwoman

At the Chicago conference the transition of leadership to new Chairwoman Jackie Bird, president/CEO of Winglatino took place. José López-Varela, chief executive officer of ADN Communications assumed the role of chair-elect and Laura Marella, senior vice president/chief growth officer for Casanova Pendrill was elected to the position of vice chair.

Carl Kravetz, chairman/chief strategic officer of cruz/kravetz:IDEAS steps down from his role as AHAA chairman but remains a critical leader on the board of directors responsible for the organization’s research initiatives. AHAA ’s new research plans to explore the complexity of Latino identity and benchmark the value that Hispanic advertising agencies provide to advertisers will be announced in the coming weeks.

 Bird and the newly elected AHAA officers, López-Varela,  Marella, Jessica Pantanini, AHAA treasurer and chief  operating officer of Bromley, and Gisela Girard, AHAA  secretary and president and COO of Creative Civilization – An  Aguilar/Girard Agency, will begin implementing the platform  launched by immediate past chairman Kravetz. Under the  new leadership, the association will continue to shift the  focus of the industry’s message from the value of Hispanic  marketing to the value of using specialized Hispanic  agencies in marketing to Latino consumers.

“The Hispanic market is a strategic imperative for marketers that need to grow their business in the U.S. by building market share in the only and fastest growing market segment available,” said Bird, chairwoman of AHAA in her incoming remarks. There is perhaps no more important audience for AHAA to develop a better dialogue with than with chief marketing officers. In a hyper-competitive marketplace such as ours, broadening the scope of what makes a Latino Latino will inevitably double the size of the market Latino agencies are hired to reach.

“Our clients are increasingly expecting agencies to integrate strategic brand management, creativity and innovative channel planning – and to deliver big, game-changing ideas. We must deliver and it takes talented marketers across all communication disciplines. AHAA's education committee will create innovative training opportunities to continuously improve our skills while concurrently work to build our talent pool by helping young Latino students consider a career in Hispanic advertising: a compelling, challenging and rewarding job opportunity.

Continuing to serve on the board to help implement the organization’s plan are: Manuel E. Machado, CEO/co-chairman of MGS Communications; Cynthia McFarlane, executive vice president/managing director of Conill; Daisy Expósito-Ulla, partner, d expósito & partners; Patricia Gaitán, COO of Chambers Lopez & Gaitán, LLC; and Alex López Negrete, president/CEO of López Negrete Communications. Joining the board as newly elected directors are Joe Zubizarreta, chief operating officer of Zubi Advertising and Dilys Tosteson García, president/CEO of La Agencia de Orcí & Asociados.

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AD AGE HISPANIC CREATIVE ADVERTISING AWARDS - SUBMITT YOUR ENTRIES TODAY!
Extended Deadline for Entries is June 6th

This year's jury will be chaired by Aldo Quevedo, president of Dieste Harmel & Partners, Dallas. He will be joined on the jury by Juan Oubina, creative director of Grupo Gallegos; Andres Ordoñez, VP-creative director of Zubi Advertising, along with consultant Paco Olavarrieta.

 The jury also includes senior marketers:  Graciela Eleta de Cacho,  VP-multicultural  development  organization for North  America at   Procter & Gamble; Isaac  Mizrahi,  director of multicultural  marketing  at  Sprint; and Daniel  Villarroel,  director multiethnic marketing at  Maybelline  New York and Garnier.

 This year two categories have been added. "Beyond Hispanic" is open to work by ad agencies in any medium by ad agencies that targets other multicultural segments or the general market. The other is for work targeting bicultural and bilingual or English-speaking Hispanics.

In addition, TV, radio, magazine, newspaper, out-of-home, and interactive ads and websites targeted at U.S. Hispanic consumers that broke between May 1, 2006 and April 30, 2007 are eligible.

Winners will be announced this fall in a special report published in Ad Age on November 5, on AdAge.com and at a gala awards show during AHAA's fall conference in New York on November 2.

For entry form CLICK HERE.

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AHAA HONORS HISPANIC MEDIA PLANNERS AND BUYERS RISING STARS
AHAA Recognizes Young Talent for Unique Approach to Media Planning and Buying

This new recognition program, launched during AHAA’s 22nd semi-annual conference in Chicago, was created in appreciation of the emerging skill and creativity in the Hispanic media buying and planning discipline and to promote the fresh approach young professionals are contributing to the profession.

AHAA member agencies from across the country nominated their “rising stars,” and winners were selected based on their support in raising the profile of Hispanic media, the results delivered on behalf of clients, and the unique approach they demonstrate in reaching and connecting with Latino consumers. The five professionals identified as The Hispanic Media Buying and Planning Rising Stars were:

• Chris Grant, junior media planner, Dieste Harmel & Partners
• Marcy Greenberger, associate media director, SMG Multicultural/Tapestry
• Alexandra Fuentes, media planne0r, Anita Santiago Advertising
• Bridget Reyes-Shippey, media supervisor, Dieste Harmel & Partners
• José Manuel Montenegro, director media services, fm-Focusmultimedia.

