FH Hispania Plaza

This Week in las Noticias

Have a Happy Fiesta (New York Times) – In Mexico, on Cinco de Mayo only Poblanos — as the people from Puebla are known — find something to celebrate. In the United States it has become a very big deal for the nation’s 45 million Hispanics, with celebrations across the country.

"Dealer" headed to theaters via Maya (Reuters) – Maya Entertainment is taking a big step into the mainstream, with the Hispanic-oriented producer and distributor acquiring all U.S. rights to Alex Rivera's Sundance award winner "Sleep Dealer."

Mom: La Reina de la Casa

With just a couple of days before Mother's Day, marketers are intensifying their efforts to connect with the most influential person in the household. More so, in the Latino household.  You see, moms are the gatekeepers of the family budget in most homes across the nation, but in Latino households, they are also the cultural beacon-- the one who normally decides and supports which traditions to keep, which foods will make it to the table, which brands will make it through the door.  Last week, the Census came out with the most recent figures about the growth of multicultural youth in the U.S. and Hispanics under 18 are again the fastest rising segment of the population-- and almost 34% of the total Hispanic population now estimated at 45.5 million.  What's more, Hispanic youth under 5 is a growing segment-- specially those born in the U.S.  But before these kids can make their own consumer decisions, and perhaps long after they can, moms will continue to influence them based on the cultural value system of the Hispanic household. And considering that there are more than 20 million Latinas in the U.S., it is wise to pay attention to the segment.

Taking a look at Univision.com and many of the Hispanic media this week will reveal different approaches to connecting with the Latina mom.  Some go so far as to reference the 'abuelitas'. The truth is moms are reigning queens, and the effects of it go so far as to make Mother's Day the #1 remittance transaction day for Hispanics in the U.S..

For all the Latina moms out there, felicidades en su dia!

This Week in las Noticias

Immigrant rights activists join protests nationwide (Yahoo! News) - Thousands of immigrants and activists gathered in cities across the country Thursday to demand comprehensive immigration reform, including citizenship opportunities for the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S.

Hispanics Are Fastest-Growing Minority Group, U.S. Census Says (Bloomberg) - Hispanics are the largest minority group in the U.S. and were the fastest growing segment of the population in the year ending July 2007, the Census Bureau said.

Late Night shows for Latinos

**The following comes from Houston-based colleague Vanessa Astros--a new contributor to our blog.**

I was really happy to hear back in February that Latinos in the U.S. were going to have and "own" a Jay Leno-like late night show. I thought it was a smart move on Telemundo's part and was looking forward to its debut and to see the often called Jerry Seinfeld look-alike in action. It was about time we had a sleek well-produced late night show that targeted younger audiences. But the fairytale didn't last long. The news came recently when the Network announced that the Mas Vale Tarde con Alex Cambert show was going off the air. Telemundo probably really took a hit with this one. Telemundo's efforts to produce unique programming have landed them in a good place and in my opinion have earned them respect. But, were they too quick to think "outside the box"?  Did they stop to think if Hispanics were ready for late night programming? The answer is probably NO. And here's why...

This Week in las Noticias

Austin's LatinWorks buys Dallas ad agency (Austin American Statesman) – In its first acquisition, LatinWorks has bought Dallas-based Cultura. Both agencies focus on the Hispanic market, primarily designing ads in Spanish.

Jennifer Lopez's reality, coming to TV (New York Daily News) – J. Lo is the co-creator and executive producer of the show, which is expected to deal with her marriage to Latino singer Marc Anthony, their twins Maximilian David and Emme Maribel, born in February, and her careers in music, film and fashion.

Premios GLAAD

*Thanks to our FH Hispania and FH Outfront colleague Ivette Lopez for the following contribution.  For more on FHOutfront, visit their blog: www.fhoutfront.com**

Last week, premios GLAAD recognized some of the leading Spanish language media individuals, programs and celebrities who portray the LGBT community in a positive light for its Latino audiences. From telenovelas to reggeaton, the star-studded event is upholding a very important movement within the U.S. Hispanic community.

