- 20-member advisory board of top pros from corporate, non-profit, media, and PR agencies create ambitious agenda of presenters and case studies

- Top sponsors include Fleishman Hillard, Southwest Airlines, Telenoticias and RL Public Relations

DALLAS, TX – The Hispanic Public Relations Association (HPRA) and the Hispanic PR Blog today unveiled the roster of industry thought leaders and presentations that will be featured at the historic Hispanic Public Relations & Social Media Marketing Conference, May 10-12 in Dallas, TX.

(See full conference agenda here).

“With exceptional speakers and a dynamic program that is completely case-study driven and specially tailored to the needs of corporate, government and non profit communicators, the conference offers attendees invaluable insights, resources and networking opportunities they need to effectively market to Latinos through PR and social marketing,” said conference co-creator Manny Ruiz, the nation’s leading blogger on Hispanic public relations and the founder of Hispanic PR Wire, a division of PR Newswire.

The convention takes place at the Sheraton in downtown Dallas and includes a total of more than 16 sessions and several keynote presentations.  The convention features senior multicultural PR speakers from such corporations and organizations as General Mills, Frito Lay, UnitedHealthcare, Microsoft, AT&T, Qwest Communications, State Farm, Southwest Airlines, McDonalds, Comerica Bank, Dr. Pepper, the NBA, Univision, the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association and the National Pork Board, among others.

CONFERENCE CONTENT

Keynote presentations will include:

– An opening keynote address by 30-year PR veteran Mike Fernandez, Vice President of Public Affairs for State Farm and Co-Chair of the prestigious Institute for Public Relations.  Mr. Fernandez will survey the evolving role of Hispanic PR from an insider’s perspective in Corporate America with a tongue-in-cheek presentation titled “I Know You Want Me…But It Takes More Than an Accent to Get Me.”

– A keynote presentation by Hispanic web marketing industry leader Lee Van of Captura Group who will bring a factual context to the conference’s sharp focus on Hispanic social marketing with his presentation titled “Are Hispanics Really More Social?”
Other case study presentations and panels include:

– “Spectacular Strategies To Create Powerful Hispanic CSR Programs That Drive Results And Lead To Long-Term Brand Loyalty”

— “The ART (Authenticity, Relevance and Truth) of Marketing to Latino Youth”

– “RX for Social Engagement: How One of the Nation’s Largest Healthcare Providers is Connecting with Hispanics Using Facebook, MySpace and Twitter”

– “Meet the Blogueras: A Roundtable with some of the Nation’s leading Latina Bloggers”

– “Experiential Marketing: How to Successfully Engage Latinos with One-on-One PR”

– “Cause Marketing en Español: Lessons from the Hit ‘Go Red’ and ‘Conozca Tu Corazon’ Campaigns of the American Heart Association”

– “Your Ultimate Guide to Scoring Great Coverage with Print, Broadcast and Online Hispanic Media”

– “In An Era When Salsa Outsells Catsup, Watcha Gonna Do About It?”

– “Success Stories: Hispanic Social Marketing Pioneers Share Their Prized Case Study Secrets”

– “The Gold Standard of Measuring ROI for Your Hispanic PR and Social Marketing Campaigns”

– “Everything You Need To Know About Partnering With And Maximizing Your Use Of Hispanic Spokespersons”

– “Diversity in America: A Moral and Strategic Imperative that Must and Can Be Fixed”

– The State of Our Industry: A Cross Section of Industry Leaders Survey Top Trends, Threats and Opportunities for Hispanic PR and Social Marketing

– “A Review of Key Issues and Trends Every Marketer Needs to Know about Hispanic Social Media”

– “PR vs. Advertising: A Frank Discussion About Which Discipline is Best Suited to Lead Hispanic Social Marketing Initiatives and Why”

– “Practical Case Study Insights on the Do’s and Don’t of Hispanic Social Media Measurement”

CONFERENCE SPONSORS

Current title sponsors of the conference include Fleishman Hillard, , Telenoticias and RL Public Relations.  The official airline of the conference is Southwest Airlines.  Supporting sponsors include PR Newswire, Cision, the Hispanic Communications Network and the Dallas Conventions and Visitors Bureau.  Media partners are the National Association of Hispanic Publications, Latino Leaders Magazine and My Latino Voice.
Conference sponsorship information is available by contacting show director Ray Bianchi at rbianchi@hispanicprblog.com, calling (305) 600-4878 or visiting our web site at www.HispanicPRConference.com. To sign up for conference-related Twitter headlines subscribe at www.Twitter.com/HispanicPR.

CONFERENCE ADVISORY BOARD

The 2010 agenda of this first annual convention has been organized by a national advisory board consisting of: Cruz Flores (Qwest Communications), Olga Romero (Southwest Airlines); Cristina Alfaro (McDonald’s); Jorge Diaz de Villegas (Fleishman); Aymee Zubizarreta (State Farm); Armando Azarloza (The Axis Agency); Alfredo Padilla (Comerica Bank), Ivette Zurita and Lourdes Rodriguez (Hispanic Public Relations Association); Stephen Chavez (Ketchum); Monica Talan (Univision); John Echeveste (VPE Public Relations), Romina Bongiovanni (Edelman Multicultural); Audrey Ponzio (Edelman Multicultural); Rosa Alonso (My Latino Voice); Mario Flores (Sportivo/RL Public Relations); Deborah Charnes (Bromley) and Eric Baca (Latino Leaders Magazine).

ABOUT THE HISPANIC PUBLIC RELATIONS ASSOCIATION (HPRA)

HPRA was founded in 1984 as a non-profit organization to establish a network of Hispanics employed in the public relations profession. HPRA has more than 250 members representing public relations, marketing and advertising professionals from agencies, government, non-profit and corporate companies. HPRA is dedicated to the advancement of Hispanic professionals and provides educational seminars and workshops throughout the year. The organization has awarded more than $220,000 in scholarships to Latino students pursuing a career in communications during the last 25 years. HPRA strives to be a resource for communications professionals and for those seeking insights into the Hispanic market. For more information please visit www.hpra-usa.org.

ABOUT THE HISPANIC PR BLOG

Founded by Multicultural PR veterans Manny Ruiz of PR Newswire/Hispanic PR Wire and Angela Sustaita-Ruiz of Hispanic Media Trainers, LLC, the Hispanic PR Blog (HispanicPRBlog.com) the PR industry’s premier source for news and views related to Hispanic PR and social marketing. The blog and its accompanying Twitter feed (Twitter.com/HispanicPR) regularly feature columns, stories, white papers, job postings, calendar events and more. The blog’s RSS feed can be obtained at http://feeds.feedburner.com/HispanicPRBlog. The RSS feed to the Twitter feed is available at http://twitter.com/statuses/user_timeline/38222941.rss. The Hispanic PR Blog also features its own news icon for iPhones. To add it to your iPhone, simply bookmark the home page of the blog on your iPhone.

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. –  Verizon Wireless is calling for entries in their Lunar New Year Essay Contest, part of their CSR campaign celebrating the festivities for the Year of the Tiger in the Asian-American community throughout California and Seattle.

Eligible students  must write a 500-word essay answering two questions:
1) What does Lunar New Year mean to you and your family?
2) What would you like to accomplish in the Year of the Tiger?
Making them eligible to enter and win a $5,000 cash prize, a Samsung Renown Global Phone and $75 in Verizon Wireless gift cards.

Verizon Wireless representatives will also join communities throughout
the West Coast to celebrate the Lunar New Year as participants and
supporters of  different festivals through out the month of February.

 Of more than 4,000 Verizon Wireless employees in California, one in
every five is of Asian-American or Pacific Island heritage.  By sponsoring
 this year’s Lunar New Year festivities - Verizon says it is connecting with customers through appropriate, in-language product and service information, and bilingual retail sales representatives in Asian communities.

The essay is the company’s latest effort in adressing social issues impacting the Asian-American community – including education, literacy, safety and health. Through the Verizon Foundation, its philanthropic arm, Verizon Wireless offers support and services to address such issues that impact its employees, customers and communities.

Another of its key initiatives is the Verizon Wireless’ HopeLine® program,
which awards cash grants to domestic violence agencies throughout the
country and donates cell phones for survivors to use.

WASHINGTON– Building on its summer Congressional internship program, the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute has launched its CHLI Global Leaders Internship and Fellowship Program.  The program aims to provide an opportunity for exceptional university students from diverse backgrounds to live, work and study in the nation’s Capital.

 In addition, CHLI Interns will collaborate with public policy experts and corporations that play an important role in both the domestic and global economy.  ”The CHLI Global Leaders Internship & Fellowship Program provides opportunities to university students with a strong interest in the Hispanic community who seek to gain experience in the public policy arena,” said Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart (FL-21).

 This semester’s CHLI Global Leaders Program is supported by CHLI corporate partners, Altria, the Coca-Cola Company, Comcast Foundation, and MillerCoors.

According to a comprehensive BET survey of the African-American community recently released, African Americans in 2008 accounted for a 10% increase in population from 2008 versus 2000, while African-American buying power increased more than 55% during the same period to $913 billion. By the year 2013 black buying power will reach $1.2 trillion dollars, a 35% increase versus 2008.

