The Big Tent

Who Are We Really? And Why Marketers Should Care

As America Redefines Itself, Cross-Cultural Reality Comes Into Focus

Posted by Chiqui Cartagena on 03.11.10 @ 12:08 PM

Chiqui Cartagena

All of a sudden, it seems like Americans are really into discovering their roots. First there was "Faces of America" on PBS, now followed by "Who Do You Think You Are?" on NBC. Between the two shows, over a dozen celebrities (of all races and ethnicities) have allowed television audiences to share with them their American story by tracing their family roots and histories, in some cases back to the Founding Fathers.

Why Don't You Go Work at a Black Shop?

A Response to a Question That Really Shouldn't Be Asked

Posted by Derek Walker on 03.04.10 @ 05:12 PM

Derek Walker

"Ah man, and here I thought it was just a deep tan."

That's my standard response when I get the "question."

I hate the "question." I laugh it off but I really can't stand it. I know folks mean well but it just makes me want to scream.

What is the question, you ask?

I don't even want to type it, but here it goes:

"Why don't you go to work for a black agency?"

What I Learned From an Old White Man I Never Met

Why We Should All Embody Leo Burnett's Passion for the Industry

Posted by Derek Walker on 02.18.10 @ 04:01 PM

Derek Walker

Passion matters.

Let me tell you why this is so very important.

I didn't grow up rich or wealthy or anywhere near it -- I was raised by working-class folks, around working-class folks. My father was a military man for most of his life, and with all the moving around (13 bases before I was 18 years old) my mother really couldn't have a career. Both of my parents were high-school graduates who got their college degrees later in life.

Add an 'H' to Your BRIC Strategy

Marketers Should Capitalize on New Growth Opportunities in Their Own Back Yard

Posted by Chiqui Cartagena on 02.16.10 @ 12:44 PM

Chiqui Cartagena

During the past couple years, as the economy and marketing budgets in the U.S. went into a tailspin, global brands have depended on growth in the so-called BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) countries to help prop up their bottom line. And although long-term growth for any global brand will no doubt have to be infused by a strong BRIC strategy, I'd like to remind marketers not to forget about the markets at home that have the potential to become new weapons for domestic growth.

Ten Thought Starters for the Hispanic Market

Pivotal Things to Keep Your Eye on in 2010

Posted by Rochelle Newman-Carrasco on 02.12.10 @ 01:11 PM

Rochelle Newman-Carrasco

Somehow it's already the middle of February. I'm not sure how that happened, but it did. Perhaps even more startling to me is that it is most definitely already 2010.

When you've been focused on the U.S. Hispanic market for three decades as I have, 2010 is one of those presentation benchmarks that always made one feel like a futurist. You got to predict the future while thinking you probably wouldn't be held accountable when 2010 actually arrived. Then one day, you realize that 2010 is no longer about predictions. It's about the present.

Smart Marketers Ring in Year of Tiger by Being Aggressive

A Look at North American Ads Celebrating Lunar New Year

Posted by Bill Imada on 02.10.10 @ 11:44 AM

Bill Imada

Feb. 14, 2010, is St. Valentine's Day. Millions of people, like you, will mark this day with flowers, chocolates and special evenings with loved ones. But there is also another holiday that will be celebrated on this special day: Lunar New Year.

Instead of millions, more than a billion Chinese, Vietnamese and other Asians will celebrate the beginning of the Lunar New Year with family meals, festivals, parades, gifts and more. Here in North America, smart corporate marketers are ringing in the Lunar New Year with special holiday ads and promotions to recognize the growing importance of this holiday to their Asian and Asian-American/Canadian customers.

A Brief Interview With Global Hue's Don Coleman

The Source Continues Its Video Series

Posted by Ken Wheaton on 02.09.10 @ 11:00 AM

As part of its ongoing celebration of Black History Month, The Source sat down for a video interview with Global Hue's Don Coleman. As I said in the previous post, this is part of a series of interviews with brand ambassadors. Last one I linked was Lewis Williams of Burrell Communications. The videos are meant to complement a piece about "African-American and multicultural ad agencies and the pioneers that founded them" in a print piece called Brand Ambassadors.

What 'ThugLife' Can Teach Us About Twitter

This Ignored Demographic Shows What You Can Learn When You Look Beyond Social-Media Elites

Posted by Alan Wolk on 02.09.10 @ 10:24 AM

Alan Wolk

While most in the social media bubble would have you believe that Twitter's output consists solely of links to "relevant articles," "breaking news stories," "unique insights" or retweets of all three (along with the occasional "what I'm having for dinner" tweet from the latest Asian-Fusion-locavore bistro) a look at Twitter's Trending Topics reveals otherwise.

While the aforementioned geek patter is certainly in there, it's generally dwarfed on the trending topics list by tweets about Disney Channel stars the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus (put out, one can safely assume, by middle-school-aged females) and tweets from another demographic, 20-something African-Americans tweeting in what can best be described as ghetto slang.

Vanity Fair's White Issue

Hollywood's Future Is More Dynamic Than This

Posted by Doug Melville on 02.08.10 @ 11:53 AM

Doug Melville

Vanity Fair's annual Hollywood Issue has always been on the cutting edge of what's next or what's hot in Tinsel Town. The 2010 edition, boldly titled "A New Decade, A New Hollywood," hits newsstands Feb. 9. But there is already an uproar brewing about the issue's cover. Outlets such as USA Today , E! Online, Huffington Post, and others are taking the magazine to task for a cover that features only white women. This is the second time this year that Vanity Fair finds itself in hot water for its very narrow -- and white -- view of reality.

The Source Interviews Lewis Williams

Burrell CCO Kicks Off Black History Month Video Series

Posted by Ken Wheaton on 02.03.10 @ 06:02 PM

Hip-hop magazine The Source is celebrating Black History Month, in part, by briefly showcasing different brand ambassadors. To kick things off, they interviewed Lewis Williams of Burrell Communications. It's not very long, so give it a look. The videos are meant to complement a piece about "African-American and multicultural ad agencies and the pioneers that founded them" in a print piece called Brand Ambassadors.