The Big Tent

Multicultural Shops at Risk in the Frenemy Era

How Long Before Your General-Market 'Partner' Steals Your Account?

Posted by Alberto J. Ferrer on 03.11.09 @ 12:28 PM

Alberto J. Ferrer

These days, it seems like everyone is working with everyone else, regardless of competitive status. Microsoft sells advertising to agencies while at the same times competing with them via their own ad agency. Clients request their multicultural shops work hand-in-hand with their general market agencies, with which they compete. The lines are certainly blurring when it comes to defining who is a competitors and who is a friend.

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24 comments

Do Hispanic Marketers Have to Be Hispanic?

Not Really, but It Helps

Posted by Alberto J. Ferrer on 01.30.08 @ 12:34 PM

Alberto J. Ferrer

Just in case you're saying to yourself "oh no he didn't!" let me reiterate: I believe that you don't have to be Hispanic to be an effective Hispanic Marketer. There, I said it.

That's the short answer. However, it's not as simple as that. There are a fair number of caveats and a not-insignificant amount of nuance in the long answer. I do believe that being Hispanic can make the job easier.

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15 comments

What a Waste of Research Funding

Looking for Information Already in Plain Sight

Posted by Alberto J. Ferrer on 01.11.08 @ 03:54 PM

Alberto J. Ferrer

"When targeting multicultural audiences, be relevant," read the headline of an article on AdAge.com (01/02/08). It was referring to findings from a study commissioned by a general market media company (remember Mediasaurus?) to look into how ethnicity impacts consumer behavior and receptivity to advertising.

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1 comments

Beware the Professional Hispanic

Talent-Searching Beyond Ethnicity

Posted by Alberto J. Ferrer on 12.07.07 @ 05:27 PM

Alberto J. Ferrer

In my previous post, I discussed the danger to clients of the mainstream agency's Hispanic-acquisition practice of "poach the junior talent at Hispanic shops by promoting them beyond their capabilities." Catchy, isn't it? The point was that the same individual who a client might not have invited to planning meetings, for example, the next day might be in charge of that very planning.

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11 comments

Looking for Hispanic Talent in All the Wrong Places

How Mainstream Agencies Can Do a Disservice to the Client, the Employee and Hispanic Shops

Posted by Alberto J. Ferrer on 11.29.07 @ 01:12 PM

Alberto J. Ferrer

This is the story of María González and her meteoric rise to power in Hispanic marketing. Born in the U.S., María is the daughter of Latino parents (making her what we call a second-generation Hispanic). She was a good kid growing up, made good grades in high school, and graduated from college three years ago or so.

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3 comments

A Chance for Multicultural Agencies to Give Back

Our Work Can Help Our Communities, Not Just Sell to Them

Posted by Alberto J. Ferrer on 11.16.07 @ 12:53 PM

Alberto J. Ferrer

Wednesday night I felt proud to be in the marketing communications business. It's not that I'm not usually proud of this business, but it really hit home as I experienced some of the most impactful and hard-hitting creative I've seen in a long time.

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3 comments

Hispanic Advertising Awards-Show Blues

Highs and Lows From the Hispanic Creative Advertising Awards

Posted by Alberto J. Ferrer on 11.08.07 @ 12:23 PM

Alberto J. Ferrer

The Advertising Age Hispanic Creative Advertising Awards took place at the Manhattan Center in New York this past Friday, Nov. 6. The awards, co-sponsored by the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies, seek to recognize the most creative work in the Hispanic market.

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1 comments

Mediasaurus Learns Hispanic From Latino1: A Fable

Adding Insult to Injury

Posted by Alberto J. Ferrer on 11.01.07 @ 10:41 AM

Alberto J. Ferrer

Let me tell you the story of Acme Widgets, their Hispanic agency Latino1, and Mediasaurus, the general market media AOR.

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7 comments

In Search of Small Ideas

When Creative and Media Live Apart, Big Ideas Die

Posted by Alberto J. Ferrer on 10.25.07 @ 09:17 AM

Alberto J. Ferrer

Many clients have their Hispanic media work done by a large media company and their creative by a Hispanic shop. I think that separation is a mistake.

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5 comments

When a Client Asks for Integration, What Does It Mean?

Should Hispanic Shop Handle the Hispanic Digital Account ... or the Digital Shop?

Posted by Alberto J. Ferrer on 10.18.07 @ 11:46 AM

Alberto J. Ferrer

Last week I had a conversation with one of my colleagues at the agency about the opportunities this new client had in the digital marketing space, given its category and specific target. The discussion was part brainstorming, with a couple of good ideas batted about. At the end, however, he made a comment that gave me pause.

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8 comments