The “African Americans Revealed” study of more than 80,000 African-American consumers on multi-media engagement and digital applications, shows African-Americans are very tech savvy, with roughly 31% of African American discretionary spending dollars, or $39 billion, going toward the purchase of computers, cell phones and electronics – a proportionally higher percentage when compared to non-African-Americans.

African Americans:
- Spend more weekly time online (18 hours) than watching television (15 hours)
- 93% go online traditionally via their PC? 39;s, while 76% access the web via their cell phones
- 60% have downloaded music, a TV show, movie or ringtone in the previous month
- 50% regularly update and access a social networking account

The included segmentation study revealed that African-Americans are not a monolithic group but rather break down into seven distinct groups defined by similar characteristics, including buying power and habits, media consumption, and influences:

- The Strivers are mostly in their late 20’s to early 40’s and are adventurous, fashionable, social mavens and opinion leaders who have their eyes on climbing the executive ladder

- Conscious Sisters are selfless women that are spiritually connected and highly conscious of their culture

- Tech-Fluentials are digitally savvy and travel in globally conscious circles

- Bright Horizons are young adults in high school and college that are aware of all available technology  and electronic gadgets

- Inner Circle Elites are working women rich in their cultural, ancestral and spiritual roots

- Urban Dreamers are young, urban adults who are social magnets and trend setters intent on and focused on living life to the fullest
- Survivors are a group of risk-taking teen and young adult males who are hustling to keep their existence in check

A 2010 Census study, within “African Americans Revealed,” predicts that the upcoming Census count will find that 42 million African-Americans reside in the U.S., a 13.4% increase from the 2000 Census – a higher growth rate than the projected 9.8% increase for the total U.S. population.

Matthew Barnhill, Senior VP of Corporate Research at BET Networks, say s “African Americans Revealed shows us that the black community should never be referred to as one homogeneous population… We hope this report will help organizations better connect with an audience and intimately recognize all of its complexities.”

Story courtesy: MediaPost’s Center for Media Research

ATLANTA, GA – Hispanic PR and advertising shop The Lanza Group is teaming up with the Atlanta Braves and Turner Field to launch Salsa Fest.  The newest event in the Lanza Group’s yearly celebrations of Hispanic culture will include local salsa groups, DJs, bands, and dance demonstrations. The salsa-centric event will take place at Turner Field Plaza at Monument Grove on March 21. 

“Salsa is such an important part of the Latino culture, and has grown immensely in mainstream America,” says Lanza Group President Ralph E. Herrera. “We wanted an event to share with the Caribbean-Hispanic crowd and also salsa aficionados of all types.”

Salsa Fest is for all levels of interest, from the beginner to the experienced salsero. The stage area will feature local DJs and salsa bands playing throughout the afternoon. Salsa groups from around the Atlanta area will also be present, to give short lessons and exhibition dances to show off their talent. There will be a dance floor set in front of the stage for professionals, salsa performances and for the general crowd.

“The Braves are always striving for new ways to reach our fans,” said Hill Scott, Atlanta Braves Marketing Director.  “Salsa Fest is a great way for us to reach our Hispanic fans and participate and appreciate the culture of the event.”

With several successful events such as Fiesta Atlanta and Fiesta Georgia in their previous experience, the Lanza Group is expecting attendance to be around 10,000.

A major announcement regarding the top-notch program sessions, speakers and sponsors of the Hispanic PR & Social Marketing Conference (May 10-12) is due to be announced early tomorrow morning.  The story will break in this space first so check here or at tomorrow’s updated conference web site, www.HispanicPRConference.com.

The Hispanic market industry will be proud of the line up of topics and presenters we have put together and yet more conference surprises are coming over the next month!

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL— NFL Charities will donate $1 million to the South Florida NFL Youth Education Towns to fund expansion and support community outreach efforts.  For the past 17 years, NFL Charities has donated close to $20 million toward constructing NFL YETs in at-risk neighborhoods since the initiative began in 1993 as a legacy of Super Bowl XXVII.
 
There are two NFL Youth Education Towns in South Florida, one in Fort Lauderdale and one in Miami.  The Miami NFL YET opened following Super Bowl XXIX and the Fort Lauderdale NFL YET opened as a legacy of Super Bowl XXXIII.  
 
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the $1 million donation at a press conference and spoke to the children and guests about the success of the South Florida NFL YETs and celebrated the ways in which the facilities have benefited the surrounding community.  
 
Goodell was joined by Florida Governor Charlie Crist, Broward County Mayor Ken Keechl, Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, and NFL players including Steve Young; ESPN Monday Night Football analyst Ron Jaworksi; Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington; and Cleveland Browns wide receiver Mike Furrey.  Young, Jaworski, Pennington and Furrey joined other NFL players in leading an NFL Charities-NFL Youth Football Fund youth football clinic for NFL YET children immediately preceding the press conference. As 2009 NFL Charities and NFL Youth Football Fund grant recipients, these players were recognized for giving back to their communities through their foundations and to youth and high school football programs nationwide.
 
Each year NFL Charities donates $1 million toward the NFL YET initiative, a figure which is matched by local private and public donations. This year, the funds donated by both NFL Charities and the South Florida Super Bowl XLIV Host Committee will be used to fund building expansion at the Miami NFL YET and programmatic enhancements, equipment upgrades to the multi-media lab and the establishment of an endowment in Fort Lauderdale.
 

NFL YETs are facilities offering tutoring, mentoring, career training, computer education, and access to recreational activities. Each facility is designed to help youngsters succeed by providing educational assistance, job training, technical instruction, life-skills development, and recreational outlets.  The Forever Young Foundation, founded by Pro Football Hall of Fame member and ESPN analyst Steve Young has collaborated with the NFL YET initiative for many years by funding multi-media technology centers at NFL YETs nationwide.

The press conference also included the announcement of a donation of photography equipment valued at $150,000 by Canon, a community partner of the initiative, to fund the use of photography equipment by youth at each of the 13 NFL Youth Education Towns across the country.  Canon also participated in the youth football clinic, hosting a photography station as part of the event. 
There are presently 13 NFL YETs operating in ten Super Bowl host cities—Los Angeles, Phoenix, New Orleans, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Detroit, Atlanta, and two in Tampa, Jacksonville, and Houston.  A new NFL YET was unveiled in Honolulu, HI last year as a legacy of the NFL Pro Bowl which was played in that state since 1980.

By Gary McCormick, APR,
2010 Chair and CEO of PRSA

Last month in this space, I paid tribute to Betsy Plank, the “first lady of public relations” whose passion for students, education, scholarships, ethics and leadership has had an indelible impact on the public relations profession.

Today, as we begin the celebration of Black History Month, I thought it appropriate to take a moment to honor D. Parke Gibson, another pioneering PRSA member, by re-visiting a profile of Gibson that originally appeared in the February, 2008 issue of Public Relations Tactics.

D. Parke Gibson began his career as an advertising representative for Interstate Newspapers. From 1956 to 1959, he served as manager of public relations for Johnson Publishing Co., before joining Sengstacke Publications as promotions director in 1960. Later that year, Gibson broke new ground in multicultural public relations by establishing the first Black-owned PR firm, D. Parke Gibson International, in New York.

Gibson also was a prolific writer. He published Race Relations and Industry, a periodic report on equal-opportunity compliance, and The Gibson Report, a marketing guide on the Black consumer market.

Through his publications and strategic counsel, Gibson was instrumental in getting corporate executives to better understand Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination by employers on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin. He also used his publications to point out the economic advantages of corporations developing specific strategies and programs to tap into the influential African-American market.

In 1969, Gibson published “The $30 Billion Negro,” an examination of the strength of the African-American consumer. Divided into three sections — a history of the market, ways to predict the market and how to develop the market — the book explained that, to utilize the resources of the African-American population, large corporations must alter communications strategies to appeal to this increasingly affluent community.

Industry legend Ofield Dukes, APR, Fellow PRSA, president of Ofield Dukes & Associates in Washington, D.C., recalls the publications as being “invaluable” in their day.

“D. Parke was very generous in sharing information through his newsletters. They always included examples of successful and effective PR and marketing techniques,” says Dukes, who currently serves as senior counsel to the PRSA Board of Directors. “The corporations were in the process of discovering that the purchasing power of African-Americans was just tremendous. D. Parke was one of the first to provide the research.”

Gibson also was a passionate advocate for the integration of communications, marketing and advertising. For the November 1967 issue of the PR Journal, Gibson wrote an article titled, “Race Relations:  A Plan to Avoid Social Disasters,” which outlined how senior management could better communicate with the African-American community and, more important, why it was necessary. The article was written as a response to the race riots that took place in several cities, most notably Newark, N.J., and Detroit, during the summer of 1967.

Gibson was a PRSA member from 1966 to the time of his death from a heart attack in 1979. He was 49.

Eleven years after Gibson’s untimely death, PRSA established an award in his name: the D. Parke Gibson Pioneer Award. It is PRSA’s highest individual honor presented to a public relations professional who has contributed to increased awareness of public relations within multicultural communities and participated in promoting issues that meet the needs of these diverse communities.

