December 29, 2010

US Hispanic Mobile Marketer Programs

Marketers looking to reach the growing Hispanic community in the United States may want to emphasize their mobile programs. According to new information from Scarborough Research, cell phone usage among the Hispanic population is increasing at a faster rate than it is among the general population.

According to the research, Hispanic cell phone usage increased 25% since 2005, compared with 18% for all adults in the U.S. With nearly exact usage rates among adults (84% of total adults use cell phones, compared with 82% of Hispanic adults), the research suggests not only that the usage rates are increasing among Hispanics, but that they may have reached a saturation point among the general population.

"[Hispanics] are the opportunity market," Alisa Joseph, vice president of advertiser and marketing services for Scarborough Research, tells Marketing Daily. "This is really the ideal niche way to reach the Hispanic market."

Smartphone adoption is also increasing among the Hispanic population. Currently, 19% of Hispanic adults live in a household that owns at least one smartphone, compared with 5% in 2005. That growth rate is on par with the general population; 23% of the general population owns smartphones, compared with 9% in 2007, according to Scarborough.

Hispanics are also more likely to use their devices for other purposes than simply talking on the phone. They text at greater rates than the general market (64% vs. 56%), download music at greater rates (22% vs. 15%), play games more often (19% vs. 15%) and access social networks more often (12% vs. 10%).

"The rise of smartphones and apps is redefining mobile marketing," Joseph says. "As this industry continues its rapid evolution, the importance of Hispanics as mobile marketing targets will only continue to expand."

Scarborough's research hews closely to that conducted by Hispanic marketing agency San Jose Group, which found that Hispanics spend more hours per week on social networks than the general population (2.4 vs. 1.7), blogging (1 vs. 0.7) and more time accessing the Internet through their mobile phones (1.1 vs. 0.4).

"Retailers have the opportunity to intertwine disciplines to effectively engage these consumers and transform them into brand ambassadors," said agency president George L. San Jose, in a statement. "It is essential for them to incorporate interactive content that can naturally be implemented and executed in their day-to-day social life."

Hispanic Market 11:09 AM | Hispanic Marketing | Negocio | Prestamos | Tarjetas

September 29, 2010

Tecate Heineken Sponsors Hispanic Awards

Tecate and its U.S. distributor Heineken USA are sponsoring the 24th Hispanic Heritage Awards. The brands are presenting soccer star Cuauhtémoc Blanco with an award for excellence and are also sponsoring a post reception for honorees and invited guests.

The Hispanic Heritage Award is also being presented to Mario Kreutzberger for his on-air portrayal as 'Don Francisco'; Congressman and former taxi driver Luis Gutierrez; musical talents Juan Luis Guerra and Alejandro Sanz; actress America Ferrera, star of "Ugly Betty"; Monika Mantilla, CEO of Altura Capital and a posthumous award to math teacher Jaime Escalante, who was portrayed by Edward James Olmos in the feature film "Stand and Deliver.

Hispanic Market 11:15 AM | Hispanic Marketing | Negocio | Prestamos | Tarjetas

July 25, 2010

CLICROI Hispanic Online Advertising Certified State of Connecticut Hispanic Owned Small Minority Business Enterprise

CLICROI, LLC, a business specializing in Hispanic Online Advertising and Panel Recruitment, announced today that the company has been certified by the State of Connecticut as a Hispanic Owned Small/Minority Business Enterprise.

CLICROI helps businesses reach their local and global customers online. It specializes in online advertising with a specific focus on the burgeoning Hispanic market in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and Spain. CLICROI designs banner advertising that generates leads and brings more online traffic to clients' websites. In addition, the company helps with online branding in order to increase recognition.

"We go the extra mile to deliver more value to our customers," stated Nelson Merchan, President of CLICROI (pronounced Click, R-O-I). It's so much more than just running ads on multiple websites. We test creative and carefully monitor the ad campaigns seven days a week and can quickly increase the ads depending on their effectiveness or stop them immediately if they are not delivering the expected results.

"Our goal is to focus our ads with laser precision so all the advertising dollars go directly to reach a client’s targeted audience. Our philosophy is to understand our clients’ specific needs in order to provide them with ongoing and long-term value and increased ROI."

When asked about the recent certification, Merchan commented, "I am very grateful for the people who have helped my business prosper. Susan Bysiewicz and Harland Henry from the Office of the Secretary of State were instrumental. They have promoted Business Showcases for Small/Minority Businesses and numerous networking events throughout the State.

"Pam McCormick from the Department of Administrative Services and the Supplier Diversity Program worked closely with us and went out of her way to make sure we achieved our Certification as a Hispanic Owned Small/Minority Business Enterprise.

"I am excited that my business is located in the State of Connecticut and I appreciate what the State does to support entrepreneurs."

CLICROI is located in Danbury, CT. President Nelson Merchan is a member of The Advertisement Club, 212 New York’s Interactive Advertising Club, The Danbury Chamber of Commerce and the National Society of Hispanic MBA’s (NSHMBA). He is also a SCORE Counselor helping individuals and entrepreneurs reach their business objectives.

Nelson Merchan
203-599-1237
clicroi@gmail.com http://www.clicroi.com

Hispanic Market 10:10 PM | Hispanic Marketing | Negocio | Prestamos | Tarjetas

May 26, 2010

Los Redes Sociales La Publicidad Online

Negocios -- "Los Redes Sociales" "La Publicidad Online"

La Red Innova apoya a los emprendedores iberoamericanos - La comunidad de La Red Innova apoya a los emprendedores con espíritu innovador y, en colaboración con la Fundación Endeavor y BBVA, hace posible que 15 empresas innovadoras relacionadas con la tecnología y con un alto potencial de crecimiento puedan presentarse en Madrid ante un jurado compuesto por especialistas y representantes de empresas de capital riesgo. Este jurado seleccionará las tres mejores de entre las “Startups” iberoamericanas invitadas, cuyos representantes tendrán la oportunidad de presentar su compañía ante todos los participantes del encuentro.

