themarketingmonitor

Chile is #1 in Latin America in Connectivity Technology

Developed by Nokia Siemens Network, the Connectivity Scorecard annually ranks the top 50 countries in the world in terms of how they use information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure. It also measures how much governments, businesses and consumers make use of connectivity technology. The Scorecard divides countries into 2 categories—resource-driven economies and innovation-driven economies—and ranks them accordingly.

In 2011, Chile ranked #1 in Latin America and #2 among resource-driven economies like Russia, Brazil and Mexico. Its overall score as 6.21, not far from the scores of innovation-driven economies like the United States (7.82), the United Kingdom (7.06) and Canada (6.88).

What Drove the Rank
Nokia Siemens Network cited several factors in the country’s high ICT ranking:

• Internet and broadband penetration in Chile are among the highest in the region
• Chilean businesses have a high availability of international bandwidth and strong penetration of PCs
• A high secondary school enrollment rate, which boosts its scores in terms of business usage and skills

Also cited as part of Chile’s high score was its pioneering role in terms of new technologies. Chile was the first country in Latin America to launch services like mobile WiMAX, IPTV, wireless TVoIP, triple-play services and mobile voice-to-text. Chile was the second country—after Puerto Rico—to have 3G mobile services.

To find out how we can help you reach the Chilean or Latin American markets with a precisely targeted campaign, please contact us at info@usmediaconsulting.com.

http://newsletter.usmediaconsulting.com/2011/12/chile-is-1-in-latin-america-in-connectivity-technology/

Virgin Mobile eyes youth market in bid to crack Latin America

MVNO to spend $300 million on expansion into region; Chile, Colombia launches due this year.

Wilde Media Seeks to Target Bicultural Hispanics

Many Hispanics in the US seek to find media and entertainment that resonates with their cultural experience. However, many of the programs on the major networks do not focus on what it’s like to be an American-born Hispanic. Most shows on Univison and Telemundo also fail to capture the attention of that demographic. Beginning in 2013, Wilde Media will be launching a TV network aimed at English-speaking Hispanics.

The network actually launched digitally on February 5, 2012. They will have various programming covering many different subjects and interests. As someone who fits this demographic I look to forward to learning more about this network and seeing it for myself sometime next year.

http://www.reachhispanic.com/2012/02/07/wilde-media-seeks-to-target-bicultural-hispanics/

Fox making a new move for the Hispanic Market

If you thought that in the United States we already had too many Spanish-language television networks catering to the U.S Hispanic market, you’re wrong. The latest news is that Fox International Channels (FIC) and the RCN Television Group will join powers and will launch a new Spanish-language network called MUNDOFOX LINK. The network is scheduled to launch in the 2012 Fall season.

This will be great for Latino/Hispanic viewers in the United States because this will be new content in Spanish targeting a niche of viewers who are probably tired of the same old telenovelas, movies (which are poorly translated) and sports. With the combination of Fox’s and RCN’s content, advertisers will also now be able to cater their ads to this new segment of Spanish-speaking viewers.

I am personally excited to see and compare the content of MUNDOFOX with what Univision and Telemundo already have. I think it will be great to have more choices, plus competition is what makes us all successful.

http://www.reachhispanic.com/2012/02/01/fox-making-a-new-move-for-the-hispanic-market/

Twitter Joins Facebook, Google, Launches ‘Brand Pages’ for Marketers

Twitter is looking to strengthen its relationship with advertisers by launching brand pages that will be unveiled today as part of a more comprehensive redesign.

Twitter’s existing brand pages have been under the radar, especially compared with the buildup around Google+ brand pages, which were launched last month. But Chief Revenue Officer Adam Bain said that he’s spent the better part of the past year meeting with chief marketing officers, and brand pages were a recurring and frequent request.

Disney’s Twitter ‘brand page’

Brand pages have two key elements, both of them free. They can be customized with large header images that advertisers can use to display their logo and tagline more prominently than under the standard format, where branded elements of the page design are often partially covered by the time line of tweets. Brands can also choose to keep a particular tweet at the top of their time line, and that top tweet also auto-expands to reveal an embedded photo or video from Flickr, YouTube or other sources, without requiring the user to take action.