After learning in 2002 that he would receive the award named for Gibson, Dukes says he “paused and looked at the sky to the heavens and said, ‘D. Parke, I wish you were here.’” Dukes goes on, “He opened so many doors in communications because of his excellence. It meant quite a bit for me to be thought of and recognized in the spirit, the context, of his pioneering success.”

Says Terrie Williams, president of the Terrie Williams Agency in New York and a 2001 recipient of the D. Parke Gibson Pioneer Award, “We cannot fully appreciate the significance of his risk, but it is because of his fearless drive and passion that I can stand here. I am able to do what I do and achieve what I have because D. Parke Gibson helped lead the way.”

#     #    #

On the occasion of Black History Month, public relations counselors of all races and ethnicities can be grateful for the enormous contributions of D. Parke Gibson, and the great strides he took for the African American practitioners who follow behind him, several of whom we’ve invited to blog for us this month. We’ve asked if they would express their views on race and public relations and offer their ideas for achieving greater diversity in our industry, and we look forward to reading their perspectives.

I’m also pleased to say that, as 2010 Chair of PRSA, I’ve pledged not only to continue — but to enhance — the Society’s commitment to achieving greater industry diversity. We have given PRSA’s Diversity Committee a broader mandate and asked for a refocused plan to increase our activities and outreach in the critical areas of diversity and multicultural communications. We also have given this committee more stature inside PRSA, providing it with greater access to the PRSA board and additional staff resources. You can read more about PRSA’s diversity efforts on this blog, and on our Web site.

This is in no way meant to say that we have done enough to create a more diverse industry. Clearly, we have miles to go, and it will take all of us, not just the impacted few, to move us forward.

Still, we’re taking steps in the right direction … steps down the trail that D. Parke Gibson helped to blaze.

Reprinted from PRSA’s PRSAY web site.

CHICAGO, IL – The Chicago White Sox have appointed The San Jose Group (SJG) as their primary Hispanic marketing agency of record to handle all of the teams PR, online marketing, creative and advertising work.   This marks the first time the team has brought on a single agency to help manage an integrated Latino marketing effort.
 
“We are proud that Chicago’s Latino community has been part of the White Sox tradition for decades,” said White Sox chief marketing officer/vice president Brooks Boyer.  “Support from The San Jose Group will help us make it an even stronger tie with this valued segment of our fan base and cultivate new Latino fans for generations to come.”
 
For the 2010 baseball season, SJG will work closely with the White Sox to help develop messages and creative platforms that will engage Latino fans and their families and stimulate ticket sales throughout the season.  This season’s campaign also will focus on helping drive attendance to designated games with Latino community themes, such as Noche del Trabajador (Hispanic Business Night) and Latino College Night.   There are more than two million Latinos living in the Chicagoland area.
 
The new creative campaign will include Spanish-language online, print, radio and television executions.  To extend the reach of the traditional advertising programs, SJG’s public relations division will support the White Sox on all Latino outreach programs.
 
“It is exciting to have the opportunity to work with an organization like the Chicago White Sox – a brand that has been at the forefront of sports marketing to Latinos in Chicago for many years,” said George L. San Jose, president and COO of SJG.  “Baseball is a powerful passion point for Latinos, and we are going to tap into that excitement for the game and continue building affinity for the White Sox among Latinos.”

The following job was posted on February 5th 2009

———————————————————————————–
Hispanic/Latino Communications Manager

SUMMARY:
At LIVESTRONG, we fight for the more than 28 million people around the world living with cancer today. There can be—and should be—life after cancer for more people. That’s why we kick in at the moment of diagnosis, giving people the resources and support they need to fight cancer head-on. We find innovative ways to raise awareness, fund research and end the stigma that many cancer survivors face. We connect people and communities to drive social change, and we call for state, national and world leaders to help fight this disease. Anyone, anywhere can join our fight against cancer. Join us at LIVESTRONG.org.

The Hispanic/Latino Communications Manager will coordinate LIVESTRONG’s outreach to Hispanic/Latino press with the long-term goal of LIVESTRONG being the first place where Spanish-speaking cancer survivors and their loved ones access cancer-related information. The candidate selected will serve as LIVESTRONG’s primary Spanish-speaking representative and spokesperson. The position will also work closely with the LIVESTRONG Global Envoy program to recruit and retain prominent Hispanic/Latino Envoys. The position will align with local, national and international Hispanic/Latino groups to promote an organic spread of LIVESTRONG’s mission among Hispanic/Latinos.

ROLE QUALIFICATIONS:

Strong interest in supporting and contributing to the LIVESTRONG mission
5+ years experience in communications/public relations
Familiarity with Spanish-speaking media
Proven ability to craft outreach and awareness campaigns for Hispanic/Latino audiences
Proven experience with outreach and engagement of the Hispanic/Latino population
Proven experience in building relationships and working with either community-based, national or international organizations that serve the Hispanic/Latino population
Proven organizational skills with the ability to prioritize and complete multiple tasks and high volume of work on deadline
Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment as well as independently
Proven excellence in interpersonal relationship skills, including outstanding oral and written communication skills.
Ability to thrive in a fast paced environment; managing congruent projects in a timely and efficient manner.
Ability to communicate effectively over the telephone, in writing, and in person to many levels of stakeholders.
Must be fluent in Spanish
POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

Work with internal team and external advisors and consultants to craft and implement inter/national cancer awareness campaigns for Hispanic/Latino audiences
Represent LIVESTRONG to H/L media and audiences as spokesperson
Craft well-written communications pieces, such as op eds, that meaningfully and powerfully illustrate appropriate aspects of the LIVESTRONG mission
Pitch, monitor and collect stories related to LIVESTRONG’s strategic priorities around Hispanic/Latino outreach
Identify new and innovative vehicles to disseminate the LIVESTRONG message to the Hispanic/Latino target audience
Create new and innovative approaches to reach Hispanic/Latino cancer survivors
Support development of the LIVESTRONG Global Envoy program by identifying  and recruiting potential H/L Envoy candidates, conducting outreach and regular relationship maintenance communication.
Research, recruit, and manage ongoing relationships with local partner organizations throughout the country
Work with the internal teams to engage Hispanic/Latinos with the LIVESTRONG mission and activities
Perform other related duties as necessary
EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, or Spanish
5+ years’ experience in campaigns, communications, public health communication, public relations or media
Demonstrated ability to build and maintain partnerships with diverse stakeholders
Fluency in Spanish
Strong interpersonal, analytical, technical, writing, and verbal skills
Demonstrated organizational and time management skills
Ability to work well with limited supervision; independent problem-solving skills to handle multiple tasks and to prioritize appropriately
COMPENSATION:
Position is full-time with complete benefits package.

TRAVEL:
As required.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk and hear; lift weight up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

TO APPLY:
Please submit an online application and three writing samples available at https://home.eease.com/recruit/?id=486793.

By Jose Villa
President, Sensis

One of the principle reasons I decided to enter the world of Hispanic advertising was to bring a more rigorous and data-driven analytical approach to what I viewed as the unsophisticated and heuristic nature of some of the most important decisions made in our industry. While our industry has come a long way, including the omnipresence of account planning and the growing and rich field of Hispanic direct response, there is still one very important process that has not managed to move forward — the allocation of Hispanic marketing budgets.

As anyone who has ever worked at an agency or media / publisher will tell you, overall marketing budgets typically come down from the “heavens” (i.e., the C suite) with little input from outside marketing professionals. However, how those overall marketing budgets are allocated across markets, products / services and marketing mix elements is typically a joint exercise between the client and its agencies, with some occasional input from select third parties such as consultants, media and publisher partners.

Yet, more often than not, the decision as to how much to invest in Hispanic advertising is made heuristically or worse yet, simply handed down as the “scraps” of what is left after general market and other lead agencies lay their claims. As the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies (AHAA) Right Spend report has been chronicling for years, advertisers have failed to allocate the minimum recommendation of 8% (based on Hispanic population and buying power alone) of their advertising budgets to the Hispanic market. While each industry and company will ultimately invest varying allocations based on their particular situation, the aggregate 8% AHAA benchmark indicates that, on average, companies are under-investing in the Hispanic market.

So how much of an advertiser’s marketing budget should be allocated to the Hispanic market? The more relevant question is how should companies, together with their agency partners, approach the question of budget allocation? A decision as important as how much to invest in the fastest-growing minority group should be based on more than “rules of thumb” or an after-thought exercise of pooling leftover resources. I suggest that budget allocation models should be used and that marketers gradually employ more sophisticated approaches based on increasing availability of data.

As I’ve alluded to so far, most companies use simple heuristics, or rules of thumb, such as allocating marketing budgets based on some arbitrary percentage or a bottoms-up decision rules approach (i.e., determining desired awareness or reach / frequency levels and then backwards calculating required marketing spend).

Instead, I recommend using the two-part marketing allocation approach described by Harvard Business School’s Gupta and Steenburgh “Allocating Marketing Resources” (2008) paper. This approach initially models demand and then uses those estimates as input into an optimization model to determine appropriate allocations across the marketing mix. Without getting too academic, Gupta & Steenburgh suggest modeling the demand that will be created or how much additional Hispanic consumer sales will be generated by an increase in Hispanic marketing resources (i.e., demand elasticity).