La Red Innova 2010 contará con cuatro espacios bien diferenciados:

• La Sala Principal “Telefónica”, en la que se podrá seguir a los grandes ponentes y donde tendrán lugar las intervenciones principales.
• La zona de Talleres, donde, en paralelo a las ponencias, empresas tan importantes como Google, Facebook o Yahoo! ofrecerán datos útiles y consejos para las empresas y los emprendedores; BBVA celebrará un taller con los “Líderes Mundiales de la Innovación” en el que contará con Harry West, CEO de Design Continuum; Pascal Soboll & Matteo Signorini, diseñadores de experiencias para el consumidor de IDEO; y Norman Winarsky, vicepresidente de Inversiones, Licencias y Programas Estratégicos del Standford Research Institute.
• El Espacio Startup Competition, patrocinado por BBVA.
• La Zona de Networking, en la que todos, asistentes y ponentes podrán intercambiar ideas en un ambiente más relajado.

Hispanic Market 07:52 AM | Hispanic Marketing | Negocio | Prestamos | Tarjetas

April 22, 2010

Pagina Web de Salud Hispano Sano Sitio

Sana Health Group, Inc. announced the launch of its new website that combines a resource tool with its health assistance directory and personal database application. The first release of www.HispanoSano.com is now able to provide both consumers and healthcare companies on-demand solutions.

“The new site allows users to store their health information for easy access anywhere, HispanoSano has taken the lead in the upcoming health information revolution.". said Dr. Ruben Nazario, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

www.HispanoSano.com incorporates user-friendly tools and bilingual resources. These services offer access to information on everything from diabetes and cancer to fitness, diet and beauty, including insurance and money savings tips.

Based in Miami, Sana Health Group’s HispanoSano.com was developed by JeanMarie Adams.

Starting in May, the site will include a new user generated platform called “Mi HispanoSano” which when used with “HispanoSano Mobile” will allow users to store their health information for easy mobile access to their medical information. To prepare for the launch of the new applications, the company is offering the first 25,000 registered users free HispanoSano for life.

Hispanic Market 06:31 AM | Hispanic Marketing | Negocio | Prestamos | Tarjetas

January 06, 2010

Hispanic Marketing Trends Youth Market

Coming of age is a complicated matter in even the simplest of circumstances. It's that much more complex, naturally, when the country in which you're becoming an adult isn't the one in which your parents (or you) were born.

That's the theme of a report released last month by the Pew Hispanic Center, under the title "Between Two Worlds: How Young Latinos Come of Age in America." The report's findings have significant implications for the way marketers address Hispanic 16-25-year-olds in the U.S. -- a cohort that numbers some 7.5 million and accounts for 18 percent of all U.S. residents in that age bracket.

Is the report says, this is a life stage at which Hispanics in the U.S. "navigate the intricate, often porous borders between the two cultures they inhabit -- American and Latin American." Based on polling conducted in August and September, the report goes on to say "it is clear that many of today's Latino youths, be they first or second generation, are straddling two worlds as they adapt to the new homeland." It finds the survey's respondents exhibiting "attitudes and behaviors that, throughout history, have often been associated with the immigrant experience." The twist in the story is that, as the report emphasizes, "most Latino youths are not immigrants. Two-thirds were born in the U.S., many of them descendants of the big, ongoing wave of Latin American immigrants who began coming to this country around 1965."

The survey finds ethnicity outranking current country of residence in the way Hispanic 16-25-year-olds perceive themselves. One question in the polling gave respondents a choice of terms and asked them to cite the one they use first to identify themselves -- by their family's country of origin, as Hispanic or Latino, or as American. A majority (52 percent) said they describe themselves first by familial country of origin, while 20 percent said they first identify themselves as Hispanic/Latino. Twenty-four percent said "American" is the one of these terms they use first.

...BUT NOT QUICK TO SELF-IDENTIFY AS AMERICAN

Even among the poll's second-generation respondents (i.e., those born in the U.S., but with at least one foreign-born parent), just 33 percent said they choose "American" over the other options as their primary self-identification. A plurality of the second-generation respondents (41 percent) first identify themselves by their family's country of origin; 21 percent use "Hispanic/Latino" first. "Only in the third and higher generations do a majority of Hispanic youths (50 percent) use 'American' as their first term of self-description," says the report.

None of this makes things simple for companies that aim to sell their wares to Hispanic teens and young adults. Do marketers need to be wary of sounding an "American" theme in speaking to this audience? "Not necessarily," says Christopher Campos, vp and managing director in the New York office of Bravo, an agency that specializes in addressing the Hispanic market. "The 'American' theme is not a turn-off. Clearly, America has changed. Young Latinos are growing up, adapting and influencing the world around them -- they are defining what America is today."

THEY INFLUENCE AS THEY ASSIMILATE...

At home, says Campos, their "Latino personality" is defined. But they're influenced by a range of social factors in the wider world. "It is in this outside environment that he/she is exposed to other influences and starts learning and growing from those experiences," says Campos. "Eventually, the young Latino contributes to the culture around him, converges with the American culture, and new identities arise. Thus, the American theme is part of what they experience, what is shaping them and what they are helping create everyday."

Then again, if ethnicity looms larger than current country of residence in the way young Hispanics in the U.S. see themselves, that doesn't mean it trumps their sense of themselves as people. "Hispanics are people first and Hispanics second like Americans," notes Sergio Alcocer, president and chief creative officer of Austin, Texas-based agency LatinWorks. "You don't do 'American advertising.' The concept is too vague and does not personalize the communication."

...BUT STILL RESPOND TO ACCURATELY TARGETED MESSAGES

Laura Sonderup, director of Denver-based ad agency Hispanidad, makes a similar point when asked whether marketers should steer clear of an explicitly American theme in addressing Hispanic 16-25-year-olds. "When we reflect on the development of a relevant, results-oriented campaign message targeting any young adults, I doubt that an 'explicitly American theme' would be effective, unless the client is a branch of the military or a related category," she says. "Instead, it is far more effective to speak to these influential young consumers about the things that are important to them in their lives and the thinking that influences their buying behaviors." And while their exposure to mainstream American culture means young Hispanics will be different from their parents' generation, she says, "they still won't act, or think, like their general-market counterparts. So it will be important to speak to their roots in a meaningful and relevant way."

If there are pitfalls in using a generically "American" approach to this audience, the precedence of familial country of origin in their self-perception means a generically Hispanic/Latino approach might present its own challenges. The Pew report makes it plain that young Hispanics are skeptical of any notion of a monolithic "Hispanic culture" in this country. "By a ratio of about 2-to-1," says the report, "young Hispanics say there are more cultural differences (64 percent) than commonalities (33 percent) within the Hispanic community in the U.S."

