Associated Press

MIAMI, Florida (AP) — Indie rocker Eric Monterrosa checks his ElHood.com Web page at least three times a day, answering fans, surfing for other new Latin artists and keeping in touch with friends from his native Colombia.ElHood is sort of a bilingual MySpace promoting the latest in Latin music, and for Miami-based Monterrosa, it has become a personal and professional lifeline. It is also the latest in a wave of Hispanic social-networking sites building links across the U.S., Latin America and Spain, all hoping to capture coveted advertising dollars.

“A lot of Latin artists are plugged in,” Monterrosa said. “So if you want to find them it’s easy. If you go to sites like MySpace, you have to go through all sorts of genres, types of music, and languages.”

About 56 percent of Hispanics in the United States use the Internet, compared with 71 percent of non-Hispanic whites and 60 percent of non-Hispanic blacks, according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project. But the number of Hispanics online jumps to 67 percent among 18- to 27-year-olds — the group most likely to visit social-networking sites and one coveted by advertisers.

The online gathering spots allow users to post profiles and keep in touch with friends, as well as expand their circle of acquaintances. Ads and partnerships that help spread new music keep the sites afloat.

ElHood’s easy-to-use tools make it a breeze for first-time surfers — artists and fans — who often mix Spanish and English in their profiles.
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From AHAA Conference: Google Enters Market and Social Networking Is Hot Topic

By Laurel Wentz

CHICAGO (AdAge.com) — The fast-growing audience of online Hispanics — and how to market to them — was the hot topic at the spring conference of the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies last week.

The number of Hispanics using broadband at home grew from 40% of online Hispanics to 61% last year, while their use of social network sites soared by more than 200%, researcher Tamara Barber from Forrester Research told the 500 people who attended the AHAA conference April 26-27.

Minutes online, page views
Last year, the total number of Hispanics online grew by 11% to 16.3 million, while the total number of minutes they spent online per month grew by 34% and total page views by 49%, said another panelist, Jack Flanagan, exec VP of ComScore Media Metrix.

And Google has finally discovered the U.S. Hispanic market. Sarah Carberry, a conference panelist and Google’s senior account executive-consumer packaged goods, now works part time on multicultural efforts and will become the company’s first multicultural manager later this year.

Ms. Carberry, who is Cuban-American, described a campaign supermarket chain Albertson’s did with Google for products for quinceañeras, the party traditionally held for a Hispanic girl when she turns 15. The campaign used keyword targeting and display ads to draw families planning quinceañeras to Albertson’s bakery, paper products and flower departments in heavily-Hispanic areas.

“We test both languages [Spanish and English], and we’re also testing Spanglish,” she said.
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BY LAURA WIDES-MUNOZ

AP HISPANIC AFFAIRS WRITER

MIAMI — Indie rocker Eric Monterrosa checks his ElHood.com Web site at least three times a day, answering fans, surfing for other new Latin artists and keeping in touch with friends from his native Colombia.

Elhood is sort of a bilingual MySpace page mixed with a the latest in Latin music, and for Monterrosa it has become a personal and professional lifeline. It is also the latest in a wave of Hispanic social networking sites building connections across the U.S., Latin America and Spain, all hoping that they can capture a slice of the millions of dollars in advertising being purchased.

“A lot of Latin artists are plugged in. So if you want to find them it’s easy. If you go to sites like MySpace, you have to go through all sorts of genres, types of music and languages,” Monterrosa said. “It’s cool that we can break the boundaries and reach out to other countries and have so many people sharing music and talking across international borders.”

About 56 percent of Hispanics in the U.S. use the Internet, compared to 71 percent of non-Hispanic whites and 60 percent of non-Hispanic blacks, according to study released last month by the D.C.-based Pew Internet and American Life Project. But the number of Hispanics online jumps to 67 percent for 18 to 27 year olds, who also happen to be the group most likely to visit social networking sites and a plum advertising demographic.
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Miller Brewing Company launched Miller Chill in test markets last month to capitalize on the growing cultural trend of “Latinization.” Latinization means the growing popularity of Hispanic cuisine, music, fashion etc. in the cultural mainstream. In many instances, it is reshaping popular culture. Think of the growing popularity of Latin themed items. Also known unofficially to us Latinos as the “browning” of America.

An Associated Press story takes a look at how the trend of Latinization has been influencing what goes on grocery store shelves:

“Companies have found that Latin-inspired foods not only resonate with Hispanics — at 14 percent of the population now the nation’s largest minority — but they also make a splash with non-Hispanic consumers ever on the prowl for new flavors.”
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This week, in all the official trades, we see the announcement of J.Lo’s new project. Notice that the Anglo media doesn’t call her J.Lo anymore…could it be because she wants the “Lopez” to be the new focus of her career? Considering that she has a new Spanish album, I’m sure she’s channeling that Latina in her. I would expect this sort of move from Christina Aguilera, but J.Lo?

I recall being at the Hispanic upfront in NYC over 3 years ago when Telemundo announced a project with J.Lo…we never saw it. I believe it was going to be a mini-series or two from her “urban” production company.

A year ago, Univision teased us with buzz around a J.Lo project about the times of the upfront…..and again, nothing. Now, we’re at upfront time again and here come the promises…yet another J.Lo production announcement. Don’t get me wrong, I think its genius, but I also think its way overdue and over-promised. How can we take any of these claims seriously when none of them manifest?

I think she’s a wonderful asset to the market, however, I don’t think the market is a priority for her. Building a close association to her Hispanic fan base does not always present the biggest financial opportunity; rather, appealing to the masses seems to be her strategy on this one. Shakira did it with her Spanish music and didn’t lose her street credibility.

Where I believe J.Lo went wrong is to forget the “little people” who are the core consumer of Latin music. For this, the #1 Latino music chain Ritmo Latino Music Stores refuses to carry her new Spanish-language album because she has done nothing for these independent retailers whose bread and butter is Latino music sales. They are a dying breed. She will only be appearing in the likes of FYE and Virgin stores for which she it getting major heat.

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Broadcasting & Cable Magazine

“Talkback”

When KWEX San Antonio became Univision’s first U.S. outlet in 1961, the media industry got its first inkling of the strength of the Spanish-speaking market. And now, with Hispanics representing more than 14% of the total U.S. population and nearly $1 trillion in buying power, the audience is more alluring than ever.

However, in figuring out how best to reach that audience, marketers are aiming at a rapidly moving target.

“The dynamics that are driving the changes within the Hispanic community have to do with immigration and the amount of time a Hispanic family or individual has been in this country,” says Scott Schroeder, president/CEO of Cohorts, a Denver marketing-information company that specializes in reaching the demographic. In short, the second-generation Hispanic teenager doesn’t have much in common with the laborer who just arrived.

The competition of several networks and a new measurement of Hispanic audiences due later this year from Nielsen Media mean that this market is in for big changes. Here are five major shifts to watch for.
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I recently read in Hispanic Market Weekly that the Vidal Partnership was able to convince Home Depot to produce their Hispanic spots in English and Spanish. Although I have not seen the creative I must say…congratulations!

Capitalizing on the fact that Hispanics are increasingly able to afford homes, Home Depot stands poised to cash in big on being prepared (and early to the party). I think it is smart to have created the spots in a culturally significant way rather that being confined to just one language. As I have mentioned in other postings, it is a real shift in thinking to the way Hispanic marketing has been done in the past…defined by one language.

I think it is insightful in this case because the way our homes look/feel are significantly different than most general market homes. Color is one of the things that differentiate us the most. So Hispanics, no matter the language, will have homes that look and feel different. This creative will speak to this insight and make a connection with this consumer that will be memorable.
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