There are three ways to model this Hispanic demand:

1. Statistical Models: When historical figures for Hispanic market sales and marketing expenditures are available, the impact of Hispanic marketing activity on sales can be modeled using a demand function. This is the best option, available to companies with recent experience marketing to Hispanics.

2. Experiments: When there is a lack of reliable recent data on Hispanic market sales / marketing activity, companies can undertake experiments to gauge Hispanic consumer response to new marketing activities. This incremental approach allows companies to use small test initiatives to model out expected results from larger-scale initiatives.

3. Expert Judgment: When past data is not available and experiments are not feasible, companies should use the managerial judgment and experience of their Hispanic agencies to forecast Hispanic sales.

While the data-based approaches of options 1 and 2 provide the most accurate models of Hispanic demand, use of any of the three approaches will provide companies with an excellent starting point to model Hispanic demand and therefore determine proper Hispanic marketing budgets. As opposed to taking a passive approach to Hispanic marketing, these models provide companies the basis for a proactive approach based on the bottom-line return on investment.

The next step is to optimize a Hispanic marketing budget among the growing marketing mix of elements ranging from promotions, to direct response, to branding and across vehicles such as TV, digital, radio and out-of-home (a topic for another day!).

Story courtesy MediaPost Engage:Hispanics

It is official Super Bowl XLIV will be a faceoff between the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida on Feb 7. More and more U.S. sports leagues are courting the lucrative Hispanic market in attempt to tap into an aggressive fan base ready to shell out consumer dollars. The NFL’s strategic positioning and innovative marketing efforts for this season’s big game will allow them to do just that.

Often referred to as the ‘Gateway to Latin America’, Miami offers a definitive Latino flair to this year’s Super Bowl. The region boasts a population that is more than 62 percent Hispanic decent according to the 2007 U.S. Census. The population has made its mark. The South Florida vibe is unmistakably Latino. The music, the food, the fashion – the region is rich in Hispanic culture to the very core.

Miami-Dade County is no stranger to the Super Bowl. This will be the record breaking 10th time the Super Bowl will be held in this part of the country. On one level the choice is rational- the weather is ideal, the beaches are beautiful, the atmosphere is fun and the tourist industry can accommodate the crowd. On another and most likely more influential level the choice is strategic. What better way to captivate the Hispanic market than to bring the game to the famed Latino hotspot.  To read the full story click here.

WASHINGTON, DC – The National Black Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce hosted a teleconference this week to discuss the joint letter they submitted to the FCC’s NPRM on net neutrality. The letter, also signed by the U.S. Pan Asian Chamber of Commerce, disagreed with the FCC’s assertion that codifying Internet openness principles will assist in the expansion of broadband networks.

During the teleconference the Chambers congratulated the FCC for
maintaining such an open and transparent process throughout the
National Broadband Plan and the NPRM on net neutrality but stressed
the point that the FCC needs to focus its attention on broadband
expansion and adoption and not regulations that attempt to fix
hypothetical problems.

“Together the minority chambers present at this press conference
represent nearly 10 million minority-owned businesses and we have not
experienced the discrimination on the Internet that the FCC states as
the reason for creating net neutrality regulations,” said Harry
Alford, president of the National Black Chamber of Commerce. “We
caution that in its attempt to impose new government mandates the FCC
may inadvertently deter consumer choice, limit broadband innovation,
or halt Internet innovation.”

“We believe that appropriate incentives, not regulations, are needed
to stimulate private investment for the expansion of broadband
networks,” added Javier Palomarez, president of the U.S. Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce. “That is the best way to ensure that broadband
technology continues to reach and benefit the Hispanic community, and
other communities in the U.S.”

“Broadband access is critically important to the economic growth and
success of small businesses,” concluded Justin Nelson, president of
the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. “But invasive
network regulations stagnates the expansion of broadband
infrastructure which is needed to meet the growing needs of small
businesses in an increasingly interconnected world.”

At the close of the teleconference the National Black Chamber of
Commerce, the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the
National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce agreed that broadband
networks and services allow people to innovate and create 21st century
jobs. Therefore the FCC question moving forward should not be how to
prevent a non-existent problem, but instead how to develop balanced
policy to incite investment in broadband networks so that consumers
and businesses can enjoy the economic social and civic benefits in
their community.

WASHINGTON, DC – The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) is hosting its 20th Annual Legislative Summit in Washington, D.C., from March 22 – 24, 2010.

The three-day event will provide participants with an opportunity to hear directly about today’s urgent policy and business concerns from key administration officials and top legislators representing the full political spectrum.  Workshops will address the practical implications for business owners of such issues as financial services reform, green energy, broadband internet, telecommunications regulation and access to capital. Participants cap-off the Summit with ample time to visit elected representatives on Capitol Hill.

David C. Lizarraga, USHCC Chairman of the Board said: “So many of the rules and regulations that will impact small businesses for a generation are being designed and debated in Washington right now. The Hispanic business community and its allies must be at the table to ensure those changes provide opportunities and do not pose obstacles.” He emphasized that to be included and represented effectively, the Hispanic business community must deepen relationships in Congress and maintain a high profile with key decision makers on Capitol Hill and the Administration. “This Legislative Summit is the perfect forum for that,” added Lizarraga.

“I encourage everyone from the executive suite to the neighborhood store to join fellow Hispanic business owners and the leaders of Hispanic chambers of commerce from around the country in advocating for those issues that impact our community,” said Javier Palomarez, President and CEO of the USHCC. “Participation at this event is critical to effectively convey our views and show strength in unity and numbers. We must speak up, be heard and be counted on those policies now debated in our nation’s capitol. At no time in recent memory has the case for attending been stronger,” he concluded.

TOPEKA, KS – In celebration of Black History Month this February, Payless ShoeSource has renewed Payless Inspiring Possibilities Scholarship program by joining together with its shoppers and the National Urban League (NUL) to raise money to support the future of African American and other minority youth.

First launched last year, Payless will again sell a limited-edition I Believe necklace for only $4 in more than 800 stores nationwide and Payless.com®, while supplies last, and will donate 100 percent of the net profits of necklace sales, with a minimum donation of $35,000, to the Payless Inspiring Possibilities scholarship program established with NUL.  Payless said it expects NUL to distribute scholarships ranging between $350-$5,000 to African American and other minority youth through its signature education program, Project Ready, for the 2010-2011 academic season.

The limited-edition necklaces, available now in stores and on Payless.com, feature a unique silver-toned loop-link “Rolo” chain and three dangling charms including a silver-toned ring inscribed with the inspiring messages “Dream” and “Believe,” offset by a clear crystal-like drop charm and a larger red medallion disc.

“Youth and education are critical to the future of our nation,” said LuAnn Via, president and CEO of Payless.  “We were thrilled with the success of the program last year, and pleased to have given out more than a dozen scholarships to deserving youth through our partner NUL.

“With this year’s exclusive on-trend necklace design and at $4 – a price point accessible to so many — we expect that this year’s program will be equally as strong.  Together, we are truly celebrating Black History Month and benefiting African Americans and other minority youth with strong opportunities for higher education to help them achieve their goals and make their academic dreams come true.”

To be eligible for a 2010-2011 Payless Inspiring Possibilities Scholarship, students must be a registered Project Ready participant, and submit materials by the scholarship deadline of March 31, 2010.  For additional information about the nomination process, please visit nul.org or the local NUL affiliate office.

WASHINGTON, D.C.– The National Hispana Leadership Institute (NHLI) has selected twenty-two Latina leaders from the public and private sectors to participate in its Executive Leadership Program starting on February 22.

The NHLI is an organizations that aims to prepare Latinas for positions of national and international influence, public policy impact and to contribute to the advancement of the Hispanic community. Its mission is to develop Hispanas as ethical leaders through training, professional development, relationship building and community activism.

The Executive Leadership Program, held in conjunction with the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and the Center for Creative Leadership, is highly selective.  Participants are selected for their outstanding community service record, professional and personal accomplishments, passion to make a difference in their community and commitment to pay it forward.

For a list of the 2010 fellows and for information about applications for the 2011 Executive Leadership Program , please click here.

For years, marketers have struggled with the complexities of the Hispanic market.  As part of the process, AOL Advertising partnered with the consulting group Cheskin to conduct research about how Hispanics are using the internet in their daily lives.  To download the 2010 AOL Hispanic Cyberstudy click here.

In December, Dell announced it had earned $6.5 million in revenue worldwide due to its Twitter presence. Though corporations are beginning to track sales or page views tied to social media activity, PR agencies are still figuring out how much digital and social media work impacts their bottom lines.

Edelman has a separate digital discipline and expects $40 million in digital revenues for 2009, or approximately 9% of total revenues, explains Rick Murray, president of Edelman Digital.  To read the full story click here.

LOS ANGELES, CA– In honor of Black History month, BlackTV247.com is offering the first broadcast channel exclusively dedicated to celebrating the historic and contemporary accomplishments made by people of African descent the world over.

