The Big Tent

Some Shops Have Painted Themselves Into a Hispanic-Only Corner

You'll Need to Be a Hispanic Professional, not a Professional Hispanic, to Go After General Market

Posted by Catarino Lopez on 07.23.09 @ 11:09 AM

Catarino 'Cat' Lopez

If you haven't tuned into "The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien," you're missing out. Since taking over for Jay Leno and moving to L.A., Conan has acknowledged that the Spanish-speaking population in that part of the country cannot be ignored. He wanted to do something to reach out to Hispanic viewers and include them on the "new" "Tonight Show." So he created "Noches de Pasion", a telenovela skit starring himself. Check it out for yourself on Hulu. Pretty funny stuff.

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21 comments

Don't Hate! Collaborate!

Work Together to Create Great Ideas Instead of Squabbling Over Ownership of Them

Posted by Catarino Lopez on 01.12.09 @ 02:57 PM

Catarino 'Cat' Lopez

Over the last year, I kept hearing clients say the same thing. They want their agencies to be truly collaborative and work seamlessly together. They want their general-market and Hispanic agencies to put their egos aside and help them move their business forward. They want big ideas that transcend language. Unfortunately, true collaboration between agencies is a rare thing.

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3 comments

A Consumer Insight Is an Insight, Whether It's Hispanic or Not

Trying to Get Over the 'What's Hispanic About That?' Syndrome

Posted by Catarino Lopez on 09.23.08 @ 09:47 AM

Catarino 'Cat' Lopez

When reading The Big Tent, I like to browse through the blogs and see how many comments each receives. The more comments the better. That usually means a blogger has hit a nerve. Judging from fellow Big Tent Blogger Tommy Thompson's 30 comments on a past post, I'd say he's pissed a few people off. Not a bad thing in my opinion. If a blog entry doesn't elicit a response then it hasn't done its job.

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15 comments

Some Practical Uses for Cannes

Every Agency Can Learn Something From the Big Show

Posted by Catarino Lopez on 07.01.08 @ 12:57 PM

Catarino 'Cat' Lopez

Another year, another Cannes Festival. This month, creatives and industry folks from around the world invaded Cannes for a week of debauchery and inspiration. Our agency has been sending creatives to Cannes for the last five years. It's a great employee incentive and a great way to help people stay motivated. At least, that's the spiel I give our CFO every year when battling over the Cannes budget.

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3 comments

Why Should I Lobby My Peers?

For Even the Hottest Shops, Political Skills Are Handy During Awards Season

Posted by Catarino Lopez on 05.28.08 @ 12:15 PM

Catarino 'Cat' Lopez

As part of one of the larger, more established agencies in the Hispanic market, I've always been proud of the fact that we always have a presence in the awards circuit. We are certainly not the most-awarded, and nobody is calling us a "hotshop," but we're always in the running. I am told by those in the know that to get over this hump I need to lobby.

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6 comments

U.S. Hispanic Market Needs to Find Its Voice

Creative Looks a Little Too South American

Posted by Catarino Lopez on 05.15.08 @ 02:05 PM

Catarino 'Cat' Lopez

I was recently at an awards luncheon, scarfing down the industry-standard cordon bleu, while listening to a young lady state that the Hispanic market had no voice during her acceptance speech. Why people choose to make political statements during acceptance speeches is beyond me. Be gracious, accept your award and get off the stage so that I can eat my flan in peace!

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21 comments