Hispanic Market 11:26 AM | Hispanic Marketing | Negocio | Prestamos | Tarjetas

Latinum Hispanic Business Network

Latinum Network is a business network devoted exclusively to helping corporations penetrate the estimated $850 billion U.S. Hispanic market. More than 20 major brands have already signed with Latinum Network including Clorox, H&R Block, Kraft Foods, Mazola, McDonald's, Nestle, Sara Lee Corporation, 7-Eleven, Splenda and Subway.

Latinum Network provides a unique platform that enables top consumer brands to capitalize on the fastest growing consumer market in America. By bringing together companies facing similar challenges, Latinum Network enables CMOs and other designated executives to share best practices, improve inter-company collaboration, participate in cutting-edge research and pool resources to leverage their collective buying power. As such, Latinum serves as a barometer of consumer and corporate trends.

"There is a shared sense of urgency in Corporate America to capitalize on the surging U.S. Hispanic market that is transforming our economic and social landscape," said Latinum Principal David Wellisch, founder and former GM of AOL Latino. "Latinum enables corporations to do as a group what no one company can do alone in terms of collecting and analyzing data, collaborating with peers, and developing strategic partnerships. We represent a powerful new vehicle for companies that want to accelerate their learning curve, and get this market opportunity right."

Latinum delivers new-to-world insights, data and solutions across a wide range of critical challenges that matter most to its peer group of executives. By combining cross-company perspectives with customized support for each member, Latinum assists executives and their teams in developing deeper insights into the market, more effective strategies for the segment, and the solutions required to successfully design and execute core marketing initiatives. The network will be powered by a first-of-its-kind digital platform launching later this month which will facilitate active online collaboration among participating executives and provide access to a rich set of data and insights.

"With ethnic segments leading lifestyle trends, we recognize the importance of this market both as trendsetters in many cases, and as a target audience for our brand," said McDonald's U.S. Hispanic Marketing Director, Cristina Vilella, a charter member of the Latinum Network. "Our participation in Latinum gives us access to the best thinking from other market leaders as they too accelerate their penetration of the U.S. Hispanic market segment and to new, cutting edge analysis and data to take full advantage of this market opportunity."

Latinum pinpoints behavior and trends that help clients unlock the full potential of the U.S. Hispanic market in a highly cost-effective manner.

"The Hispanic-American segment is responsible for almost a third of the population growth since 2005 and its spending is increasing at a rate more than twice that of the general market," said Latinum Principal Michael Klein, formerly a top executive of the Corporate Executive Board, the world's largest business network provider. "Our clients recognize the huge growth potential of this market, but in this economic climate they're looking for more cost-effective ways to go after the opportunity. Our shared-cost approach to solving problems enables us to produce high-quality answers and insights at a fraction of the cost of alternatives."

To ensure its members get the most from their investments in the Hispanic market, Latinum is directly addressing a number of the most vexing challenges that have impeded companies' consistent success in targeting the segment. These include strategies to address and work around critical data gaps, best ways to use new channels to acquire customers, and the direct effect of acculturation on incremental ROI. For example, by uncovering how specific cultural factors impact actual consumer spending patterns, Latinum has identified a set of emerging market opportunities that for some companies have more than doubled their target market.

By leveraging the efficiencies associated with the network model, Latinum also provides members with a wide menu of services, customized for their needs. It holds formal meetings and informal web casts and teleconferences, and produces a steady stream of content which it makes fully available to members. Beyond original analysis and data, Latinum offers its members a range of additional services through the Latinum Marketplace, where members can partner on joint marketing initiatives, collaborate on industry-wide issues, and access negotiated discounts on vendor services.

Hispanic Market 11:17 AM | Hispanic Marketing | Negocio | Prestamos | Tarjetas

July 24, 2009

How to Build Hispanic Market Retail Sales

Ray Garza is one of the pioneers in Hispanic marketing and a specialist in Hispanic advertising, marketing, media promotions, public relations and viral marketing. For more information, e-mail info@TheHispanicAgency.com or call (702) 795-4711.

Building Incremental Retail Sales and Profits with the Hispanic Market

July 14, 2009 - By Ray Garza

Earlier this year, I was invited to what was a very lovely business luncheon with some very bright business executives from a very prominent retail organization.

The reason for the invitation was that this retail company not only wanted to ask for some marketing advice about the Hispanic market, it also wanted to share some very personal information about its organization specifically as it pertained to its Hispanic customers or better yet, as it pertained to its lack of Hispanic customers.

What was the personal information the company wanted to share? It was having some very difficult financial struggles as a retailer in what became key Hispanic neighborhoods, and realized not only was the company not attracting any significant number of Hispanics to patronize its stores, it wasn't developing new customers at all.

Knowing a little bit about this retailer's presence in the marketplace, and doing a study after our meeting, I came back to the company to tell it the reason it didn't have much of a Hispanic customer base is because the company didn't do what was the very obvious, which was to:

Welcome Them!

The reason it wasn't generating new customers (specifically, the mainstream market) was because this market was not growing, and unlike the Hispanic shopper, consumers were buying from other sources online, organic farms and boutique shops.

This retailer, like most companies that have not yet taken the Hispanic market seriously, never seem to have a budget to sincerely, strategically and successfully target this market. And if they desire to, always seem to use the same words, "We don't have much of a budget." To which I say: "Then don't spend any of it as you can't tap a market this viable if you don't invest the necessary funds to successfully win this customer."

My rule of thumb for marketing to the Hispanic market is as follows:

If the Hispanic market in your city is 50 percent of the population, then allocate 50 percent of your marketing budget towards it. If it's 30 percent of the market, then allocate 30 percent of your marketing budget towards it, and so forth.

If that seems a little high, try increasing it to a reputable amount vs. the average 3 percent to 5 percent budget most retailers use to try and tap a market that is not only continuing to be the fastest-growing population in our great nation, it's also a market that is pushing 50 million strong, and supported with an annual U.S. purchasing power of nearly $1 trillion! A trillion dollars a year!