The channels  programs share a common theme of a great people in the diaspora whose perseverance, ingenuity and dignity has facilitated individual and collective achievement. “From NYC to Rio, from Cairo to Kingston, Paris to Atlanta, Soweto to Tokyo and everywhere in between, the achievements and global influence of the children of Africa is undeniable,” says Justin Beckett, founder and CEO of BTV247, Inc.

“Our aim is to continue to take the guess work out of surfing the web and offer viewers the most compelling Black-inspired programming – 247.  The channel will showcase some of the most inspiring and informative storytelling available on the net and our team will continue to curate videos, suggested by our enthusiastic user base, throughout Black History Month,” adds Cecil Cox, co-founder and President of BTV247, Inc.

LOS ANGELES, CA – Bilingual educational video website SaberHacer.com has been selected as a finalist by the Los Angeles Business Journalas a company that is making an impact in the Latino community.

“We are very honored to be recognized by the LABJ as a company that is empowering Latinos,” says Michele Ruiz, President and CEO of SaberHacer.com (which in Spanish means ”know-how”) is specifically geared to Latinos and provides high-quality, expert-driven “edu-tainment” videos relevant in both English and Spanish. “Saber Hacer is dedicated to providing expert- based quality guidance so Latinos can achieve their goals,” says Ms. Ruiz.

Founded by Ms. Ruiz, Saber Hacer was established to fill a void in the Latino community of expert-driven instructional, self-help and educational information, for the fastest growing population in the U.S.  Using the most emotive form of communication – video – Saber Hacer aims to empower Spanish speaking, bilingual, and English dominant members of the Hispanic community with high-quality instructional videos.

MIAMI, FL—República, a  marketing, advertising, promotions, communications and interactive agency is expanding and has relocated its corporate residence to The República Building, located at 2153 Coral Way, Fifth Floor, Miami, FL.  While República will presently occupy a full floor, the location allows for future expansion of the agency within the six story edifice. The change of address stems from República’s unprecedented growth since its inception three years ago.

The expansion is crucial to its long-term success as it will allow República to provide enhanced services to its clients and increase its productivity.

“As we begin this new era, this is one of the proudest moments for República, since Luis and I created the firm,” said Jorge A. Plasencia, chairman and CEO of República. “We work hard to deliver unprecedented results for our clients, and it is that resolve and commitment to excellence that has allowed us to distinguish and cultivate our brand,” added Plasencia.

DALLAS, TX –  AT&T is launch a “28 Days of inspiration” campaign and a Web site www.att.com/28days to celebrate the history, contributions and culture of African Americans this February.  The 28 Days campaign is a program AT&T created to highlight February as more than a reflection of the rich past, but “an unimaginable footprint to what the future holds beyond Black History Month in the African American community.”

“The essence of the 28 Days campaign and new interactive Web site is to encourage us all to re-think what we do during Black History Month,” said Jennifer Jones, vice president of Diverse Markets, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “AT&T is unleashing 28 Days to demonstrate our commitment and dedication to enriching the lives of African Americans, and to keep pressing toward future progress where we live and work. Our products and services empower African Americans by meeting their technology needs in their homes, schools and offices.”

28 Days features an exclusive speaker series showcasing health fitness champion Laila Ali at the Marriott Oakland City Center on Tuesday, February 9 in Oakland, Ca.; Hip-Hop media mogul and philanthropist Russell Simmons at Howard University’s Cramton Auditorium on Wednesday, February 10 in Washington, D.C.; branding and marketing expert Erin Patton at the DuSable Museum of African American History on Tuesday, February 16 in Chicago, Ill.; and social activist and political commentator Jeff Johnson at Clark Atlanta University on Wednesday, February 24 in Atlanta, Ga.

“The four individuals who are part of our speaker series are making significant contributions in the African American community and to our country,” said Jones. “These individuals offer unique perspectives for our audiences. We think these events are a big part of celebrating Black History Month and they will provide an inspirational and memorable experience for all who attend.”

The 28 Days campaign and Web site are designed to encourage consumers to not let a day go by without completing an activity that helps them move closer to achieving some of their life goals. The interactive Web site acts as an online community for consumers to make their own history, download personal calendars, sign up to receive daily inspirational text alerts from 28 People in Motion, and connect with other goal-oriented members, among other features.

The Spirit of UNCF, the 28 Days campaign, and the sponsorship of An Evening of Stars®, are just a few of the ways AT&T supports education, business and technology within the African American community. For more information about 28 Days visit www.att.com/28days.

Through its philanthropic arm, the AT&T Foundation, AT&T has a strong legacy of supporting organizations and has provided more than $2.8 million over the past ten years to organizations focused on the empowerment of the African American community, including the UNCF, the National Urban League, NAACP, National Black Chamber of Commerce, the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, National Council of Negro Women, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, 100 Black Men and the Black Leadership Forum.

However bad the state of the magazine industry and economy in general may be, there’s always room for one more celebrity gossip title. At least that’s what Harris Publications is betting with the launch of a brand-new newsstand-only celebrity magazine titled Juicy.

Launching with a circulation of 150,000 and a newsstand cover price of $4.99, Harris touts Juicy as “the first celebrity and lifestyle magazine for African-American women,” specifically targeting the 18-34 demo.  To read the full story click here.

ANN ARBOR, MICH.– The number of underrepresented minorities among U.S. medical school faculty and practitioners still remains markedly low when compared with U.S. population, despite initiatives and the increasing diversity in U.S., U-M researchers say.

Moreover, the level of underrepresented minorities currently being trained in medicine is unlikely to reverse those trends, according to a U-M analysis and commentary published this month in the journal Gastroenterology.

Underrepresented minorities that were primarily addressed include Black or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians, Alaskan or Hawaiian natives and other Pacific Islanders.

“The low representation and the stagnation of the numbers of Black and Hispanic faculty in U.S. medical schools is troubling,” said Juanita Merchant, M.D., Ph.D., professor in the departments of Internal Medicine and Molecular & Integrative Physiology at the University of Michigan.

“We need to plug the leaky pipeline that allows underrepresented minorities to escape before they can complete the process that allows them to go on to becoming medical or research faculty,” says Merchant, who co-authored the study with M. Bishr Omary, Ph.D., M.D., chair of the Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology.

The underrepresented minority categories mentioned above only comprise about 7 percent of practicing physicians in the U.S., but those populations make up about 27 percent of the U.S. population. Similarly, in 2008, only 7.3% of all medical school faculty are underrepresented minorities.

A national effort led by the Association of American Medical Colleges sought to enroll 3,000 underrepresented minorities annually into U.S. medical schools by the year 2000. As of 2007, the number of admitted underrepresented minorities in medical schools was only 2,500. Of those, 6.4 percent were black, 7.2 percent were Hispanic and 0.5 percent were American Indians, Alaskan or Hawaiian natives and other Pacific Islanders.

“Academic medical faculty who are training the next generation of physicians as well as those delivering health care should reflect the diverse populations they will be serving,” Merchant says.

Another important point is that the percentage of male faculty outnumber female faculty dramatically. The percent of female faculty also declines from the instructor to professor rank, Merchant says.

“We have a huge number of women at the entry level, who just don’t make it up the ladder,” Merchant says.

Some of this is a preparation problem, Merchant says, and students in underrepresented communities need to be encouraged to study science and pursue biomedical fields. Once that pool has increased, strategies must be developed to retain trainees and potential faculty members.

“We know that Black physicians care for significantly more Black patients, and the same holds true for Hispanic physicians,” Merchant says. “We also know that minority populations may be more likely to have more serious health care problems, either because they delay care because of financial constraints or access to providers.

“So enhancing the pool of underrepresented minorities among faculty and physicians will likely help alleviate some of the disparities in the quality of care among those populations. Medical schools and government officials need to make this a priority.”

The article by Merchant and Omary provides detailed data from a variety of sources and also includes specific recommendations to both institutions and the underrepresented minorities themselves on how to reverse the current situation.

“We made a strong effort not only to highlight the problem but to also highlight specific recommendations that were assembled after consultation with several thought leaders nationally and locally,” Omary says.

By Joe Kutchera
President of dotGlobal

The new report from the Pew Hispanic Trust — Latinos Online — shows that 64% of all U.S. Hispanics use the Internet and that foreign-born Latinos have crossed the tipping point with 52% online. As the Hispanic audience grows, they seek new content and increasingly find and regularly visit foreign web sites.

Why is this happening?

“Search engines and social networking are making it easier for [U.S. Hispanic] consumers to find and consume content outside of their home country,” says Rafael Urbina, the CEO of Batanga. “As a result, country-specific brands, such as newspaper domains, are generating a significant portion of their traffic outside of their home market.”

“A large percentage of Hispanics visit sites from their country-o f-origin, to be informed, to keep in touch, to keep up on what’s going on in their countries and how that can affect their families,” says Marta Martinez, the CEO of StarMedia.

Because of this trend, a number of ad networks have opened shop to serve the needs of advertisers looking to reach these Hispanics visiting foreign (mostly Latin American) web sites. In this article, I will answer a few questions about and then compare the leading ad networks that focus on the U.S. Hispanic market in the chart below.

Do Hispanics online care where web sites are based?