The job of narrowing down the selection from among 18 nominees received from agencies of every size was extremely difficult, according to Carl Kravetz. “An impressive list of nominees made the committee’s decision really tough,” Kravetz said. “Media planning and buying is one of the most important parts of our Hispanic agency business and we must strive to demonstrate to clients our unique ability to provide cultural insight and innovation into this important function. Hispanic media is no longer as simple as placing a radio or television spot on an Hispanic station, but requires a deep understanding of the target market segment and not just reaching them, but making contact.”

Grant was recognized as a valuable asset to his interactive planning team at Dieste Harmel & Partners. The combination of his digital, hi-tech, bicultural lifestyle, a passion for all things “cool” and an uncanny knack for idea generation earned him the title of rising star. Greenberger was selected for her progressive thinking, her teaching and her groundbreaking media initiatives on behalf of clients like Procter & Gamble.

Fuentes was honored for her less than cookie-cutter approach to media executions and her original strategies that bring the brand message to life like replacing bus shelter benches with a client’s furniture. Reyes-Shippey’s in-depth knowledge of broadcast and outdoor media was impressive. Her artistic approach to media and her ability to find Latinos from large DMA to small and educate her agency on pockets of diverse cultures that exist in this country earned her the rising star award. And, Montenegro’s ability to expand media buys to include not only traditional online vehicles but also emerging online media tactics like mobile marketing, Podcasting, and RSS advertising embodies the definition of AHAA’s Hispanic Media Buying and Planning Rising Stars.

“It was important to the conference planning committee that we call out those exceptional professionals who are blazing a path for the future of our Hispanic advertising industry,” says Larissa Acosta, AHAA conference co-chair and general manager of Dieste Harmel & Partners. “Congratulations to all of the first-year winners and thanks to AHAA Latino agencies for taking bold steps in evolving the way we interact with consumers and deliver our clients’ messages.”

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THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS!

AHAA acknowledges the contribution of its sponsors. It is their support and generosity that allows AHAA to provide great educational programming and social events.

MUCHAS GRACIAS!

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FIRST ad:tech MIAMI CONFERENCE OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES TO HISPANIC AND LATIN AMERICA ONLINE MARKETPLACE
Interactive Advertising and Technology Summit Provides Valuable Learning and Networking Opportunities

ad:tech expositions announced its inaugural show in Miami. Themed "Your Destination to Connect with the Hispanic and Latin American Online Marketplace," this event will take place from June 26 - 27 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. ad:tech Miami will examine the content explosion and ever evolving dynamic of the digital marketing industry. Interactive marketing has become mainstream and the show's content - from CEO keynotes to workshops - aims to explain the "marketing maelstrom" in which today's modern marketers are caught. Tracks and sessions dedicated to Latin America, Hispanic and Universal programmed content will all be presented in English and simultaneously translated into Spanish and Portuguese. The growing number of interactive marketing agencies in the U.S. Hispanic Market and Latin America, as well as the increasingly innovating use of new media, underscore the relevance of a multi-regional ad:tech event. As online marketing continues to grow, its influence over major purchase decisions made by Hispanics and Latin Americans has experienced a dramatic increase. According to the AOL / Roper US Hispanic Cyberstudy, over 63 percent of online Hispanics consider the internet as the best information source for making their final brand decisions, which ultimately unlocks new ways for marketers to reach this audience segment. "ad:tech Miami follows a series of successful events included in the US and International conference schedule programmed for this year," said Don Knox , VP, ad:tech expositions. "At the show's launch in Miami, we anticipate a growing global attendee base, which continues the pace of a global ad-tech presence in Sydney, Paris and Hamburg. This industry is powerful and continues to grow exponentially." "ad:tech Miami will bring together veteran marketers with forward-thinking entrepreneurs to focus on the industry's shifting landscape and disruption, with panels and presentations specifically focused on the exploding Hispanic and Latin America online marketplace," declared Drew Ianni, ad:tech's Senior Global Analyst & Programming Chair. "Attendees will have an unrivaled opportunity for multi-lingual learning and networking with local and international delegates and as a result, will walk away with valuable insights, strategies and solutions that will enable them to explore new channels through which to engage their key audiences." For more information and to register CLICK HERE.

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THE 2007 STANDARD DIRECTORY OF HISPANIC ADVERTISING AGENCIES
7th Edition lists almost 100 member agencies


Additional copies of the 2007 edition of the AHAA Directory are available. This, the 7th edition of the directory lists almost 100 member agencies and their updated profiles.   If you need additional copies please contact Roberto Vazquez at rvazquez@ahaa.org or by phone at 703-610-9014.

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