VOZ LATINA 2009: 5th Annual Hispanic Marketing Conference the Latin Download: Innovations & Trends

NEW YORK, NY (February 10, 2009)— Nielsen Business Media today announced the 5th annual Voz Latina Hispanic Marketing Conference, which will take place on Thursday, April 23rd 2009 at the Eden Roc, A Renaissance Beach Resort and Spa, in Miami, Florida. Hosted by thought-leaders from Adweek, Brandweek, Mediaweek and Billboard, and held in conjunction with the 2009 Billboard Latin Music Conference & Awards, Voz Latina will explore the latest trends in Hispanic marketing, reveal exclusive market research data and provide vital networking opportunities for marketing professionals. Conference attendees will gain invaluable insight on how to reach the 46 million Hispanic Americans, who command $900 billion in annual purchasing power.

“In today’s competitive marketplace, it’s imperative that marketing professionals understand the unique cultural preferences among Hispanic segments,” said Rachel Williams, director of research and programming for Nielsen Business Media Events and Conferences. “Voz Latina attendees will not only learn how to reach specific Hispanic audiences in local markets, but they will also discover how to make the most of those skills during these difficult economic times.”

Voz Latina program highlights include:
•Social Media Strategies and its Impact on Hispanic Consumers
•Interactive Strategies to Reach Your Target Audience
•How to Market in a Recession
•Using Mobile to Target Hispanic Teens
•Who Wears the Pants: The Influential Hispanic Consumer
•Spanish-language Content Online

Boasting a roster of seasoned marketers in the Hispanic arena, Voz Latina featured speakers include:

•Carlos Boughton, Brand Director, Tecate and Tecate Light, Heineken USA
•John Farrell, General Director, Google Mexico
•Alberto Ferrer, Managing Partner, Digital Marketing, The Vidal Partnership
•Martha Kortiak, Former Strategy Director, Office Depot
•Manny Miravete, Vice President, US Hispanic Sales & Strategy, MySpace Latino
•Dave Rodriguez, Multicultural Marketing Communications Manager, Ford Motor Company
•Filiberto Selvas, Director, Social Strategy, Razorfish
•Manish Shrivastava, Director, Multicultural Marketing, Home Depot

As an added bonus, Voz Latina attendees are invited to attend portions of The Billboard Latin Music Conference & Awards including the Superstar Q&A, The Billboard Bash featuring presentations and performances by 2009 Billboard Latin Music Awards finalists, and The Billboard Latin Music Awards honoring today’s biggest and brightest Latin artists. These events are being held in conjunction with the conference from April 22-23, 2009 at the Eden Roc Renaissance Beach Resort and Spa.

For more information or to register for the 5th annual Voz Latina Conference, please visit www.marketingtohispanics.com.

To register for press credentials, please visit http://www.marketingtohispanics.com/vozlatina/press/index.jsp

Hispanic Buying Power to Reach $1.3 Trillion in 2013

The 46 million Hispanics living in the United States wield a buying power that totaled more than $980 billion in 2008 and is projected to reach $1.3 billion in 2013, according to a new study by market research publisher Packaged Facts.

The study, "The Hispanic (Latino) Market in the U.S.: A Generational View, 7th Edition," found that the buying power of Hispanics will continue to grow at a relatively rapid pace, undeterred by the present dreary outlook for consumers as a whole. "Latinos will change the profile of American society over the next four decades," says Tatjana Meerman, publisher of New York-based Packaged Facts. "The Hispanic population will grow much quicker than other population segments, and Hispanic consumers will represent an increasing percentage of the American consumer base."Gen-Y Latinos (ages 18-29) and Gen-X Latinos (ages 30-44) are particularly influential, because they control more than 60 percent of all Hispanic buying power. These young Hispanic adults generate significant consumer spending both for themselves and their families, the report revealed.

Consequently, they have a disproportionate impact on a number of industries in the American economy, including entertainment, apparel and children's items.The study examines the attitudes and behavior of Hispanic adults ranging from Gen-Y and Gen-X Latinos through younger and older baby boomers, and focuses on trends, opportunities shaping the Hispanic market, demographic characteristics of the Hispanic population, assessment of Hispanic consumers' buying power, an analysis of immigration and acculturation trends.

The full report is available for purchase at http://www.packagedfacts.com/Hispanics-1783079/.