My advice to the retailer, or to anyone desiring to win this very viable segment of the population and win it big, is to invest in it. In fact, I know of mainstream retail stores that have larger retail space, yet are earning millions less than what a small Hispanic retail store is doing in annual sales.

So What Is a Retailer to Do?

To increase your retail sales and profits, here's a few marketing vehicles to consider when marketing to Hispanics:

Don't just join your local Latin Chamber of Commerce, get involved by participating in luncheons, fairs, expos, festivals, educational/scholarships and other community activities! In other words, get involved with your Hispanic community.

Provide a festive environment in your store that specifically appeals to the Hispanic market in your neighborhood -- from bright colors and the smell of 'pan dulce' or baked goods, to the voiceovers and elevator music that you play in your store.

Remember, when it comes to the Hispanic market, it's families that you're catering to, so have some type of activities for the children (i.e. coloring contests, miniature amusement rides in front of your store, free cookies at the bakery counter, etc.); and don't forget about the new Hispanic shopper -- the Hispanic teen market who more and more are shopping for papa and mama!

Don't just promote the 'típico' Cinco de Mayo and Sept. 16, events, because Hispanics do celebrate other things -- like every week! Learn all the holidays (and other Hispanic/cultural celebrations) Hispanics celebrate such as Quinceaneras (Sweet 15 for girls), Bodas (weddings), barbecues/picnics, dia de los muertos (Halloween), Dia de dar gracias (Thanksiving) and Christmas events (i.e. Posadas, Three Kings Day), just to name a few.

And don't forget soccer, boxing, baseball events and American football to win your Hispanic men as customers.

Provide the right foods, beverages, candies, breads, fruits, vegetables and cuts of meats, among other things your customers want if you were to only ask them. We may be assimilated, but our bellies and minds are still cultured to crave what our abuelitas y mamas cooked for us!

Are you ready for this one? Provide pinatas for children's birthday parties -- even non-Mexicans love pinatas!

Provide bilingual signage -- especially if you want to communicate with your customers about your retail specials and other in-store promotions and services. In fact, try going into a Chinese retail store and read the packaging. Unless you speak Cantonese or Mandarin, chances are you won't buy something that you don't understand. The same goes with the Spanish-speaking consumer, so be sure to provide information and/or direction for your customers to read, understand and follow. And please be sure to be accurate with your Spanish when you translate your English copy.

Provide Hispanic customers with international transfers of money to their native lands, and check cashing services for little to no charge. In fact, if you offer free check cashing, watch what will happen in your store -- especially every pay day! You'll not only drive your regular customers, you'll begin to attract many new customers to your store because people do still talk! Have you ever heard of a loss leader? This is one marketing vehicle that you may want to consider!

Have a bilingual staff or management to communicate to your Spanish-speaking customers.

Provide attractive and colorful point of sale materials that are both descriptive and depictive. Remember, a picture is greater than a thousand words!

Advertise in local Spanish and bilingual media -- radio, newspaper, television, direct mail, transit advertising, billboards and the Internet.

Provide Spanish or bilingual circulars to promote your specials, hours of operation, other stores, addresses and most important, telephone numbers!

Sample products -- cut fruit, pour beverages in one-ounce cups and sample anything else you or your suppliers have to encourage Hispanic customers to sample, as unless consumers try something new, chances are they won't buy it unless you first give them a sample.

Coupons -- specifically, to educate your customers on how to use coupons.

If you are a mainstream retailer near or in the Hispanic neighborhoods, offer better prices than the Hispanic bodegas, supermercados and tiendas that are already catering to this market. Unfortunately, Hispanic customers in these bodegas seem to pay more for their common commodities simply because they want what they want, and if you don't follow some or all of the vehicles that I've just shared, then like the retailer who came to see me for advice, you too may need to seek consul -- before it's too late!

In closing, begin to realize it is becoming inevitable that the Hispanic market will continue to grow throughout this nation, and if you, as a retailer, do not cater to this ever-burgeoning Hispanic market, others will. It will be those retailers who will see incremental sales and profits. In fact, when a mainstream retailer does not welcome this most essential segment of the population (which have a very healthy residual value for generations to come), this market will even go to the extreme of building their own retail stores, bakeries and supermarkets in your neighborhood, and Hispanics will no longer need a mainstream retailer to shop at.

So if you don't want to find yourself asking why sales aren't growing in your store or why your Hispanic customer base is little to nil, try using the one word that truly attracts Hispanics to shop at your store:

¡BIENVENIDOS!

Ray Garza is one of the pioneers in Hispanic marketing and a specialist in Hispanic advertising, marketing, media promotions, public relations and viral marketing. For more information, e-mail info@TheHispanicAgency.com or call (702) 795-4711.

Hispanic Market 12:28 PM | Hispanic Marketing | Negocio | Prestamos | Tarjetas

July 20, 2009

Spanish Front Door Marketing US Hispanic

Power Direct Marketing is the leader in nationwide front door marketing.

The key benefits are:

1. No database costs, no list rental, no letter shop costs, no postage costs.
2. Complete data analysis of deliverable areas that match specific demographic requirements.
3. Sophisticated demographic targeting by Age, income, ethnic groups, consumer spending patterns, customer penetration, MRI Audit, Claritas PRIZM Clusters, ConneXions Clusters, etc.
4. Full category exclusivity in print delivered directly to the front door.
5. No clutter, which is found in the mailbox or newspapers.
6. Speed to market is two weeks or less from receipt of creative. No set schedules.
7. Media size: 5-1/2" wide by 17" tall.
8. GPS tracking of door walkers and complete back end auditing.
9. Response rates are averaging 4% to 6%, although we have some advertisers experiencing 10% to 14%. Of course creative and offer are an integral part of generating response.

Contact: Mr. Shayne Walters at Power Direct Marketing
Newport Beach, CA 92660 - Phone (949) 253-4803

Hispanic Market 03:45 PM | Hispanic Marketing | Negocio | Prestamos | Tarjetas

June 18, 2008

Hispanic Market Small Business Tips

Business Finances Marketing Money Real Estate Mortgages Small Business Internet

Hispanic Market 08:39 AM | Hispanic Marketing | Negocio | Prestamos | Tarjetas

December 09, 2005

Innovations in Hispanic Marketing Conference

HISPANIC PR - Marketing, advertising and media leaders will gather in Miami, March 14-16, to examine successful strategies being used to reach Hispanic consumers at the fourth annual Innovations in Hispanic Marketing conference.

