Montse Barrena and Juan Pablo Oubina have been hired to lead Deutsch LA’s Hispanic marketing practice, DLAtino, and the division’s roster of accounts, including Taco Bell, Dr Pepper Snapple Group and Georgia Pacific’s Angel Soft. Barrena has been named executive VP, group account director while Oubina is executive creative director.
Barrena and Oubina previously served as a leadership team at Grupo Gallegos, an independent Latino agency, and each bring over two decades of marketing and advertising experience. Their track record of working hand-in-hand to develop highly strategic marketing programs and advertising campaigns focused on reaching Hispanic consumers has helped generate measurable business growth for clients such as Target, Energizer, and California Milk Processor Board (“Got Milk?”).
Deutsch LA launched DLAtino in 2013 upon recognizing a larger need within the marketplace for a full-service general market agency that could offer a truly strategic, yet integrated Latino marketing practice. DLAtino provides brands the opportunity to tap into big agency resources to reach the Hispanic audience in strategic and nuanced ways. In little more than a year, the practice has seen rapid growth and launched highly successful Latino-focused campaigns to complement general market efforts for 7UP, Dr Pepper, Taco Bell and others.
“I’ve always believed in one brand, one personality, one tone, and now one agency. It was time for me to join an agency that understands the importance of the Hispanic market. Deutsch LA is the ultimate agency. We now have the best specialists sitting at the same table, participating in the same conversation with one objective: produce great work for our brands,” said Oubina.
Barrena added, “Deutsch LA knows Hispanic consumers represent a tremendous growth opportunity for the brands we help build everyday. We’re not afraid to place Hispanic at the center of the conversation, any conversation, regardless of language.”
Most recently a partner, group account director at Grupo Gallegos, Barrena has Hispanic and multicultural marketing expertise that has led brands to category leadership, business growth and creative excellence. Prior to her 11 years at Grupo Gallegos, Barrena spent six years at Conill Advertising and four years at Casanova Pendrill. She began her storied career in advertising at Noble & Asociados. Her experience expands across retail, beverage, technology, automotive, consumer packaged goods, and quick service restaurants, throughout her tenure working with top brands including Toyota, Coors Beer, The Clorox Company, JCPenney, California Lottery, Reebok, Procter & Gamble, and Toshiba. Montse is known for leading brands through high growth periods as a result of deploying Hispanic marketing strategies. Career highlights include winning industry honors including Cannes Lions, D&AD Awards, and EFFIE Awards for work on Toyota and California Milk Processor Board’s “Got Milk?”.
Oubina most recently served as an executive creative director for Grupo Gallegos, overseeing accounts including Energizer, Comcast and California Milk Processor Board. An award-winning creative director, Oubina has honed his skill for creating culturally relevant creative work for top brands seeking high-impact campaigns to compete in today’s complex media environment. Over his nine years at Grupo Gallegos, he built a world-class creative team and oversaw creative strategy and director for the agency’s roster of Hispanic focused clients. Prior to that, Oubina spent a cumulative eight years at Casanova and Casanova Pendrill. His work has been recognized with prestigious awards such as Cannes recognition, CLIO Awards, FIAP, London Festival, and EFFIE Awards.
“Bringing Juan and Montse onboard to head up the practice is a major win for our agency and clients,” said Deutsch LA CEO Mike Sheldon. “Reaching Hispanic consumers has become a top priority industry wide; it’s a huge growth area for brands and one that cannot be ignored. Montse and Juan are fluent in this area and their combined strategic guidance and creative prowess are critical to our success.”