Puerto Rican Ivy Queen received a special award for being the first reggaeton singer to openly support the gay and lesbian community. Also recognized, and also from Puerto Rico, is Noah’s Ark’s Wilson Cruz who received the Visibilidad Award (visibility) for his work. RBD, who I have blogged about before, were sprinkled throughout awards received such as the coming out press release episode in Azteca America’s television network’s celebrity gossip show, “Ventaneando America,” in People en Español’s article on the band which touched on the gay member and the band’s support and for their new album “Empezar desde cero,” which loosely translates into “Starting from scratch.” As a side note, I did have the opportunity to watch them perform from, 5th row in Dallas (thanks to my better half) and yes, the gay following is muy fierce, and deservedly so.

Awards were also presented for shows and personalities that reach a different Hispanic audience (although reggaeton and RBD can be enjoyed by all Latinos, they primarily reach a younger audience) such as moms and dads. Telenovela series “Lo Que Callamos Las Mujeres” (Azteca America) loosely translated to “What We Women Keep Quiet” received an award for its episode “El Amor de Mi Hijo,” (My Son’s Love”), a story about a gay male, son of a very macho man, and his struggle to come out of the closet.

Other award-winning entities include Dallas’ Al Día, leading Spanish daily and Chicago’s Homofrecuencia Latino LGBT radio.

What truly shows progress in these awards are the regional media and targeted programming that is including LGBTs just as we should be – as contributing members of our communities, with personal stories and milestones. I look forward to what is to come from our Hispanic media – writers and hosts alike – and celebrities’ collaborations with GLAAD and our community.

This Week in las Noticias

International soccer comes to Seattle (HeraldNet) – "I think any time you can bring big international games to the city is a bonus and a plus," said Gary Wright, the senior vice president of Seattle Sounders FC, which is serving as host for the event. All of which begs the question: Just why are Mexico and China playing a game in Seattle?

Media, Internet court young Latino swing vote (San Francisco Chronicle) – Take two twentysomething Latinos with a taste for politics, give them a crash course in news reporting, equip them with video cameras and press credentials, "embed" them at the Democratic and Republican conventions this summer and let 'er rip. That's the idea cooked up by the nonprofit Voto Latino and SíTV, the cable and Internet company geared to young English-speaking Latinos.

Online Advances

One of the most exciting things about our field is the incredible pace of change.  Nearly every day, there are announcements about new programming and media outlets, marketing deals, demographic research and pioneering techniques.  When you track the news as closely as we do you begin to see trends.

One significant trend is the explosion and increased sophistication of online media aimed at U.S. Hispanics.  Case in point:  www.Impre.com.

Green is In with Latinos

The environment is a top concern for U.S. Latinos. According to a 2006 Zogby poll, global warming was an issue high on Hispanic voters’ minds with more than 60 percent of Latino voters saying global warming was important—more than any other group.

Several studies have also shown that Latinos, particularly Hispanic women, are more concerned about the environment and health-related issues than their non-Hispanic counterparts. Latinos are particularly sensitive to environmental concerns because the majority live in urban areas that are at times close to hazardous sites or industrial pollutants. Non-urban Hispanics such as migrant workers and their families have equally alarming environmental concerns, and pay close attention to pesticides and the overall quality of the fields where they live and work.

This Week in las Noticias

Text Market (Adweek) – To a marketer, U.S. Hispanics aren't just attractive because they are, as a population, expanding. The segment is also ahead of the curve on mobile computing. According to a 2007 survey by M:Metrics, Seattle, U.S. Hispanics are much more likely to use their mobile phones to do things beyond normal voice calls. 

MySpace launches brand for Hispanics (Sun Sentinel) – Even without publicizing the site, MySpace Latino has attracted about 1.3 million users and profiles are being created at a rate of about 100,000 a month. The site offers eight community areas dedicated to music, fashion, soccer, live events and online forums.