“The reality is that the user is not very concerned with where the site is from. They are looking for content and services that are relevant,” says Fernando Rodriguez, the C E O of Terra. “U.S. Hispanics have very strong ethnic pride that translates into their interest for culturally relevant content. This means that they will visit sites from their country of origin, in addition to some from other countries, including of course the U.S.”

“Given that the Internet is a global medium, we believe the trend [of globalization] will continue for many years,” says Urbina of Batanga. “The abundance of relevant international content will continue to attract U.S. Hispanics while content created for U.S. Hispanics will in turn attract those in Latin America and Spain.”

What are the benefits of an online advertising network?

Provide scale and reach for big campaigns

Allow marketers to quick l y and efficiently optimize campaigns

Lower CPM’s

Utilize behavioral and contextual targeting with access to multiple types of inventory

Country-of-origin targeting

Specialized networks can provide mobile and video ad inventory

What are the benefits of working with a premium site?

Greater control of where your ad runs

Content integration (beyond display advertising)

Sponsorship opportunities (Adjacencies to premium content)

Integration on emerging media like mobile and video

And what are the drawbacks?

In the case of ad networks, the main minus is limited transpar e ncy (depending upon the reporting of the ad network). Ideally, you want to ask for contextual and behavioral reports as well as reporting by site. “Being transparent allows the advertiser to know exactly where their ads are running, at all times,” says Martinez of StarMedia, which promotes itself as a completely transparent network.

In the case of premium sites, the drawbacks include higher CPM’s and limited inventory as no single Hispanic site reaches more than 20% of the Hispanic audience online. In addition, it’s harder to scale with individual sites because of the challenges in dealing with multiple points of contact.

While Yahoo en Español doesn’t offer a network per se, according to Chris Emme, Yahoo represents eBay.com, Comcast.com, Walmart . com and ATT.com and can behaviorally target U.S. Hispanic users across those sites and Yahoo.com (in English).

What’s ahead for Hispanic ad networks? Christopher Stanley, CEO and Founder of Alcance Media Group, says, “We have seen a significant number of requests from marketers and completed campaigns based on specific country of origin targeting.” Stanley adds, “I do see an increase in the number of sites for specific countries such as Cuba or Venezuela that are being operated from the U.S.”

The U.S. is subject to powerful cultural forces rooted in demographics and ethnicity. Nowhere is the influence of these cultural crosswinds more evident today than in our growing Hispanic population and its increasing claim on a share of the American Dream. By the numbers, Latinos are the dominant minority group in the nation, totaling more than 15 percent of the population, a proportion that continues to grow at an unprecedented rate. They make up just under 13% of the U.S. workforce nationwide, certainly a significant portion but still lagging their overall share in the American population.

But the participation of Hispanic-Americans in the federal workforce is a different story. According to the latest data (2008) from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Latinos make up barely 8% of the Federal workforce. In recent years, a number of high-visibility initiatives have been directed at the challenge of Hispanic participation, but the numbers continue to lag. Despite their seeming best efforts, Federal agencies have generally made little progress in recruiting and retaining Hispanic employees over the last decade.  To read the full story click here.

Internship posted January 28, 2010

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New York marketing agency PENTG (The Phoenix Group) is seeking a social media/internet marketing intern. Must be well-versed in all the social media platforms and be able to maintain, update and expand the social media presence of our firm and our clients. Please contact me via Twitter at @rodrigos718

This week’s Hispanic Media Spotlight is with Eric Baca, editor in chief of Latino Leaders Magazine. Latino Leaders Magazine is a member publication of the National Association of Hispanic Publications (NAHP), which is hosting its annual convention this year in Albuquerque, NM, March 10 to 14.  To register for this national convention, which brings many of the leading Latino publishers together every year, go to http://www.nahp.org/events/index.asp. 

HPRB: What is the circulation, frequency and geographic scope of your magazine?

ANSWER: As of June 2009, our circulation is 204,000 readers. Latino Leaders is a national publication with readership in every region of the country — Southwest, Northeast, etc. Currently, we are producing between seven and nine editions each year.

HPRB: What makes your magazine stand out?  What is your unique value proposition?

A: Since its inception in 2000, Latino Leaders has successfully featured the most prominent Latino leaders in the country, including politicians and CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. Perhaps, though, Latino Leaders most significant quality is its unique ability to seek out those lesser known, although very relevant leaders in various industries — education, finance, advertising and many more. The indexes we publish in nearly all editions highlight this strength very well. What we offer, then, is access, access to that level of leadership which otherwise might be unattainable. The profiles give insight into the professional and personal lives of these leaders, many who are inspiring the next generation of leadership.

HPRB: What is the demographic profile of your key readership audiences?

A: Before 2010, our readership was very similar to our content — those whom we interviewed were also readers. Now, however, we realize a certain responsibility to both target and highlight the up-and-coming Latinos. Much of our feedback is about how one becomes a leader, how one gets on that path. By passing on these stories of proven leaders, the younger generation, those future leaders, are getting exposed to those. All of that is not to say that we have strayed from our core readership, which includes state and federal politicians, Latinos working in global markets as well as professors of prestigious universities.

HPRB: What is your publication’s web address and how frequently do you update your web site?

A: Our Web site address is latinoleaders.com. We currently update our Web site bi-monthly.

HPRB: What is your approach to publishing news content online?  How often do you post stories and what percent of your print stories do you post?

A: Latino Leaders Magazine has always believed that it was more than just a magazine. The stories and content offer advice and guidance for many. For that reason, we publish the entire contents in a digital version, which is available on our Web site free of charge. For those looking just to get a sample of whom our magazine targets and features, we offer those on the Web site as well.

HPRB: Who are some of the key media contacts at your publications and what kinds of stories/topics that each of them covers?

A: All media inquiries should be directed to the editor, Eric Baca. Latino Leaders Magazine is always open to reviewing potential story ideas.

HPRB: What topics are of special interest to your publication and which ones are definitely not?

A: In keeping with its 10-year heritage and mission, Latino Leaders is open to all stories that demonstrate or convey a spirit of leadership regardless of industry. Topics like celebrity news and other pop-culture items are not often published. More than that, Latino Leaders Magazine prides itself in offering content that no other outlet can offer. For that reason, stories of Latinos championing various segments of industry will always be in-fashion for the duration of the magazine.

HPRB: What are the best days and hours to reach your staff with a specific type of story or interview?  What is the worst?

A: Latino Leaders Magazine is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (CST). The editor, Eric Baca, handles and receives all story suggestions both over the phone and email. Aside from the weekend, Latino Leaders Magazine is open to all inquires during business hours or anytime by email.

HPRB: What are your policies in terms of accepting press kits, photos and/or multimedia video files?

A: Latino Leaders Magazine is always accepting press kits and other related materials. There are currently no standing policies regarding submission of other related media.

HPRB: Is there anything you would like to add about your publication or about working with your magazine?

A: Latino Leaders Magazine is always looking for new ways to implement and spread its message of the growing amount of Latino leaders in this country. We welcome support in the form of friendships, partnerships and other alliances that might help us achieve this mission. In addition to the magazine, Latino Leaders also hosts four annual events that honor and award those Latino leaders who have made significant contributions to his or her specific areas.

NEW YORK– Analysis of government economic data by The Opportunity Agenda, a New York-based public interest group, finds that national measures of opportunity are in decline and that unequal barriers to opportunity facing women and people of color do not rise or fall with the overall economy. Released on the occasion of President Obama’s first State of the Union speech, a report analyzing updated equality indicators from The State of Opportunity in America concludes that economic recovery efforts must address racial and gender gaps in opportunity, as well as overall national indicators in employment, wages, poverty, and education.

“The findings refute the conventional wisdom that stark racial and
gender disparities will naturally diminish or disappear if the overall
economy improves,” said Alan Jenkins, Executive Director of The
Opportunity Agenda. Continued Jenkins, “Promoting greater and more
equal opportunity must become an important and explicit consideration
in future public investments and programs. Opportunity doesn’t just
happen, it requires bold leadership, innovative ideas, and public
attention.”

Key indicators contained in The State of Opportunity in America show
starkly different levels of opportunity in some communities, and
trends that diverge from those of the broader economic crisis:

 –  While the overall unemployment rate increased 2.6%, from 7.4% in
     December 2008 to 10% in 2009, the increase in unemployment was
     significantly higher for African Americans and Latinos.  African
     American unemployment increased 4.1%, from 12.1% to 16.2%,    
   Latino unemployment increased 3.5%, from 9.4% to 12.9%
 
–  At the end of 2008, women, with a poverty rate of 14.4%, were 20% more
     likely than men, with a poverty rate of 12%, to live in poverty.  Yet,
     this staggering gap is actually a slight improvement from 2007, when
     women were 24% more likely than men to live in poverty.

 –  Racial and ethnic gaps in educational attainment, a key tool in
     surviving an economic downturn, persisted in 2008.  African American
     young people were 55% as likely as white young people to have obtained
     a bachelor’s degree, and Latino young people were 33.3% as likely as
     white young people to have obtained a bachelor’s degree, rates that
     were statistically similar to 2007.

