The Paradigm of Transformation

We are going through a period where media and communication models that have been used to deliver messages to consumers at eroding at a rapid pace. That in combination with the transfer of control from marketers to consumers has left traditional media and the echo system they support wondering what to do next. The shift is taking place among all segments of the population. This is both a tread and an opportunity for companies that develop new communication models and understand the role consumers play in a brand's strategy under the new paradigm. There is no magic potion but the answer lays on a good understanding of the basics: know your target and how your product or service satisfies a specific need in the target.

Confronted with these changes, marketers can not use the same strategies they have used for the last 30 years. It is not about old or new media, it is about the role consumers have taken as creators of content whose distribution is facilitated by technology. This content can be in the form of a consumer complaining about your product and notifying the entire network in Facebook or all their followers in twitter. So brands listen up to what consumers have to say and use the same technology to empower your brand evangelizers.

The common denominator here is that the same technology consumers use to communicate is available to brands and they can identify trends and truthfully engage audiences in a conversation. You may not have the entire resources in house and need to bring them on board or outsource. There is no single formula for success. What can make a difference is the preparation of your internal resources along with a strategy that was derived from research and arrives at the intersection of a clearly defined consumer profile and how your product or service satisfies a specific need.

Where Shall We Invest?

Hispanics 211% More Likely to Download Digital Content

Though their use of broadband is slightly lower, online Hispanics in the US are 211% more likely to download digital content than the average US adult internet user, and they also are significantly heavier users of cell-phone features, according to a study by Scarborough Research. The study finds that 42% of Hispanic internet users have downloaded some form of digital content during the past 30 days, compared with 35% of the total internet population. Music is the top download category for both Hispanics and the total online population. Almost one-third (32%) of Hispanic internet users and almost one-quarter (24%) of all internet users have downloaded music during the past month. Download the report here.

Univision the # 3 Network

Univision held its Premio Lo Nuestro a la Musica Latina last week. The broadcast, which featured a message from President Obama, reached 13 million viewers, making Univision the #3 network for the night beating out CBS, NBC and the CW. Enrique Iglesias, Vicente Fernandez and Aventura are among this year’s winners. With Mexico in the headlines of late, President Obama will talk directly to a massive Hispanic aud when he makes an historic appearance on "Premio Lo Nuestro," Univision's longest-running and most popular music awards show on Thursday. Always ready to break old White House habits, Obama raised eyebrows during his second press conference Tuesday when he called on a Univision reporter to query him. If anything, these moves send a positive signal to a fast-growing electorate which helped land him in the White House. Read the whole story: Variety

Latino Kids are Majority of First Graders in 10 largest DMA’s

According to new data from the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute at USC, Latino kids are a majority or near majority of first graders in nine out of the ten largest cities in the country with 74% in Los Angeles, 89% in Houston, 45% in Chicago and 40% in New York. Read the report here.

Coke unveils marketing pitch for Hispanics

The Coca-Cola Co. has launched a multi-media marketing campaign aimed at the nation’s 45 million Hispanics. The tagline “Destapa Tus Sueños,” or “Unleash Your Dreams,” is the Hispanic adaptation of the Atlanta-based beverage giant’s “Open Happiness” global integrated marketing campaign that began in January.

The campaign began airing a new television commercial on March 20, and expanded its media presence with a strong showing during Univision’s highest rated program “Premio Lo Nuestro” music awards, on March 26. The new ad will run on Spanish language networks including Univision, Telemundo and TeleFutura.

Also, beginning in May, Coca-Cola will start national marketing, advertising and public relations campaign featuring the Mexican National Team in the United States. Read the whole story.