Nation's Experts Discuss Future of Hispanic Marketing At All-Day Think Tank.

SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 27, 1998--To many marketing professionals, the Hispanic market is as foreign as Tierra del Fuego, Chiapas or la Guajira. Bromley Aguilar + Associates, America's leading Hispanic marketing communications company, on Thursday, Oct. 22, held its second annual Hispanic Observatory, a day-long think tank in which 100 U.S. Hispanic marketing experts convened to discuss future trends in Hispanic marketing.

One of the subjects of discussion was how language of preference affects TV viewing habits. Ceril Shagrin, senior vice president, director of market development for Nielsen Media Research, announced findings that verify that Hispanic preference for English-language programming differs greatly from that of non-Hispanics. "The language spoken in the home correlates to viewing habits more than the sum of all the other attributes," Shagrin said. "Sometimes 'The American Dream' is spoken in Spanish."

"Spanish-language TV is here. It's not going anywhere," said Jeff Valdez, producer and co-managing director of Si TV. "The world is really changing, and there is a hunger for culturally relevant programming in English. We need to see more positive Hispanic faces on the networks and cable. Now there are new choices that can provide English-language, Latino-themed programming that will not only compliment it, but offer buyers a broader appeal to reach their demos."

Just as Hispanic Americans are watching and listening to English-language media, there is a trend among general market advertisers to incorporate a Latino edge in the creative, as Hispanic culture is becoming part of mainstream America.

Adolfo Aguilar Jr., president and chief creative officer for Bromley Aguilar + Associates cited examples of how English-language, general consumer market TV commercials are getting a slice of Hispanic flavor. "One of the country's leading footwear chains sells shoes by featuring Latin dancers and music in its ad spots," said Aguilar, "and restaurant chains as 'American as Apple Pie' are now serving -- and advertising on national TV -- their own tortillas."

To address these changes in the marketplace, Ernest Bromley, chairman and CEO of Bromley Aguilar + Associates, announced a new proprietary tool the agency has developed. "Our agency made a substantial investment in what we call 'Millennium Media.' This is a media buying ethnic optimizer to assist advertisers to reach all people in the United States, effectively and efficiently. As media has changed, the critical masses also have changed."

On the Latin American front, keynote speaker, Richard Metzner, Continental Airlines' vice president marketing programs, revealed how his airline forged its way to become the second largest U.S. carrier to Latin America. The quick success was the outcome of following Continental Airlines' "Go Forward Plan," which included four key elements: "Fly to Win," "Working Together," "Make Reliability a Reality" and "Fund the Future." Additionally, Continental Airlines made a commitment to "Latinization."

"Seventy-five percent of our in-flight crews are Spanish speakers," Metzner said. "Companies that only look at things from a token standpoint are missing something. Latin America represents 13-15 percent of our total revenues. It is the market of the future, we believe."

The Hispanic market is the fastest growing market segment in the country. Bromley Aguilar + Associates has grown 400 percent since 1990. Its growth, in part, is due to its commitment to sound research and continual study and evaluation of the Hispanic market. Each Bromley Aguilar Annual Hispanic Observatory unites Hispanic market experts from around the country in an educational interactive forum.

Bromley Aguilar + Associates is a full-service marketing agency with 140 employees and $122 million in annual billings. Its prestigious client roster includes: Avon, Amoco, BMG Music, Boy Scouts of America, Burger King, Coca Cola USA, Continental Airlines, Levi Strauss & Co., M&M Mars, Procter & Gamble, General Motors and Western Union. Bromley Aguilar + Associates has twice been named "Adweek's" Agency of the Year.