Innovations in Hispanic Marketing set for March 14-16 in Miami

Miami, FL--(HISPANIC PR WIRE)--December 9, 2005--Marketing, advertising and media leaders will gather in Miami, March 14-16, to examine successful strategies being used to reach Hispanic consumers at the fourth annual Innovations in Hispanic Marketing conference.

The 2006 program will feature U.S. Hispanic marketing experts in acculturation and market segmentation, brand management and promotional strategies. Through case studies and panel presentations, conference speakers will demonstrate how leading companies are increasing market share and deepening brand loyalty among Hispanic audiences.

Each year, the conference draws speakers from companies in the forefront of Hispanic marketing, such as McDonald�s, Southwest Airlines, People En Espa�ol, ABC Radio Networks and General Mills. Speakers for the 2006 event will again represent a variety of industries, including food and beverage, healthcare, telecom, automotive, consumer goods, retail, cosmetics, consumer electronics, home products, financial services, media and entertainment, Internet, transportation and pharmaceuticals.

"This conference brings together a wide range of both marketers and media personalities from a cross-section of major market segments," said Cynthia Nelson, a member of the Advisory Board for the conference. Nelson is Chief Operating Officer of TodoBeb�, the leading family brand dedicated to pregnancy and parenting in Spanish.

Organized by Miami-based MFM Trade Meetings, the conference is open to professionals responsible for Hispanic or multicultural marketing, interactive marketing, consumer research, branding, advertising, communications, media planning, business development and merchandising.

Details and registration information can be found at http://www.trademeetings.com or by calling 866-636-7350, toll-free in the U.S. and Canada.

Hispanic Market 10:29 AM | Hispanic Marketing | Negocio | Prestamos | Tarjetas

August 09, 2005

Hispanic Business Magazine

(HISPANIC PR WIRE) The latest issue of Hispanic Business magazine focuses on the 100 Fastest-Growing Hispanic Companies in the United States. In this double issue, topics covered range from an examination of the leading entrepreneurs of the U.S. Hispanic economy to reports on finding capital for business growth.

LatiNode Inc., Elias De La Garza Insurance and Diverse Staffing Inc. are the top 3 companies on the list. It is the second year in a row for LatiNode Inc. to hold the number one spot on the fastest-growing list. Founded by Jorge Granados, Olivia de la Salas and one other partner in 1999, LatiNode provides Internet voice-communications services to companies including AT&T and Bell South.

The 100 companies are chosen each year based on financial data submitted to HispanTelligence(R), Hispanic Business Inc.�s research division. At least 51% of the ownership of each company accepted must consist of Hispanic U.S. citizens and must maintain headquarters in any one of the 50 states or Washington, D.C. The entire article can be found on Hispanic Business�s web site at http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/newsbyid.asp?fpa=0&id=24535.

Also featured are the Top 50 Hispanic Exporters. Topping the list at number one is Brightstar Corporation, a company currently supplying cellular phones to Latin America. Not far behind are a number of food industry companies to keep an eye on, such as Quirch Foods (#2), Ruiz Food Products (#22) and Lopez Foods Inc. (#34). Rounding up the spectrum of stories in the July/August issue is a look at the rising price of television advertising aimed at Hispanics and what this means for U.S. marketers� value of Hispanic consumers.

Special coverage will be given to the Hispanic Business magazine Woman of the Year Awards Gala (WOY) held at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas on June 22 and 23. Brigida Benitez was named 2005 Woman of the Year for her work with affirmative action cases taken to the Supreme Court. Almost 300 guests joined in celebration of not only Ms. Benitez, but the four finalists as well: Carmen Suro-Bredie, assistant U.S. trade representative for policy coordination; Deborah Gallegos, New York City�s chief investment officer; Sonia Maria Green, director of diversity marketing and sales for General Motors; and Janet Murguia, CEO of the National Council of La Raza.

In-depth coverage of Hispanic Business magazine�s top 100 fastest-growing companies starts on page 22. The 100 index begins on page 32.

Abroad Appeal .... Keith Rosenblum writes about the top 50 exporters (pg. 42). The full list follows on page 52.

Celebrating Achievements.... Guests gather at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas to honor successful Hispanic women at the Woman of the Year Awards Gala (pg. 70)

Constant currents.... In every issue are essential pieces to take note of: HispanTelligence report (pg. 12); Washington Insider (pg. 14); and The Informant: news, trends, and numbers in the U.S. Hispanic economy (pg. 18).

About Hispanic Business Inc.

Now celebrating a quarter century as an award-winning publishing and information services company, Hispanic Business Inc. is the nation�s leading source of information for and about Hispanic professionals and entrepreneurs. Hispanic Business magazine is the company�s flagship publication, and other products and educational services include: S�perOnda magazine, HireDiversity.com, and Hispanic Business Events including EOY (Entrepreneur of the Year) Awards Gala, Hispanic Business BOE (Board of Economists) U.S. Hispanic Economic Summit, and WOY (Woman of the Year).

Hispanic Business(R) is a registered trademark of Hispanic Business Inc.(C) 2005 Hispanic Business Inc. All rights reserved.

Hispanic Market 02:30 PM | Hispanic Marketing | Negocio | Prestamos | Tarjetas

July 09, 2005

32,000 Hispanic Owned Businesses in Washington D.C. Region

When attorney Michael Veve moved to Washington from Puerto Rico in 1973, most Hispanics worked in civil service jobs or for the World Bank, Inter-Development Bank or embassies. Hispanic-owned businesses were a rarity, he said.

"Now you can do banking in Spanish with Hispanic tellers in the major banks. You can buy your food in bodegas, have your landscaping done by Hispanic landscaping companies. There are home-improvement contractors who are Hispanic. And you can do business with a variety of [Hispanic] white-collar businesses from lawyers to accountants to architects throughout the city," Veve said.

A study funded by the Greater Washington Ibero American Chamber of Commerce, which Veve chairs, found that the number of Hispanic-owned businesses in the region has grown to 32,000 in 2002 from about 500 in 1970. The surge began in the 1980s after Hispanic immigrants fleeing El Salvador's civil war poured into the area and has increased as more Central American immigrants have moved here to join their families.

