¡POR FIN! Latino Film Festival in Seattle!

CineSeattle is bringing us our first-ever Seattle International Latino Film Festival, coming up later this month! Block out your calendar September 24-27 so you can see films brought to us from 11 different countries.

This is something various groups in Seattle have longed to do for years and years--and now CineSeattle is doing it! But they could use all of our help:

• Buy a pass - $150 for a four-day pass to all screenings! Great value!
• Volunteer - offer your time and volunteer during the festival!
• Donate - offer your money! Everyone likes cash, and we want to see this festival return next year.
• Spread the word - Tell all your Latinophile friends about this incredible festival. Share it on Facebook and Twitter; email your network.
• See a film - there are four theaters involved in this festival, and lots of variety among the screenings.

Check out this clip from local Spanish-language TV show Actitud Latina (which though is in Spanish, features several interviews in English).

For more details on the festival, visit the CineSeattle site.

Snacking Habits Among (Some) Latinos

CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH ...

I just came across an interesting post that shared that Latinos snack differently than the general market.

My takeaways from this Mintel study were that 1) Latinos tend to reward their kids with salty snacks moreso than general market families, and 2) Latino adults tend to eat fewer snacks than general market adults.

But the most important line in the article was how Latinos don't necessary snack alike--and that as marketers we must subsegment to really learn our target's snacking practices.

Take a read.

Fiestas Patrias is a big darn deal!

If you represent a company that's looking to grow, and you haven't heard of Fiestas Patrias, then listen up!

Fiestas Patrias is, in a nutshell, U.S. Hispanics' way of celebrating independence of their homelands here in their new home. It's embraced by Latinos from all countries and has become something of a "low-hanging fruit" for marketers eager to earn their share of this market segment.

So why isn't your company involved? According to Bustos Media, the radio giant in town, Liberty Tax Service signed up 60 new students to attend its tax school at a previous Fiestas Patrias event down at Puyallup Fair. This year's event is Sunday, September 20, and true to its tradition they're bringing name bands that attract big crowds. That's why Comcast decided to invest in a major sponsorship!

This is the mother of them all: 40,000 Latinos at last year's event--all in one place, all day long. This is what you call target marketing.

The Seattle Center and its Festal organization are also hosting Fiestas Patrias events both Saturday and Sunday, September 19 and 20. Events all day long, including a first-ever boxing tournament brought to us by ESPN Deportes Seattle! This is a great opportunity to enjoy your favorite Latin American foods and entertainment. Community Health Plan of Washington is among the sponsors at the Seattle Center Fiestas Patrias celebration.

This is the last week to sign up and sponsor one of these traditional events - for as little as $500! Please let me know if you'd like more information. I've seen the energy at these events first-hand and can tell you that if you've got a great product to share, Fiestas Patrias may be the ideal place to share it!

Call me at 206-621-2185 if you'd like to discuss. In any case, plan to attend either event so that you'll know better than to miss another year.

Global and Regional Marketing

Global companies have the extra responsibility of appealing to consumers in various regions and countries, which may require research, localization, and other tactics to pull it off effectively.

Are there particular colors we shouldn't be using in an ad that will appear in China? What about the handshake--what might that signify in the Middle East? It seems there's no such thing as too many questions.

We need to be very aware of the cultural cues and norms of the area we're targeting. You may even require a partner that has this experience and can guide you to successful marketing strategies in your targeted regions.

Of course, all companies are trying to cinch their belts, especially right now. What that means is that they are likely to create one global campaign. This campaign is then simply tweaked to create independent market versions that are culturally and linguistically appropriate--but that rely on the overarching branding and tone. They may substitute imagery, colors, and other graphic elements.

But every effort in this regard is not graceful. Not even those of premier global brands--companies that should know better and have the resources to do the job right.

Check out this Microsoft example and tell me what you think. Better yet, how does it make you feel?

Giving Back, Authentically

Frankie De Soto, a blogger I like to follow, posted a story about a Puerto Rican bank that's demonstrating its commitment to the arts, the environment, and women's health. It's cool to see a financial institution doing so much--especially in our current environment.

I already commented on the post itself, but I'll add here that it's important that companies look at ways to create an ongoing commitment (versus a flash-in-the-pan) and also to find ways to continually engage both employees and consumers in order to create optimal synergy and results.

Here's the post - enjoy!

Great Party Trick

Each year, the U.S. Census celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month by pulling together some great trivia on our dynamic Hispanic population in the US of A.

This is an amazing compilation of facts--some even a surprise to Hispanic marketers!

Among my favorites:

• The U.S. has the second-largest Hispanic population in the world, second only to Mexico.
• By 2050, Hispanics will constitute 30% of the nation's population.
  There are 48 U.S. counties that are majority-Hispanic.
• We have 1.6 million Hispanic-owned businesses.

See for yourself how significant our country's Latino population has become.

Juanes en Cuba: Are you for it—or against it?

This is a post written by Intern Melissa Duque.

Grammy-winning Colombian rocker Juanes is set to perform on September 20th in Cuba for his Paz Sin Fronteras (Peace without Borders) concert.

The event has fueled both outrage and support from the Latino community.

Juanes has received death threats posted to his Twitter account, and yet his tweets are all about promoting peace and support for the event.

All this controversy about whether Juanes should perform in Cuba has me confused. I have read editorials for and against the concert and I have read articles about those who support and who are against it. I have listened to all the Cuban artists and as well as Latin artists who are for and against the performance.

I am still undecided.

Whether the event will bring about positive opportunities or not remains to be seen. All I know is that Juanes is a fantastic musician and I know whenever I listen to his lyrics I am always moved.
Read an article in Spanish from the Miami Herald about those who support the concert. The article talks about the positive message the concert will bring about and talks about the controversy the Pope had when he visited Cuba and how in the end it was a beneficial trip.

For an article in English from NBC Miami about the critics of the concert click here. In the article, critics are quoted as saying that the concert is a “pandering gesture to the Cuban government.”

Some quick disclaimers:

• I am not Cuban.
• I do not live in Miami
• I do not support Castro.
• I do love the music Juanes makes.
• I was listening to Para Tu Amor by Juanes while writing this.