Additionally, they separate out a brand’s @ replies and mentions, which Mr. Bain noted is important for a customer-service oriented company like JetBlue, one of the launch partners, which frequently responds to users but wanted a way to keep its messaging from getting diluted.

“A tweet’s only 140 characters,” said Mr. Bain. “[Brand page are] like an invitation to learn more. When consumers want to learn more, spend more time or get deeper in terms of engagement, we think they’ll end up on the brand page.”

Twitter is launching brand pages with 21 marketers: American Express, Best Buy, Bing, Chevrolet, Coca-Cola, Dell , Disney, General Electric, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, JetBlue, Kia, McDonald’s, Nike , PepsiCo, Staples, Verizon Communications Wireless, NYSE Euronext, Heineken, Subway and Paramount Pictures, specifically for the release of “Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol.” It has also partnered with some charities and individuals that it hasn’t disclosed.

Mr. Bain said that all the marketers involved in the launch are strategic partners and advertisers that have been involved in ongoing dialogues with Twitter.

There’s a clear application for entertainment brands like Paramount and Disney, which is promoting the upcoming movie “Brave” in its top tweet. But early-use cases are varied. Pepsi is deploying the brand page functionality for individual products such as Pepsi and Diet Pepsi . General Electric created video content for today’s launch geared toward helping consumers understand what the company does in human terms. Mr. Bain pointed toward the company as a forward-thinking marketer that will be increasingly using promoted tweets and trends to drive eyes to its brand page in 2012.

“The question for each one of these marketers is what is the interesting, compelling, provocative content that they can be putting out to a larger audience to keep that engagement high,” said Mr. Bain, adding that marketers in the launch group were already actively distributing content on Twitter but were looking for a way to make it stand out better.

For Twitter, launching brand pages could be a way of challenging Facebook’s hegemony as the secondary branded destination for a company after its own site, as well as another means of inducing big brand advertisers to loosen the purse strings by making organic and paid content more interconnected. If brand pages become enticing destinations with rich content experiences, Twitter’s advertising products become more appealing as a means of directing people there.

Twitter’s global ad revenue is projected to reach $139.5 million in 2011 and approach $400 million in 2013, according to eMarketer. It launched its advertising program in April 2010 with six advertisers signed up to use promoted tweets.

Brand pages will also ultimately be deployed for Twitter’s mobile clients, but not for today’s launch.

http://adage.com/article/digital/twitter-joins-facebook-google-launches-brand-pages-marketers/231448/

Bacardi celebrates 150th Anniversary

Bacardi Limited declared that 2012 will be its most innovative year since the creation of BACARDI rum in 1862. Throughout the year, Bacardi will host one-of-a-kind birthday parties, launch special promotions featuring 100 years of ground-breaking advertising, introduce a $2,000 limited-edition decanter of rare BACARDI rum, offer travel retail exclusives and commemorative gifts, and much more for consumers to come together and share in the excitement.

“The passion and entrepreneurial spirit shown by my great-great grandfather in Santiago de Cuba a century and a half ago gave birth to exceptional rum that would change the spirits industry forever,” said Facundo L. Bacardi, Bacardi Limited Chairman and fifth-generation Bacardi family member. “These qualities remain key to our phenomenal success and position today as the world’s favorite and most awarded rum brand, with more than 400 awards to date.”

Bacardi was founded in Santiago de Cuba on February 4, 1862, when Don Facundo Bacardi Masso purchased a small distillery. After years of experimenting, Bacardi revolutionized the spirits industry by adding steps never before used in rum-making. He selected high quality blackstrap sugarcane molasses, isolated a special strain of yeast (still used today), filtered, mellowed his rums in American white oak barrels, and then blended them to create the perfect taste. The smooth, light-bodied spirit he created, as opposed to the harsh “fire water” of the time, was BACARDI – the world’s first premium rum and the first mixable rum – helping usher in a cocktail culture that thrives today. The artful Maestros de Ron (Master Blenders) continue to follow the same exacting standards set forth by Don Facundo.