The report analyzing the updated indicators calls for the use of an
Opportunity Impact Statement process to evaluate public expenditures,
making the case that all levels of government can and should use this
new policy tool as a requirement for publicly funded or authorized
projects, especially those tied to economic recovery. The report
explains that an Opportunity Impact Statement would prioritize
equitable job creation, small business development, fair lending, and
other practices that expand opportunity for all communities. The
report’s other recommendations include more strategic enforcement of
equal opportunity laws, and initiatives that simultaneously create
greater and more equal opportunity, such as childcare tax credits and
subsidies, community health clinics in underserved communities, and
need-based scholarships instead of loans to improve college access and
job preparedness.

WASHINGTON — Fundacion Azteca America is joining forces with the Mexican-American Legal Defense Fund (MALDEF) for a targeted 2010 Census push that includes the distribution of 40,000 bilingual educational leaflets in Washington DC, San Antonio and Los Angeles.

“We’re coming down to the final stretch of the 2010 Census activities and we want to continue to bring home to our community the importance of this year’s count,” said Luis J. Echarte, Chairman of Fundacion Azteca America and Azteca America Network.

The leaflets include three principal messages about the upcoming count: 1) Important, 2)Safe and 3)Easy; as well as the “Cuentate” or “Be Counted!” slogans that have been used by Fundacion Azteca America and MALDEF in different campaigns, in addition to the official U.S. Census “It’s in our hands” or “Esta en nuestras manos” slogan.

Also included in the information are the local MALDEF Census hotlines in each of the three target markets.

“The 2010 Census will shape the nation for the next decade, determining political representation as well as the availability of important government services.  Being counted is critical to the future progress of the Latino community,” said Thomas A. Saenz, President & General Counsel of MALDEF.

The leaflets will be distributed at places and events with high concentrations of Latino residents, including festivals, conferences, food banks and senior citizen centers, to name a few.

The following opening was posted on January 27

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Looking to hire PR professionals at a Manager/Director level at Newlink Communications in Miami, FL, for top notch entertainment/public affairs accounts. If you know of anyone looking for a job pls send resumes to nereaalvarez@bellsouth.net

The 2010 IPRA Golden World Awards for Excellence offer world-wide recognition and acclaim to world-class public relations programmes.

The 2010 competition, conducted by the International Public Relations Association, is open to local, regional, national or international public relations programmes carried out or completed in 2009/2010.

Companies, associations, private institutions, NGOs and government bodies anywhere in the world are eligible to submit entries for the Golden World Awards. Public relations firms and consultancies may enter on behalf of clients and share honours with them.

Participants may submit as many individual entries as they wish. IPRA welcomes the submission of programmes previously entered in other awards competitions. The Golden World Awards contest offers broad international recognition to campaigns honoured separately at a national level.

For more information or to submit an entry, please click here.

OAK BROOK, Ill. — Ronald McDonald House Charities announced the awarding of 15 new grants totaling $2.9 million to support non-profit organizations making an immediate, positive impact on the lives of vulnerable children in the areas of health prevention and promotion, clinical treatment and education in various countries around the world.

“Today’s children face a range of health problems, from malnutrition
to malaria to HIV/AIDS. While the prevalence of problems varies by
region, one thing remains clear: the need to help the world’s children
is an ever-present endeavor. Through its global grants program, Ronald
McDonald House Charities has made a measurable impact in improving the
health and well-being of children,” said Alan A. Harris, M.D.,
professor of medicine, hospital epidemiologist, Department of Internal
Medicine/Infectious Disease, Rush University Medical Center and RMHC
Board of Trustees member.

 ”RMHC recognizes the important role their organization can play in
addressing gaps in critical care and support for children and families
through the financial support of other non-profit organizations, in
addition to the core programs and services their Charity offers. With
the economic uncertainty and in underdeveloped countries, the needs of
children continue to grow. Only working together and leveraging our
collective resources can non-profit organizations and foundations
truly make a difference,” said Susan Hayes, president and CEO,
Interplast.

A list of grantees, program focus and geographic reach are provided below:

Improving hygienic behaviors and expanding access to clean water and
sanitary latrines:
– Curamericas Global: Liberia
– Duke Global Health Institute: Uganda

Implementing mobile dental units to increase access to health care:
– East Meets West Foundation: Vietnam
– Ecuadent Foundation: Ecuador

Learning centers for health education and counseling programs:
– Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation: Swaziland
– Fabretto Children’s Foundation: Nicaragua
– Feeding America: U.S.A.
– Interplast: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Ghana, Zambia, Bolivia,
Ecuador, Nicaragua, Peru
– Street School Network: U.S.A.

Sustainable Community Development and Healthcare Infrastructure:
– Georgetown University: Honduras
– INMED Partnerships for Children: Peru
– Lwala Community Alliance: Kenya
– Partners in Health: Rwanda
– Project CURE: Ethiopia, India, Nicaragua and Uganda
– Helping Hands in Africa: South Africa

Cox, Matthews, and Associates, Inc., the publisher of DIVERSE: Issues in Higher Education, has announced the launching of its new website, DiverseBooks.net. The company positions the site as “the premiere online shopping source for books from publishers of scholarly works,” offering a comprehensive list of titles on issues related to diversity in higher education. Books on a variety of other scholarly, intellectual and technical topics will also be available.

“What we are doing is adding another component to our offerings for our audience,” said William E. Cox Sr., president and co-founder of Cox, Matthews, and Associates, Inc. “We want to operate DiverseBooks.net as a fully functioning higher education book distributor that will focus on academic and scholarly titles. We will be servicing the needs of commercial presses, professional and educational organizations, university publishers and small presses.”

Cox noted that CMA is celebrating its 25th anniversary in magazine publishing this year and that the new e-commerce website is part of a series of new offerings the company plans, beginning in 2010.

He added that the book site would be “more than just a compilation of books and titles.” DiverseBooks.net will also feature reviews, profiles and other articles related to academics and the world of publishing scholarly, intellectual and technical books. The website developers and editors also plan to add multimedia and other content to serve the higher education and business audiences.

“We will have editorial content, blogs and social networks (including Facebook) that will be of interest to the people who already read our higher-education news through www.DiverseEducation.com and who are attracted to www.diversebooks.net to buy books and read about books for the scholar and intellectual,” Cox said. To read more about this story, click here.

CHICAGO – Gift of Hope, a leading organization that coordinates organ and tissue donation in Illinois and northwest Indiana, has selected San Jose Public Relations (SJPR) as its primary Hispanic agency of record for an integrated public relations program. The 2010 effort will consist of media relations, grassroots outreach and community relations and will aim to maintain a more constant awareness around Gift of Hope and its mission.

As an organ procurement organization, Gift of Hope is one of 58 non-profit agencies that make up the nation’s organ donation system. Through the United Network for Organ Sharing, these agencies work together to get donated organs to patients in need.

“We’re excited to extend the reach of our existing Hispanic programs to overcome misperceptions in the market and raise awareness around the need for organ donation,” said Raiza Mendoza, Hispanic coordinator for Gift of Hope. “I have the privilege of working closely with patients on the waiting list, the families of donors and those who have received a life-saving transplant, and I’ve already begun to see how this type of outreach can encourage more families to take steps toward becoming organ donors.”

The assignment follows an initial project that SJPR recently completed for Gift of Hope around National Donor’s Sabbath in November 2009. The annual weekend-long event focuses on churches and faith leaders around the country to help spread the word about organ donation. Through a Chicago initiative, SJPR helped Gift of Hope establish important relationships with Hispanic churches, reaching thousands of congregation members. This grassroots outreach leveraged an important touch point for the Hispanic community and helped dispel misperceptions around faith as an obstacle to donation. A media relations effort leading up to National Donor’s Sabbath broadened news coverage for Gift of Hope and reached nearly two million Hispanics.

“It was such a pleasure working with Gift of Hope on our first project and raising awareness about such an important issue,” said Jennifer Woods, executive vice president of SJPR. “We’re excited to continue this effort because we’ve seen the powerful emotion that these programs can evoke among not only our target audience, but our target media too.”

SPRINGFIELD, MA – Nearly 45 percent of U.S. households are “at risk” of not having enough to maintain their living standards in retirement, according to the National Retirement Risk Index, a special project of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.

Many multicultural populations are particularly at risk: a new study by the Hispanic Institute For Americans For A Secure Retirement found that only 41 percent of Hispanic workers say they have saved money for retirement. African-Americans, too, face significant risk of outliving their incomes in retirement. In 2009, an Ariel and Schwab survey of middle and upper income Black and White retirees shows that retired Blacks have median savings of just $73,000 compared to $210,000 for Whites.

But some Hispanic and African-American retirees have discovered a source of supplemental income that can help tide them over during rough patches: their whole life insurance policies.

Many retirees and pre-retirees are counting, if necessary, on tapping the cash value of their whole life insurance policies – without tax or penalty – to see them through in a pinch. Their policies’ cash values, which are guaranteed to grow, also can offer protection against the erosion of income caused by rising inflation, declining interest rates, and higher income tax rates.

Spanish-Language Newspaper to Launch Next Month

SALT LAKE CITY, UT -  Deseret Management Corp. is launching a new Spanish-language newspaper in Utah.  El Observador is scheduled to begin publication Feb. 9. It will run Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends.

The weekday editions will focus on hard news, and the weekend editions will include more features and family-oriented content.

