When you consider that there are 1.6 million Hispanics in the Chicagoland area, representing some 300,000 households, if you aren’t targeting your PR messages to this audience, you are missing some important opportunities. Attendees at the October luncheon meeting of the Publicity Club of Chicago received a one-hour primer in Hispanic marketing that provided a wealth of information.

From left: Fernandez, Phillips, Ryan, Resa, San Jose

Eduardo Fernández

In his introductory remarks, Fernandez (who graciously stepped in as a last minute substitute), noted that Chicago is the second largest Hispanic market, and ranks second in the number of households in which Spanish is the second language. Yet, reported Fernandez, only 5% of advertising dollars are dedicated to Hispanic advertising and marketing.

Claudia Phillips

Claudia Phillips, who has a bachelor’s degree in Communications and worked as an Account Supervisor at Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, echoed Fernandez’s assessment of the potential of the U.S. Hispanic market. From a PR perspective, Phillips suggested that the media market for reaching the Hispanic market is larger than most people think. For example, there are 1,726 unique U.S. Hispanic Media Outlets, representing 792 Print Media Outlets (excluding Internet), 74 Internet Only outlets, 206 TV Media Outlets& Shows, and five AP-Style Wire Services & News Syndicates. In addition, overall, 75% of print media outlets post news on their web sites.

"Hispanic media provide news in culture and language, which helps to orient Hispanics, and covers many relevant issues," said Phillips. To help garner coverage on these media outlets, she suggested that PR people should identify a partner with strong ties to the community or national Latino organizations. This credibility will go a long way toward interesting Hispanic reporters and producers in your story. Use surveys, radio, and celebrity spokespersons to help generate coverage.

As for the language challenge, translation is very important. Try to use bilingual and Spanish-only media to minimize translation errors and show that you care. To boost print coverage, use photos, since 93% of Hispanic editors polled stated that photos make a difference. When using email (which is gaining acceptance) do not send attachments (unless previously discussed), since many Hispanic outlets have outdated hardware and software and may not be able to download attachments. Instead send embedded text, since there are concerns about viruses

When pitching Hispanic TV media, independent TV stations are more likely to conduct in-studio interviews than Telemundo. Hispanic TV producers are far more likely to open PR pitches if they are sent overnight using "Fed-Ex" or "UPS."

Finally, Phillips shared some resources that can help bring PR people up to speed on the Hispanic market. These include: Hispanic Market Weekly, Hispanic PR Wire, HispanicOnline.com, HispanicBusiness.com, HispanicAd.com, and LatinClips.com

Jerry Ryan

Univisons’s Jerry Ryan, a local radio executive with strong Chicago ties (a graduate of DePaul University), he is currently the Vice President and General Manager of Univision Radio in Chicago (formerly Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation). Jerry oversees four stations: WVIV-AM and FM, WINDY-AM, and WOJO-FM. Jerry also worked as President and General Manager of the former Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation’s group of stations in Phoenix, Arizona.

Ryan echoed many of the comments made about the potential of the Chicago Hispanic market, and emphasized that PR people need to be aware of, and sensitive to, cultural differences within the Hispanic market. While Chicago is heavily Mexican, Miami is heavily Cuban, while New York is more heavily Puerto Rican and Caribbean. When planning an event or media campaign, make sure you take these factors in consideration. For example, Cinco de Mayo is only relevant to a Mexican population, while other Hispanic groups celebrate different festivals.

Veronica Resa, a Media Specialist for the Mayor’s Office of Special Events, who has worked in media since age nineteen as a writer, reporter and producer, plays an active role in the City’s many cultural festivals on behalf of the City of Chicago. She urged the audience to really understand the Hispanic audience. She recommended that any initiative directed at the Hispanic market requires a Spanish-speaking person to effectively communicate with the audience. She also urged the crowd to participate in Chicago’s many Hispanic festivals, and that the City of Chicago can be a valuable resource.

George L. San Jose

George L. San Jose, who founded the San Jose group in 1981, was a real pioneer in the Hispanic marketing industry. His was the first agency that specifically targeted Hispanic audiences for advertisers. As President and COO, he oversees all creative executions and strategic direction for the agency’s clients. He has been recognized in Crain’s "Who’s Who," Advertising Age, and The Wall Street Journal.

San Jose wanted to leave the packed PCC audience with three main points:

Any communication must be done in Spanish, preferably with a picture. People gravitate toward their own language. Use generic Spanish, don’t worry about capturing different Hispanic dialects. A good reference is "Academia Real Espanol."
Be culturally sensitive.
Be relevant to lifestyle of Hispanics. Don’t apply an Anglo spin on stories targeted to Hispanics. They don’t "translate."

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(Index to articles about monthly luncheons)