Havas to handle traditional, digital media for Spanish Tourism Board

Havas' MPG and sibling digital agency Media Contacts have won the Spanish Tourism Board's estimated $55 million global media business, following a review. WPP Group's Mediaedge:cia, the incumbent on the traditional media portion of the account, also participated in the review, as did Aegis Group's Carat; Media Contacts was the incumbent on the digital portion of the business. Adweek

NALA Investments and Latin World Entertainment Launch Hispanic TV Production Venture

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- NALA Investments, the parent company of NALA Films and one of the leading private investment companies in the Hispanic market, and Latin World Entertainment, one of the world's leading Hispanic talent management company, announced today the launch of NALA Entertainment. This new entity, with $100 million in funding already in place, will focus on the financing, development and production of Hispanic television programs. The first series set to kick off the company's slate of projects is EL DIEZ, about the life of a fictional soccer star and all that comes with being famous. The series was shot this past December in Mexico. One of NALA Entertainment's main focus is Soap Operas; it has begun preproduction of its first of many novelas, with Argos Mexico's leading independent telenovela production company.

"The Hispanic market was long overdue for a cross regional platform that could bring together top-notch talent, recognizable brands and financing to efficiently create quality content while leveraging the creative and production wherewithal from around the continent," says Emilio Diez Barroso, Chairman and CEO of NALA Investments. "In a time when network production budgets are shrinking, NALA Entertainment offers a valuable solution by becoming an independent provider of quality material and formats."

"We want to be the vehicle that facilitates great ideas coming to life. NALA Entertainment is committed to team up big stars, top producers, and great ideas with top-notch advertising brands to create quality commercial TV content with worldwide appeal," explained Latin World Entertainment's CEO Luis Balaguer.

Mio.tv Picks Up Spanish Social Network Wamba For €4 Million

Latino-targeting online entertainment and communication services provider Mio.tv has acquired Spanish social network Wamba for approximately €4 million euros with earn-outs according to various Spanish and Latin-American media.

Considering the fact that the startup had raised €3 million from early Skype investor and serial entrepreneur Morten Lund back in 2007, this isn’t exactly a home run for the Spanish company.
Nevertheless, this is good news for Lund, the colorful European web celebrity who TechCrunch UK earlier this year reported to be personally bankrupt after a series of investments gone awry. According to earlier reports, Lund retained 40% of Wamba shares in return for his investment.

Mio.tv aims to become the default bilingual online portal for the millions of latinos on the web, offering a slew of online video channels, gaming, social networks and communication services. The company’s Chairman and CEO, Manuel Garcia-Duran, told EuropaPress that Mio.tv is buying Wamba for its reach in the Latin-American community and cites 8.4 million registered users for the social network.

PrecioMania.com(R) Announces Strategic Partnership With Yahoo! En Espanol

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- PrecioMania.com(R), a part of Experian, today announced a strategic alliance with Yahoo! Compras to add PrecioMania.com's trusted and comprehensive shopping guide and comparison services to Yahoo!'s network offerings.

Yahoo! Compras (http://yahoo-compras.pgpartner.com/) will give users a direct link to PrecioMania.com's wide range of shopping options in myriad categories, including Sporting Goods, Electronics, Music and Fashion, among many others -- all available in Spanish.

A Billion Internet Users, and Counting

The moment when the Internet passed 1 million users is veiled in history.

The truth is, whenever it happened, no one was counting—or even had the means to do so. But according to the “Internet Growth Survey” from MIT, there were 1 million hosts (defined as either a computer or IP address) in 1995

At the time, it was estimated that the Internet was doubling in size every year, so there would be over 1 billion users in 2005.

That timeline proved overly optimistic. But according to the comScore World Metrix audience measurement service, the Internet surpassed 1 billion visitors in December 2008.

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Marketers still willing to pay for online ads that work

Although some analysts are citing dropping CPM rates and unsold display ad inventory as a sign of bad times for the online ad segment, smaller, targeted sites are able to charge a much higher average CPM rate, and sites that use cost-per-click or cost-per-action as their metric are posting growth even during this downturn, according to Jeffrey F. Rayport, founder and chairman of Marketspace, a digital strategy and customer experience firm associated with Monitor Group. "It's what we might call accountable media: advertising you pay for only when it works," Rayport writes. BusinessWeek (2/17)

New Program Helps Latino and Hispanic Seniors Use the Internet for the First Time -- With Generations on Line in Spanish

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The first program to help Latino and Hispanic seniors online is being launched nationwide by Generations on Line, a leader in senior Internet literacy, the non-profit organization announced today.