The largest group, Salvadorans, have started about 3,000 small family-run businesses -- restaurants, construction companies and retail stores -- in the Washington area, said Elmer Arias, president of the region's Salvadoran American Chamber of Commerce and owner of La Hacienda restaurant in Springfield. At first, these businesses were concentrated in the Adams Morgan area, but as immigrants saved money and moved out to the suburbs, businesses followed.

Now bustling centers of Hispanic commerce can be found in Langley Park, Wheaton, Bailey's Crossroads, Woodbridge, Manassas, Fredericksburg, Arlandria and at least a dozen other communities and neighborhoods. Latino-owned businesses have changed the face of many neighborhoods, as Hispanic mom-and-pop stores have filled once-abandoned buildings and brought commerce back to some neighborhoods.

The flood of immigrant business owners from Latin America was preceded by a smaller number of Hispanics who came to the area in the early 1960s and 1970s to work for the federal government. Veve said Hispanic businesses gravitated toward government procurement because of the federal program that sets aside business for minority-owned companies.

This led to the creation of scores of Hispanic-owned contracting companies, including MVM Inc., a Vienna-based company that provides guards and other security services and reported revenue of $164 million last year, and computer network developer Force 3 Inc., which reported revenue of $168 million. Soza & Co., a government information technology company founded by Hispanic Fairfax businessman William Soza, had more than $137 million in revenue when it was sold last year to Perot Systems Government Services Inc. for $107 million in cash and stock.

There are 38.8 million Hispanics in the United States, or 13 percent of the total population, making the group the largest minority in the country. In the Washington area, from 1990 to 2000, the Hispanic community doubled, to 447,000, or 8 percent of the total population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Latino advocates say the number is even higher, because the government failed to count some illegal immigrants.

"If you look at what's happened in the population across the country since 1990, it has grown more than 73 percent. That's explosive growth. Those sheer numbers are fueling most of the business growth," said Judi Erickson, a Hispanic Business magazine editor, citing figures from HispanTelligence, a research group owned by the magazine. "What you're seeing in D.C. is what you're seeing in other areas across the county. Los Angeles and New York have long had concentrations of Hispanic businesses. Now what we're seeing is an entrepreneurial trend going across the county."

By 1997, the last time the Census Bureau measured it, Washington area Hispanic businesses had sales of nearly $1 billion. Hispanic business leaders say that substantial growth has occurred since then.

At the same time, national retailers, like Safeway Inc., aware of the growing buying power of Latino consumers, are trying to adjust their operations to win more of them.

These changes can be measured in a number of different ways. For example, the growth of advertising and clasificados aimed at Latinos here now supports nearly two dozen weekly newspapers, a dozen radio stations and three local television channels. Twenty years ago there were only a couple of weekly Spanish-language television shows, one radio station and three newspapers.

The size and diversity of the business community is also reflected in the evolution of the area's Hispanic chambers of commerce. The granddaddy chamber, Greater Washington Ibero American Chamber of Commerce, was founded in 1976 by federal contractors, firms that still dominate the group today.

In the past few years, as the number of Hispanic businesses has soared and diversified, other chambers have sprouted up, including the Salvadoran chamber, the Hispanic Chamber of Montgomery County, and statewide Hispanic chambers in Maryland and Virginia. Last year, a Hispanic chamber formed in Prince George's County, which has one of the smallest Latino populations in the region but is home to Langley Park, where 63 percent of the residents are Hispanic.

Some of these business groups focus on writing business plans or networking or making changes to the federal minority business contracting programs. But the biggest problem facing most Hispanic business people is access to capital, several business leaders said.

"People think we're asking for a handout. No, we want access," said Elizabeth Lisboa-Farrow, owner of District-based public relations firm Lisboa Inc. and the first Latina chair of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce. "Access [to capital] is still very difficult."

When Jose Barahona, who immigrated to this area in 1973 and started his janitorial business in 1978, he said raising capital was "very difficult."

"One bank denied me a $50,000 credit line. They said, 'Jose, your papers are looking very good, but come to us in two years.' "

"I say the reason was my broken English. They think I'm going to be a risky loan," Barahona said. Able Services Contractors Inc., the janitorial company he founded and sold to his children, now has about 300 employees. He is also owner of the franchise rights for Pollo Campero, the popular Guatemalan chicken chain with outlets in Herndon and Falls Church. "I said one day, they are going to come to me, and now today they are coming to me, and I'm going to be a little arrogant because they were arrogant with me," he said.

One problem is that immigrant businessmen sometimes don't have the local assets or work history that banks want before they will make substantial loans. But another problem, say many Hispanic leaders, is that many immigrants don't speak English well.

"Without the language, it is difficult to conduct a relationship with a bank or attorney, to network, share ideas or even understand how business is conducted in this area," said Juan Albert, a business consultant who led the local Hispanic chamber of commerce for five years.

But Albert said as Spanish-speaking immigrants and their children learn the language, they will move from owning small family businesses and working in restaurants and construction into more professional jobs and running larger companies. "If you look at immigrants' patterns in this country, we are following the same pattern," Albert said. "When Greeks came to this country, they were the ones working in hotels. They started working in restaurants, working in construction. The trend is going to continue.

Source: Copyright 2004 washingtonpost.com
By Krissah Williams

07:24 AM | Hispanic Marketing | Negocio | Prestamos | Tarjetas

May 13, 2005

Hispanic Boom and Profitable Customer Relationship Strategies

A powerhouse of big brands will discuss winning strategies to cultivate relationships with the growing U.S. Latino consumer base. Strategic Research Institute will be hosting the 6th Annual Hispanic Boom and Profitable Customer Relationship Strategies conference, June 12-14, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Los Angles.

Hispanic Market 07:46 AM | Hispanic Marketing | Negocio | Prestamos | Tarjetas

Hispanic Healthcare

Representing an estimated $70 billion in annual healthcare spending, the U.S. Hispanic population is a potentially lucrative segment of the healthcare market, according to a new market research report released today from Kalorama Information. However, while the opportunity is indeed large, marketers face challenges in reaching this underserved population. Hispanic Healthcare

Hispanic Market 07:27 AM | Hispanic Marketing | Negocio | Prestamos | Tarjetas

Dallas Fort Worth Latino Population

Rincon & Associates announced that it is launching its annual DFW Latino Trendline next week, a syndicated study of the growing Dallas Fort Worth Latino population that is used to track important consumer information for the area's growing Latino population, now estimated at 1.6 million by the Texas State Data Center.