“For the past 150 years, Bacardi—as a family, Company and brand—has brought people together through legendary parties and great-tasting cocktails. Visit any bar, club or restaurant almost anywhere in the world, and the impact Bacardi has made on the spirits industry is crystal-clear,” said Seamus McBride, Bacardi Limited President and Chief Executive Officer. “It’s incredible to see how a one-brand company founded 150 years ago has grown into the third-largest spirits company in the world with an enviable portfolio of iconic spirits including GREY GOOSE vodka, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin, DEWAR’S Blended Scotch whisky, MARTINI vermouth, ERISTOFF vodka and CAZADORES 100% blue agave tequila.”

Parties, Parties, Parties!

BACARDI 150th birthday parties around the world will feature award-winning musical talent, top celebrities and other movers and shakers who, alongside consumers, will wish BACARDI happy birthday. Germany hosts the first BACARDI 150th party on January 28, followed by Canada starting February 1, and the United States, Europe, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East starting February 4. On February 4, Rolling Stone® magazine will honor BACARDI in Indianapolis the day before “the big game,” the most anticipated American football game in the U.S., with a “super” birthday party. In addition, Bacardi is thrilled to be partnering with celebrities and trendsetters in cities around the world who will throw their own events to wish BACARDI rum happy birthday.

Consumer Promotions

By visiting the BACARDI Facebook page (www.facebook.com/BACARDI), with more than two million fans, consumers of legal drinking age in select markets can vie for BACARDI 150th birthday party tickets and BACARDI party kits filled with all ingredients to host their own unforgettable gathering. In select markets, consumers will also be able to win or purchase commemorative BACARDI glassware, specialty packs and apparel featuring vintage brand advertisements and/or designs by artists of Cuban heritage.

http://hispanicad.com/cgi-bin/news/newsarticle.cgi?article_id=33605

AT&T receives high rating for inclusion of Hispanics

DALLAS, Jan. 11, 2012 — /PRNewswire/ — AT&T has received the highest rating for all telecommunication firms on the 2011 Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility´s Corporate Inclusion Index (HACR CII). AT&T was one of only two companies to achieve a 95 rating, the highest in the 2011 HACR CII. The HACR CII rates Hispanic inclusion by Fortune 100 companies and its corporate partners in the areas of workforce, procurement, philanthropy, and governance.

“AT&T continues to demonstrate its commitment to diversity with policies that ensure the inclusion of Hispanics at all levels and in every one of its varied business lines,” said Janet Murguia, chairperson of the HACR Board of Directors and president and CEO of National Council of La Raza. “AT&T is one of the few companies moving the needle in advancing full inclusion of Hispanics in this country.”

Examples of AT&T´s commitment to Hispanic inclusion are:

• A 12 percent representation of Hispanics in the AT&T workforce. The total U.S. AT&T workforce is 40 percent female and 38 percent people of color.
• Sponsorship of an award-winning employee resource group, HACEMOS (the Hispanic/Latino Employee Association of AT&T).
• A top-rated global supplier diversity program that spent more than $9.2 billion with minority, women and disabled-veteran suppliers in 2010, representing 18.8 percent of the company´s procurement base. AT&T´s goal is to achieve 21.5 percent of its procurement from diverse suppliers.
• Strong focus on the Hispanic Consumer Market, which includes converting more than 700 retail stores in high-density Hispanic markets including California, Florida, New York and Texas to a bilingual (Spanish/English) format; full online and social media presence in Spanish; a strong advertising investment in Hispanic media; and sponsorship of top-rated Hispanic music, television, sports and entertainment programs and events.
• Support of the Hispanic community by investing resources to advance education, strengthen communities and improve lives. In 2010, AT&T contributed more than $148 million to the diverse communities it serves through corporate, employee and AT&T Foundation giving programs.
• Significant representation of Hispanics in the company´s most senior ranks including Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets; Thaddeus Arroyo, chief information officer; Jose Gutierrez, president, advertising and publishing; Carmen Nava, senior vice president-Consumer Marketing; and Angie Wiskocil, senior vice president, Wi-Fi services.