The language barrier is a key factor of Internet usage, according to a 2007 study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project and Pew Hispanic Center. Only 32% of Latinos who are Spanish-dominant use the Internet. Among people over age 71, only 17% of Latinos are online.
"Reaching the Latino population is vitally important because the digital divide is far wider if you are older and Latino than if you are younger or non-Latino," said Tobey Dichter, founder of Generations on Line. "Our ability to offer this program in Spanish is a giant step to help one of America's most underserved populations."

"Based on the self-teaching onscreen tutorial program that has been used in English in more than 1,300 senior centers, retirement homes, and public libraries throughout the country, Generations on Line Espanol will now be available to institutions that serve older Hispanic and Latino adults. This translation was made possible in part by a grant from IBM," COO V.J. Pappas announced today.

Six in 10 U.S. Hispanics regular Web users, survey shows

More than six in 10 U.S. Hispanics surf the Web at least once a month, an Ipsos Hispanic Omnibus survey has found. Some 55% of Hispanic users prefer English-language sites, while nearly 40% of 18-to-34-year-olds in the segment opt for Spanish-language sites, according to the poll. BizReport

Search, online media only ad segment to gain jobs in December

The Internet-media companies and Web-search portals segment was the only one within the ad and media industry in December to post a jobs increase, an analysis by Advertising Age's DataCenter of Bureau of Labor statistics has found. That sector added 800 jobs to reach 82,200, compared to the entire ad-media sector, which decreased by 18,700 jobs in December to 1.59 million. Advertising Age

Email's new role in digital marketing

Old is new again, and boring is the new sexy. At least, that is what we're seeing with regard to email marketing's renewed role as a central digital communications hub during this rough-and-tumble economic time. A recent StrongMail study showed that more than half (51 percent) of the nearly 1,000 global business leaders polled plan to increase their marketing budgets in 2009 to focus on programs that yield a higher return on investment, such as email marketing and search. On the other hand, many plan to decrease spending on costly, less targeted programs like advertising and trade shows.

This is a rare opportunity for all digital marketers -- not just email marketers -- to thrive in a difficult and challenging environment. Not using this opportunity to greatly improve your email marketing program for the sake of your broader digital efforts would be short-sighted and foolish.

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US Hispanics Prefer English Media, Switch Easily between Languages

More than half of US Hispanics say they are most comfortable speaking Spanish, but a larger percentage prefer English-language broadcast, print and internet media and can switch easily between languages to get needed information, according to an Ipsos Omnibus study.

Some 52% of US Hispanics report speaking primarily Spanish at home, while 43% say they speak mostly English, the study found. Among Hispanics surveyed, the study found that regardless of language spoken at home, Hispanics overall take advantage of their bilingual abilities by using, accessing and enjoying media in both languages.

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Poll: Nearly one-third of U.S. mobile users recall ads

About one in three U.S. mobile phone users -- and 41% of those with iPhones -- remembered viewing a mobile ad in last quarter, according to a Limbo-GfK Technology Mobile Advertising Report. Of those who recalled the ads, one in three made some kind of response, including 16% who remember dialing a toll-free number included in the pitch, the survey found. Adweek

US Search Ad Spending Falters?

Search advertising used to be reliable and solid, but growth is slowing even in this stalwart segment of the online economy.

US search advertising spending fell 8% year over year in Q4 2008, according to search marketing firm Efficient Frontier. The company said it was the first quarterly decline on a year-over-year basis since it began monitoring search ad spending.

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US Hispanics Are Online in Overwhelming Numbers

United States Hispanics are not only online in overwhelming numbers, but they are taking advantage of the internet’s position as a primary tool for information. Previous notions of Hispanics not having access to the internet, or being unaware of its possibilities, have been smashed. Not only are U.S. Hispanics online, but they turn to the internet for a variety of reasons.

According to a recent Ipsos U.S. Hispanic Omnibus study, sixty-three percent of Hispanics living in the United States say that they access the internet at least once a month. These “wired” Hispanics state that they are turning to the internet for both information and entertainment. From following the days breaking news, downloading the latest musical hit, uploading photographs of family and friends, or even researching products before they make the final purchase decision - Hispanics show that the internet is an important tool in their everyday life.