Hispanic Market 07:19 AM | Hispanic Marketing | Negocio | Prestamos | Tarjetas

April 20, 2004

Hispanic Internet - Rapidly Embracing the Internet

New York, NY--(HISPANIC PR WIRE - BUSINESS WIRE)--April 14, 2004--America Online U.S. Hispanics are relatively new to the Internet yet they recognize the value it brings to their family and are quickly making its tools and features part of their daily lives. In addition, Hispanics are outpacing the general online market in their use of some of the most advanced features of the Internet according to the second annual America Online(R)/RoperASW U.S. Hispanic Cyberstudy.

According to the survey, which was conducted among at-home Internet users, 20% of these Hispanics have been online at home less than six months, compared with just 6% of the general at-home online population. Forty-two percent of Hispanic online consumers have had an Internet connection at home for less than two years, compared with just 15% of the general at home online population.

Nevertheless, online Hispanic consumers have quickly made the Internet part of their everyday lives, and are outpacing the rest of the at-home online population when it comes to using some of the Internet's more cutting edge features, the survey results show. For example, they use the Internet far more frequently than the general online population to listen to music (54% vs. 30% do so regularly or occasionally), buy a car (6% vs. 2% bought online in the past three years), and communicate via instant messaging (64% vs. 48% do so regularly or occasionally). And Hispanic online consumers have rapidly adopted advanced wireless features into their lives. For example, a third of online Hispanic cell phone users (34%) use cell phones for instant messaging, compared with just 9% of those in the general online population.

"With 14 million Hispanics online today, our second annual survey reveals this community is showing a real passion for the power and reach of the Internet and understanding how it can empower Latinos that are getting connected," said Peter Blacker, Vice President International & US Hispanic, AOL(R) Business Solutions. "AOL has made a real commitment to better serving online Hispanic consumers by launching the AOL(R) Latino service last year and giving advertisers a better platform to reaching them."

An Empowerment Tool for the Hispanic Family

U.S. Hispanics with online access at home also see the Internet as a powerful tool that can help improve the education and career prospects of their children, help them keep in touch with family and friends living abroad and make them better informed consumers. For example, more than three in four online Hispanics with children who go online (79%), say that the Internet has had a positive effect on the skills their children will need for a successful career. 72% say that the Internet has improved the ability of their children to get into college. Nearly two-thirds of all Hispanic online consumers (63%) consider the Internet the best information source to start learning about products and services they want to buy, and more than half (59%) say it's the best place to learn about available brands. In addition, eight in ten online Hispanics (80%) use the Internet regularly or occasionally to communicate with friends and family.

"This survey makes it absolutely clear that Hispanic families see the Internet as a valuable tool that can help keep them connected and improve their children's lives and help them learn about products and services in an easy and convenient manner," said David Wellisch, Vice President and General Manager of AOL Latino, the leading Internet service provider for U.S. Hispanics. "That's why we have worked to make AOL Latino a destination where Hispanic families can easily communicate with friends and family and have a greater piece of mind by the fact that their children are more protected through the company's award winning safety and security measures."

Language Remains a Barrier

The survey also found that language remains a significant barrier to online use among Hispanics who do not have Internet access at home. Nearly three in four offline Hispanics who speak at least some Spanish (71%), say online Spanish content is important. More than half of all offline Hispanics (56%) cite lack of Spanish content as a reason for not going online at home. About half (49%) also say it is because there aren't enough sites and activities online that would interest Hispanics.

Among Hispanics already online, two-thirds of those who speak at least some Spanish (67%) say they "wish there were more Websites that offered information of interest to Hispanic Americans." Among online Hispanics whose dominant language is Spanish, 75% feel this way.

Almost half of online Hispanic consumers who speak at least some Spanish (45%) also wish that more Web advertising were in Spanish, the survey found. One in three (33%)says they pay more attention to advertisements when they are in Spanish. And nearly one in four (23%) say that advertising in Spanish makes them more likely to buy a given product (versus only 10% who say it makes them less likely to buy).

"This year's study is among the first to take an in-depth look at the issue of language and the Internet in the American marketplace," said W. Bradford Fay, Managing Director, RoperASW. "It is clear that U.S. Hispanics see significant value in the Internet as a way to get information in their preferred language."

Topline Findings

Hispanics are relatively new to the Internet

-- One in five Hispanic online consumers (20%) connected their household to the Internet less than six months ago vs. 6% of the general at home online population.

-- 42% of Hispanic online consumers have had Internet access at home for less than two years vs. 15% of the general online population.

-- More than half (53%) of offline Hispanics expect to get an Internet connection at home within the next two years.

-- Nearly one in five (17%) expects to do so within the next six months.

Discovering entertainment online

-- Online Hispanic consumers have quickly embraced the music and entertainment features and tools available on the Internet, and are far more likely to use many of them than the general online population.

-- More than half of online Hispanics (54%) regularly or occasionally listen to music online, compared with less than a third (30%) of the general online population.

-- More than a third of online Hispanics regularly or occasionally download music files (39%), while 27% of the general online population says they use the Internet to do this.

-- A third of online Hispanic consumers (34%) regularly or occasionally watch video clips online, while fewer than one in four (23%) of the general online population does so.

-- Almost half (43%) say they go online and watch TV at the same time. More than a third (36%) view the Internet as an alternative to TV, reporting that they watch TV less since they've started going online.

Using the Internet to communicate

-- Hispanic online consumers have embraced the Internet's ability to keep them connected with their friends and family, and are using several advanced features far more than the general online population.

-- For example, nearly two-thirds of online Hispanics (64%) regularly or occasionally use the Internet to instant message, compared with less than half of the general online population (48%).

-- A third of those with a cell phone (34%) use cell phones for instant messaging, compared with just 9% of those in the general online population.

-- Nearly a third of online Hispanic cell phone users (29%) use the Internet to download ring tones, while just 9% of those in the general online population do so.

