When I arrived in L.A. for the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies’ (AHAA) 15th semiannual conference, I didn’t know what to expect. By the time I left, I had met many of the amazing individuals who earn their keep in Hispanic advertising, and learned about many of the challenges facing this community despite its status as one of the hottest growth sectors in advertising today. This, however, is the end, and not the beginning of the story.
In May, Rich Durkin, East Coast sales rep for Vinton Studios], approached me about developing relationships with "target market" agencies. It was an interesting and exciting proposition, but I would be lying if I didn’t admit that my skepticism was as piqued as my curiosity. Experience has taught me that communicating with target markets is something that requires the necessary investment of time and research. The thought of trying to introduce our directors to this community without making an effort to get to know its members made me cringe. Luckily, Rich supported my resolution to get to know the community better before trying to push our directors.
Fast-forward five months. Hours of research and hundreds of phone calls later, I was about to meet many of the players in Hispanic advertising. Meeting new people is always daunting, and I was unsure of how the language barrier would affect my experience.
After registering, I rang Xabier Gainza from WING Latino Group, who invited me to dinner with himself, Javier Bonilla and Roberto Alcazar. After dinner, we headed over to the opening reception, where individuals from all sides of Hispanic advertising mingled in that comfortable blend of business and narrative that happens when advertising folk gather. I took the opportunity to meet some of the agency principals who were very forthcoming with advice and words of encouragement on how to maximize my experience at the conference.
It was then that I noticed a shift in the makeup of the room. The creatives had left for the PostFiap event hosted by Circulo Creativo (an organization of creatives in the Hispanic ad community), and with them my ride. Luckily, I caught a ride to the event from Bettina, Natalie and Maria, three angels who were my guides throughout the conference.
My inability to communicate continued to play a role as Circulo Creativo’s presentation was in Spanish, but something beautiful happened midway through the show. I didn’t understand the language, but I understood the universal communication that happens when a team produces a great spot. Spots like "Back-Ups" by Leo Burnett, "Angeles" by Publicis Sánchez & Levitan, "Macarena" by the Vidal Partnership, and Grupo Gallegos’ spot for MetroPCS are creative concepts that bear a special appeal to Hispanic audiences, but have universal appeal as well.
The night ended with after-parties, and I arrived back at the hotel just in time to grab a few hours of sleep before the conference began. After breakfast, Peter Guber opened the conference with great remarks that transitioned into a discussion of where Hispanic advertising is heading. A discussion began, addressing the ongoing challenge Hispanic agencies face in convincing marketers to invest ad dollars in a consumer base whose revenue growth outpaces that of the general market, while its advertising budgets remain comparatively low. Representatives from the AAAA and AAF spoke about the lack of diversity at general market agencies and steps that were being taken to remedy the situation.
After the day’s events, we retired to the Downtown Standard for the evening’s festivities. Few in attendance considered making the "Buenos Días" breakfast the next morning. The night was dominated by great conversation, dancing and the flow of drinks across the room.
The last seminar of the conference, "The Intersection of Hispanic Marketing and English," addressed the Hispanic consumer as an individual who speaks both languages, but possesses a strong cultural pride and affinity for the Spanish language. There is a large consensus that as younger Hispanics acclimate to American culture and the English language, Hispanic agencies will become obsolete. But it is not the language that the consumers are reacting to. Instead, it is the language as a manifestation of culture.
I couldn’t help but feel disappointed that mainstream agencies interested in the Hispanic market were missing this discussion. Diversity within the Hispanic community itself was also a popular point of the day, as several attendees cited the similarities and differences between individuals who are Mexican, Latin-American, Dominican, and Puerto Rican, to name a few.
Afterwards, the only thing left was the Hispanic Creative Ad Awards, which were being held at Universal Studios. The night of the event, everyone looked great and there was an appropriate mix of black and colorful costuming dotting the crowd. The awards show was funny and diverse, with Grupo Gallegos, Creative On Demand, La Comunidad and La Finca Creativa taking home impressive wins.
My biggest take-away of the conference came later that night. As I was grabbing a drink at the bar, Grupo Gallegos’ Favio Ucedo (this year’s Best of Show winner) asked if I understood what was being said during the Spanish language presentations, and how it felt not knowing the language. Truthfully, I didn’t mind. By the end of the second day, I’d realized that AHAA’s conferences serve many purposes for its members. One of them is the rejuvenation of cultural and communal spirit that manifests itself in the speaking of the Spanish language.
The Hispanic Creative Ad Awards will only continue to grow as the demographics do. Those who miss the wave may quickly find themselves under it because Hispanic culture is advertising’s next big thing.