“We are honored by HACR´s recognition of our holistic approach to diversity and inclusion,” said Debbie Storey, AT&T senior vice president of Talent Development and chief diversity officer. “At AT&T, diversity and inclusion are woven into all our business strategies and are key in achieving our business goals.”;

www.att.jobs

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation´s fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. A leader in mobile broadband, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T | DIRECTV brands. The company´s suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising.

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroomm and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss @ATT. Find us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ATT to discover more about our consumer and wireless services or at www.Facebook.com/ATTSmallBiz to discover more about our small business services.

©2012 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. Mobile broadband not available in all areas. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners. SOURCE AT&T Inc.

http://www.latinvisionfinance.com/eng/news/news_lvf.aspx?r=228757

Eric Osuna Named VP of Spanish Broadcasting System – Los Angeles

Respected Executive Assumes Important Role as Head of SBS Los Angeles

Spanish Broadcasting System has appointed Eric Osuna to Vice President of Sales for SBS Los Angeles. Mr. Osuna will oversee all advertising sales and operations for KLAX 97.9FM- La Raza 97.9, and KXOL 96.3FM- Latino 96.3. He will also be responsible for growing and overseeing the revenue in all of the company’s divisions for the Los Angeles market. Based in Los Angeles, California, he will report directly to Donny Hudson, VP of Consolidated Sales for SBS.

Mr. Osuna comes to SBS with 17 years of advertising sales experience. Most recently, he worked at Univision Radio as the central team manager overseeing consolidated national revenue for the Univision owned and operated stations in California including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Fresno and San Diego. Eric previously held a Sales Management position at Katz Media in Chicago and an Account Executive position at La Opinion.

Osuna is a Mexican native, born in Mazatlan, Sinaloa in Mexico and raised in Los Angeles, California. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Advertising Communication from California State University at Fullerton in 1996. Among his passions, is his affinity for outdoor activities with his family.

http://www.hispanicprblog.com/hispanic-organization-news/eric-osuna-named-vp-of-spanish-broadcasting-system-los-angeles.html

Barcelona Soccer Team Partners With Chinese Internet Firm To Develop Its Brand

http://www.psfk.com/2011/12/barcelona-soccer-team-partners-with-chinese-internet-firm-to-develop-its-brand.html

Emilio Romano Is Named President of Telemundo

Emilio Romano, a former aviation-industry and Grupo Televisa executive from Mexico, has been named president of Telemundo by NBC Universal. He starts in October and will oversee Spanish-language TV network Telemundo, Telemundo International, Telemundo’s Digital Media group, and cable channel Mun2, reporting to Lauren Zalaznick, chairman NBC Universal Entertainment and Digital Networks and Integrated Media.

Mr. Romano, 45, is president-CEO of Air Group Latin America, an investment holding company in the aerospace industry, according to his LinkedIn profile and his bio on the website of Brazilian airline TAM Linhas Aereas, whose board he joined in 2009. At the time, TAM said Mr. Romano was president-CEO of Grupo Puerta Alameda, a real-estate development and investment company with operations in the U.S. and Mexico.

NBC has been conducting a search for a president since the retirement of NBC veteran Don Browne was abruptly announced in April 2011 soon after Comcast took over NBC.

Mr. Romano began his career in the Mexican Foreign Ministry and later worked for Mexican media giant Televisa, where he was director of mergers and acquisitions and later VP of international operations in the late 1990s. He also co-managed Mexican cable network Cablevision. From 1995 to 1998, he was on the board of directors for Univision Communications, in which Televisa is a major shareholder as well as the largest program provider.

He was CEO of Mexican airline Grupo Mexicana de Aviacion from 2004 to 2007, and was responsible for the airline’s largest financial restructuring and sale to an investor group; the airline later entered bankruptcy and went out of business in 2010. He was also behind the launch of Mexico’s first low-cost carrier, Click Mexicana, now called MexicanaClick.

Mr. Romano lives in Miami with his wife and two daughters.

http://adage.com/article/hispanic-marketing/emilio-romano-named-president-telemundo/229933/