Deseret News Publisher Jim Wall says El Observador’s initial circulation will be 10,000 home deliveries weekly, with another 15,000 copies distributed on racks and by hand delivery.

WASHINGTON, DC – The Census Bureau has released a comprehensive list of key Black History Month facts and figures that are helpful to multicultural PR marketers.

Background to Black History Month

To commemorate and celebrate the contributions to our nation made by people of African descent, American historian Carter G. Woodson established Black History Week. The first celebration occurred on Feb. 12, 1926.  For many years, the second week of February was set aside for this celebration to coincide with the birthdays of abolitionist/editor Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. In 1976, as part of the nation’s bicentennial, the week was expanded into Black History Month. Each year, U.S. presidents proclaim February as National African-American History Month.

Population

41.1 million

As of July 1, 2008, the estimated population of black residents in the United States, including those of more than one race. They made up 13.5 percent of the total U.S. population. This figure represents an increase of more than a half-million residents from one year earlier.

Source: Population estimates

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/01373 3.html

65.7 million

The projected black population of the United States (including those of more than one race) for July 1, 2050. On that date, according to the projection, blacks would constitute 15 percent of the nation’s total population.

Source: Population projections

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/01249 6.html

18

Number of states with an estimated black population on July 1, 2008, of at least 1 million. New York, with 3.5 million, led the way. The other 17 states on the list were Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

Source: Population estimates

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/01373 4.html

38%

Percentage of Mississippi’s population that was black in 2008, highest of any state. Blacks also made up more than a quarter of the population in Louisiana in 2008 (32 percent), Georgia (31 percent), Maryland (30 percent), South Carolina (29 percent) and Alabama (27 percent). They comprise 56 percent of the population in the District of Columbia.

Source: Population estimates

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/01373 4.html

67,000

The increase in Georgia’s black population between July 1, 2007, and July 1, 2008, which led all states. Texas (64,000), North Carolina (45,000) and Florida (41,000) also recorded large increases.

Source: Population estimates

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/01373 4.html

24

Number of states or equivalents in which blacks were the largest minority group in 2008. These included Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. (Note: Minorities are part of a group other than single-race non-Hispanic white.)

Source: Population estimates

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/01373 4.html

1.4 million

The number of blacks in Cook County, Ill., as of July 1, 2008, which led the nation’s counties in the number of people of this racial category. Orleans Parish, La., had the largest numerical increase in the black population between July 1, 2007, and July 1, 2008 (16,400).

Source: Population estimates

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/01373 4.html

Among counties with total populations of at least 10,000, Claiborne County, Miss., had the largest percent of population that was black (84.4 percent). Claiborne led 77 majority-black counties or equivalents, all of which were in the South.

Source: Population estimates

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/01373 4.html

30%

The proportion of the black population younger than 18 as of July 1, 2008. At the other end of the spectrum, 8 percent of the black population was 65 and older.

Source: Population estimates

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/01373 3.html

Note: Unless otherwise noted, the estimates in this section refer to the population that was either single-race black or black in combination with one or more other races.

Serving Our Nation

2.3 million

Number of single-race black military veterans in the United States in 2008. More military veterans are black than any other minority group.

Source: 2008 American Community Survey http://factfinder.census.gov/.

Education

83%

Among blacks 25 and older, the proportion who had at least a high school diploma in 2008.

Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2008

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/013618 .html

20%

Percentage of blacks 25 and older who had a bachelor’s degree or higher in 2008.

Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2008

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/013618 .html

1.4 million

Among blacks 25 and older, the number who had an advanced degree in 2008 (e.g., master’s, doctorate, medical or law). In 1998, 857,000 blacks had this level of education.

Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2008

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/013618 .html

2.5 million

Number of black college students in fall 2008. This was roughly double the corresponding number from 15 years earlier.

Source: School Enrollment – Social and Economic Characteristics of Students: October 2008

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/014354 .html

Voting

About 2.1 million

The increase in the number of black voters between the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections, to 16.1 million. The total number of voters rose by 5.4 million, to 131.1 million.

Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of 2008

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/voting/013995.ht ml

55%

Turnout rate in the 2008 presidential election for the 18- to 24-year-old citizen black population, an 8 percent increase from 2004. Blacks had the highest turnout rate in this age group.

Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of 2008

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/voting/013995.ht ml

65%

Turnout rate among black citizens in the 2008 presidential election, up about 5 percentage points from 2004. Looking at voter turnout by race and Hispanic origin, non-Hispanic whites and blacks had the highest turnout levels.

Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of 2008

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/voting/013995.ht ml

Income, Poverty and Health Insurance

$34,218

The annual median income of single-race black households in 2008, a decline of 2.8 percent (in 2008 constant dollars) from 2007.

Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2008

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/01 4227.html

24.7%

Poverty rate in 2008 for single-race blacks, statistically unchanged from 2007.

Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2008

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/01 4227.html

19.1%

The percentage of single-race blacks lacking health insurance in 2008, not statistically different from 2007.

Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2008

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/01 4227.html

Families and Children

63%

Among households with a single-race black householder, the percentage that contained a family. There were 8.5 million black family households.

Source: 2008 American Community Survey http://factfinder.census.gov/

44%

Among families with single-race black householders, the percentage that were married couples.

Source: 2008 American Community Survey  http://factfinder.census.gov/

1.2 million

Number of single-race black grandparents who lived with their own grandchildren younger than 18. Of this number, 50 percent were also responsible for their care.

Source: 2008 American Community Survey http://factfinder.census.gov/

Homeownership – the American Dream

46%

Nationally, the percentage of households with a householder who was single-race black who lived in owner-occupied homes.

Source: 2008 American Community Survey http://factfinder.census.gov/

Jobs
27%

The percentage of single-race blacks 16 and older who worked in management, professional and related occupations.

Source: 2008 American Community Survey http://factfinder.census.gov/

Businesses

$88.6 billion

Revenues for black-owned businesses in 2002. The number of black-owned businesses totaled nearly 1.2 million in 2002. Black-owned firms accounted for 5 percent of all nonfarm businesses in the United States.

129,329

The number of black-owned firms in New York in 2002, which led all states. New York City alone had 98,080 such firms, which led all cities.

10,716

The number of black-owned firms operating in 2002 with receipts of $1 million or more. These firms accounted for 1 percent of the total number of black-owned firms in 2002 and 55 percent of their total receipts, or $49 billion.

969

The number of black-owned firms with 100 or more employees in 2002. Firms of this size accounted for 24 percent of the total revenue for black-owned employer firms in 2002, or $16 billion.

Source: Black-Owned Firms: 2002 http://www.census.gov/prod/ec02/sb0200csblk.pdf

Note:  The 2007 Preliminary Estimates of Business Ownership by Gender, Ethnicity, and Race will be available in July 2010 and the more detailed 2007 Black-Owned Businesses report will be published in February 2011.

YONKERS, NY – Consumer Reports is  enlisting Julie Stav, Hispanic financial guru and host of Univision’s “Tu Dinero con Julie Stav”, to promote the first-ever Spanish-language edition of its venerable Annual Buying Guide, the Guia de Compras 2010 and their new Spanish-language web site, www.consumerreportsenespanol.org.

Stav, who penned the 334-page guide’s foreword calling it “an important new tool for Hispanic consumers,” will embark on a national campaign to promote Guia de Compras 2010 among its target audience.

“Guia de Compras 2010 represents a new era for Hispanic consumers in the United States,” said Stav. “For seven decades, Consumer Reports has helped millions of English-speaking consumers get the best value for their money. Now, Spanish speakers will also benefit from its expert advice and ratings.”

Stav will sign copies of the guide at Barnes & Noble locations in the Los Angeles and Miami areas:

–  Wednesday, February 3, 7:00 pm, at 791 South Main Street in Orange, CA
–  Saturday, February 6, 3:00 pm, at 5138 Montclair Plaza Lane in Montclair, CA
–  Wednesday, February 10, 7:30 pm, at 12405 North Kendall Drive in Miami, FL

The Guia de Compras 2010 will be available for $10.99 at bookstores and retail magazine outlets nationwide and on www.consumerreportsenespanol.org.

“With Hispanic buying power in the United States projected to hit $1.3 trillion by 2013, it is more important than ever to provide this demographic with the information to make informed purchasing decisions,” said John Sateja, Executive Vice President of Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports.

Elena Chavez, Manager, Spanish Language Outreach added,  “Based on our celebrated tradition of accepting no advertisements and providing unbiased reviews, Guia de Compras 2010 will help Spanish-speaking consumers navigate through advertisements, faulty claims and thousands of product options.”

The  Guia de Compras 2010 features sections on topics including:

–  Comparing Retailers, a compilation of reader feedback on dozens of retailer services, selections and prices
–  Latest Buying Advice, invaluable tips on what’s available, features that count, and how to choose the model that’s best suited to your needs on products in 30 categories, from air conditioners and dishwashers to televisions and computers
–  Autos, the latest ratings and reliability data on new and used models
–  Ratings, the ultimate guide to 800+ consumer products and services, based on the independent, unbiased, scientific testing of products
bought in retail stores
–  Baby Products, smart shopping tips on everything from diapers to strollers