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Explosion of User-Generated Content Creators

The number of U.S. Internet users who create user-generated content is expected to rise to nearly 115 million in 2013, up from 82.5 million in 2008. That will translate to 51.8% of U.S. Internet users in 2013, up from 42.8% in 2008. Levels of participation vary widely. The percentages of users who created videos and blogs were more moderate, ranging from 8% to 11%. And virtual worlds -- which entail the creation of avatars and other online representations, often with user-generated photos, graphics and audio -- were the most niche-oriented of these pursuits, with a 6% participation rate. To find out more about digital marketing and eMarketer's report "User-Generated Content: More Popular than Profitable" click here.

Ipsos: Hispanics Engage Online 'Often in Higher Numbers' than Average

US-based Hispanics are online in significant numbers. They are also taking full advantage of the internet as a primary tool for finding and contributing information, researching and making purchases, being entertained, and networking with others, according to recent research from Ipsos (via MarketingCharts).

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WVUB to Launch Hispanic Radio Station

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has awarded Vincennes University's public radio station a $42,000 grant. WVUB 91.1 FM will use the money to purchase equipment to multicast a third high definition radio channel for the growing Hispanic population throughout southwestern Indiana and southeastern Illinois. The expanded programming will include news, information, music and emergency alerts that will be broadcast in Spanish.

Source: Inside INdiana Business

Spanish-Language Channel Launches in Chicago

ATLANTA, February 3, 2009 – Continuing to expand its reach throughout North America, the MEXICANAL® Network has completed a carriage agreement with Comcast Corporation, the nation’s leading provider of entertainment, information and communications products and services. MEXICANAL has launched in Chicago as part of Comcast’s CableLatino package. Comcast will be the first cable company to carry MEXICANAL.

The announcement was made today by David Jensen, Vice President, Content Acquisition for Comcast Corporation, and Mark Henderson, Executive Vice President of Castalia Communication Corporation, the producer and national distributor of MEXICANAL.

"MEXICANAL offers a diverse programming mix of news, sports and entertainment from some of Mexico's most vibrant regions," said Jensen in announcing the MEXICANAL carriage agreement. "By offering our Spanish-speaking subscribers content from their hometowns, we're able to serve their entertainment programming needs while also addressing the unique cultural, social and informational needs of this important sector of our customer base."

"Comcast has made a significant commitment to this nation's vast Spanish speaking population," added Henderson. "By targeting the specific cultural sectors that comprise America's Latino audience with news and entertainment programming from Mexico and the rest of Latin America, Comcast is keeping families, communities and cultures informed and entertained, regardless of where they live. We're very happy to launch MEXICANAL to Comcast’s customers in Chicago."

About MEXICANAL® Network
The MEXICANAL Network, a television channel formed jointly by Cablecom, from Mexico, and Castalia Communications, from Atlanta; provides Mexicans living in the United States with news and entertainment programming from their hometowns. The Network's lineup features the best programming from public broadcasters, independent producers, and local access stations in various regions across Mexico including Guanajuato, Jalisco, Michoacan, Guerrero, State of Mexico, Aguascalientes, Campeche, Yucatan, Hidalgo, Nuevo Leon, Sonora, Oaxaca, and San Luis Potosi.

About Comcast Canales Selecto
Comcast carries more than 50 channels for Hispanic viewers, including top networks Univision, Telemundo, Telefutura, MTV tr3s, Canal 52 MX, Galavision, Azteca America and HBO Latino. Comcast locally customizes channel lineups to address the specific cultural needs of Hispanic customers in different service areas, including programming for Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Central American, South American and Caribbean cultures. Comcast offers two tiers of programming packages for Hispanic audiences, both of which include more than 125 free hours of On Demand en español programming. Comcast’s Canales Selecto package offers an entirely Spanish-language experience, while CableLatino offers both Spanish and English-language Latino-themed programming.

About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (www.comcast.com) is the nation's leading provider of entertainment, information and communication products and services. With 24.4 million cable customers, 14.7 million high-speed Internet customers, and 6.1 million Comcast Digital Voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of broadband cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.

Comcast's content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One, ten Comcast SportsNet networks and Comcast Interactive Media, which develops and operates Comcast's Internet businesses, including Comcast.net (www.comcast.net). Comcast also has a majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor, whose major holdings include the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and two large multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia.

Forrester: Online sales to continue growth in 2009

Forrester: Online sales to continue growth in 2009U.S. e-commerce sales will increase 11% in 2009, Forrester Research predicts, and total $156 billion. In 2009, 7% of overall retail revenue will come from online sales, versus 6% percent in 2008