Discovering and buying products and services online

-- The Internet is quickly having a major and growing influence on the purchasing behavior of online Hispanic consumers. Hispanics who have shopped online spent an average $480 in the past three months, compared with $577 for the general online population. Today, 43% of online Hispanics say they regularly or occasionally shop online, and 52% say being able to shop online was a reason they got an Internet connection at home.

-- Nearly two-thirds (63%) consider the Internet the best information source to start learning about products and services they want to buy, and more than half (59%) say it's the best place to learn about available brands.

-- More than half (59%) now view the Internet as the best source for comparing prices (vs. 50% in 2002), and half (51%) say it's the best place to get information for making a final brand decision (vs. 40% in 2002).

-- Among online Hispanic households that bought a car in the past three years, nearly two in three (60%) researched different vehicle types online. Nearly six in ten (58%) compared new car prices.

-- Online Hispanics in households that have bought a car in the past three years are also far more likely than those in the general online population to use the Internet to design features and options for a new car (46% vs. 30%); find the location of a new car dealer (45% vs. 25%); and make an actual new car purchase (12% vs. 3%).

-- More than half (54%) regularly or occasionally use the Internet to research healthcare products, and one in five (19%) regularly or occasionally shop for or buy pharmaceuticals online - almost twice the proportion in the general online population (11%).

Using the Internet more

-- Hispanic online consumers are also using more online features than before in the purchase decision process, the survey found. Compared with the 2002 survey, for example, more online Hispanics say the Internet is the best information source for starting to learn about a product or service they might buy (59% said so this year vs. 50% in 2002); to learn about product features/benefits (61% vs. 52%), get advice on the brand to buy (56% vs. 49%), determine where a product is available (63% vs. 47%), compare prices, (59% vs. 50%), and make the final brand decision (51% v 40%).

-- In addition, more online Hispanics are using the Internet to make travel arrangements (52% vs. 40% doing so regularly or occasionally), the survey found.

An active interest in new activities

-- Hispanic online consumers are also using the Internet to pay bills, do online banking, compare insurance rates and open checking accounts at rates about comparable to the general online population.

-- Nearly two-thirds (61%) have used the Internet in the past three years to do one or more of the following: pay a bill, do online banking, compare insurance rates or open a checking account.

-- Almost half of online Hispanics (47%) have family living outside the U.S. to whom they have sent money, but only 5% of these households have used the Internet for this purpose.

-- Online Hispanics are using the Internet for coupons as well, with one in four (26%) saying they have used coupons they have gotten from the Internet.

Language preferences

-- About half of offline Hispanics who speak at least some Spanish (49%) say there aren't sites and things to do online that would be of interest to Hispanics.

-- More than half of all offline Hispanics (56%) say that one reason they aren't online is because they've heard there is too little Spanish content online.

-- Two thirds of Hispanic online consumers who speak at least some Spanish (67%) wish there were more websites that had information of interest to Hispanic Americans

-- And about half of online Hispanic consumers (49%) wish there were more Web sites in Spanish.

-- Marketers who advertise online in Spanish have a decided advantage over those who don't.

-- More than one in seven (15%) Hispanic online consumers say they almost bought something online, but changed their minds due to language difficulty.

-- Nearly one-fourth of those who speak at least some Spanish (23%) say they are more likely to buy a given product if it is advertised in Spanish (vs. only 10% who say they are less likely).

-- More than one in four online Hispanics who have never shopped online (28%) say they would be more likely to do so if more shopping sites were in Spanish.

-- One-third of those who speak at least some Spanish (33%) say they "pay more attention to ads when they're in Spanish." (That figure rises to 56% among those whose dominant language is Spanish.)

-- Almost half of online Hispanics who speak at least some Spanish (45%) wish that more Web ads were in Spanish.

Helping their children succeed

-- Hispanics are far more upbeat about how the Internet will help their children succeed in the future than the general online population.

-- More than three in four Hispanic online consumers with children who go online (79%) say the Internet will improve the skills their children need for a successful career, compared with 61% of those in the general online population.

-- Almost three in four (71%) say the Internet has improved the quality of their children's homework, versus 59% of those in the general online population.

-- Roughly the same proportion (72%) say that the Internet has improved the ability of their children to get into college, compared with just 45% of those in the general online population.

Moving to broadband

-- Hispanic online consumers are as likely as those in the general online population to have in-home Internet via broadband (40% vs. 38%).

-- Online Hispanics not yet on broadband are more likely than those in the general online population to predict that they will soon go to broadband (50% vs. 39%).

Methodology

-- Hispanic Online Consumers: Interviews conducted via telephone with 615 18+ year old Hispanics with online access at home using bilingual Spanish/English speaking interviewers. The interviews were conducted from December 22, 2003 to January 19, 2004. The sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points for the total sample. This is comparable to 2002 research, which was conducted among 301 Hispanic online consumers in Fall 2002.

-- General Population Online Consumers: Interviews conducted via telephone with 300 18+ year old Americans with online access at home from December 18, 2003 to January 19, 2004. The sampling error is +/- 6 percentage points for the total sample. This is also comparable to 2002 research, which was conducted among 1,001 general population online consumers in Fall 2002.

-- Total U.S Hispanic Population: Interviews conducted via telephone with 308 U.S. Hispanics 18+ years old (180 of these interviews are with Hispanics who do not have online access at home), using bi-lingual Spanish/English speaking interviewers. The interviews were conducted from December 22, 2003 to January 19, 2004. The sampling error is +/- 6 percentage points for the total sample.

About AOL(R) Latino

AOL Latino, the leading Internet service provider for U.S. Hispanics, offers comprehensive Spanish product features and content including U.S. and Latin American news, the latest in music, entertainment and sports, as well as access to all the existing English language content available on the AOL service for no extra cost.

About RoperASW(R)

RoperASW, an NOP World company, is a leading global marketing research and consulting firm with headquarters in New York City and offices in London, Manila, and throughout the U.S. NOP World is among the ten largest global marketing research companies in the U.S. and the world. Bringing together some of the most renowned U.S. and European research firms in a unified global network, NOP World is a wholly owned subsidiary of U.K.-based United Business Media plc (NASDAQ:UNEWY).

--30--SF/ph*

CONTACT:
America Online
Lori Dolginoff
212/652-6363

11:49 AM | Hispanic Marketing | Negocio | Prestamos | Tarjetas