Response to an Article About MLS and the World Cup

This is a response to an article I just read on Ad Age. The article talks about how the MLS hired Dentsu America to help generate awareness of the MLS during the World Cup. Excuse me if this post sounds a bit abrasive, but I am so tired of the MLS treating the sport I love, fútbol, like all the other American sports.

I do agree that advertising for the MLS during the World Cup and taking a 2-week hiatus is a smart strategy for the MLS. But I question its sustainability. What will happen after the two weeks when the games get really good? Come June 26, after the Group Stage, viewership of the World Cup will definitely skyrocket, right as MLS's hiatus is over. Will viewers remember MLS or the games? The strategy seems more like temporary hype than a solid brand building strategy.

In order to reach critical mass with 90%+ attendance, MLS needs to stop treating fútbol like the rest of the sports in this country–where the fans are spectators who have either never played or stopped playing the sport after high school; where fans take a seventh-inning stretch after sitting for an hour and a half; where the fans that are sitting down yell at you for standing; where there is a pause after every minute of the game; where one player can carry an entire team… this is not fútbol–it’s soccer. And we all know soccer will never gain momentum in this country.

Fútbol is not about “community” or “tribalism” at all. This statement sounds like people are going to a game to hug-it-out over some hotdogs. Never! Fútbol is a way of life! Fútbol consumes you with rage and passion. It’s not civilized. It’s not PC. Want community? Go to a baseball game. Want tribalism? Go to Burning Man. Fútbol is not for the weak and dreary. It’s for the passionate and alive.

As a person who grew-up playing fútbol (and still plays fútbol), and watching fútbol games from Latin America, I was somewhat disappointed when I went to my first MLS game. Not only was I the loudest person in the stadium, I was told by security to keep it down. The crowd felt passion-less except for one area in the far corner–the Supporter’s Club. And I thought, “there’s a section for the fans? Who are the rest of these people?” So, I worked my way to that area several times, but was kicked out because my tickets were not from that section. Then I noticed some fans were escorted out of the area for being too rambunctious–I think they had fireworks, which was awesome!

And then it hit me. It’s not the game. It’s not the fans. The problem is with the MLS. If the MLS would only recognize how different fútbol truly is, they would start on the sustainable strategy of promoting fútbol as a way of life inside the stadium.

Fausto Gortaire
Account Director
HeadQuareters Advertising Inc.

Hispanic Cultural Leadership

Food. Flavors. Art. Movies. Premieres. Stars. Music. Rhythms. The works. Hispanics influence much of the fabric of American society, culture and state of mind. The face, taste, colors and even language evolving from the Hispanic influence in America culture helps create Hispanic Cultural Leadership.

Hispanic actors blend the lines between American and Latin culture in many movies. Movies like “Vicky, Chrisitina y Barcelona” and “Spanglish” appealed to Hispanics and the general market in very different ways.

American television has its first Hispanic TV host. The latest success of the George Lopez Show is a clear indicator o how the American audience accepts Hispanics and how Hispanic-American culture broke through American programming.

Some of the fastest growing TV programs are actually bilingual shows MTV Tres, which features both Hip Hop and Latin American artists with Video Jockies that speak both Spanish and English interchangeably.

More and more Hispanics are becoming leaders and are having greater influence on the trends and dialogue of the country. In May 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Sonia Maria Sotomayor for appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. She became the first Hispanic to become and Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

According to a study conducted by Telemundo, Hispanics out spend non-Hispanics Whites on electronics, movies, clothing, beauty products, video games, CD’s, and groceries.

In the political arena, Hispanics have become more active with their voting power inflating from 5 million to approximately 9.2 million in the past 10 years. Many actually feel that the Hispanic vote helped Obama become president in the recent presidential elections.

When one out of five teens in the US is Hispanic, Hispanics must be leading a cultural revolution in this country. Their influence on the rest of the American population is growing because they themselves are becoming an undeniably larger part of American life.

Fausto Gortaire
Account Director
HeadQuareters Advertising Inc.

Hispanic Market Relevance

The recession forces many businesses to cut programs and department budgets in order to stay afloat. Cuts in advertising to the Hispanic market are among the most common because it poses an easy solution for lowering costs, but may also present unforeseen consequences—especially from competitors that continue to advertising to Hispanics.

When a brand abandons their commitment to the Hispanic market, they are ignoring the power of emerging markets. Hispanics have a strong purchasing power that is forecasted to increase to $1.1 trillion by 2012. Though this recession affects everyone, the Hispanic market happens to be a more stable market than others because their type of work—manual and blue-collar labor—continues to be plentiful.

Also, the cost to effectively reach Hispanics is extremely competitive, not totally because of cost, but consumption. It is a know fact that Hispanics consume more media the average American. Hispanics watch an average of 17.3 hours per week of Spanish language TV and brands can reach 91% of the market with TV alone. Couple this with the fact that Hispanics use TV as a valid source of information; a smaller budget can really make an impact to any brand.

The Hispanic market is more relevant now than ever before. Investment in the Hispanic market makes sense and has the potential for exponential growth. The economic state of America affects everyone, yet Hispanics keep spending. Companies that invest now, during this recession, will ultimately capture the loyalty of the market and grow their brands.

Fausto Gortaire
Account Director
HeadQuareters Advertising Inc.

Off Language—In Culture

Twenty or so years ago, it was common to translate English ads into Spanish—this was considered Hispanic advertising. Then, as marketing to Hispanics matured, Hispanics created campaigns in Spanish, which lead to better messaging. The strategy, though, was to reach the lowest common denominator—grouping all Hispanics into one demographic target; even as a whole new generation was forming: bilingual/bicultural Hispanic kids.

Marketers considering this group figured that they would be reached through general market efforts. The assumption was that English ads would reach Hispanics that consumed English media. Clean cut marketing that makes sense. Except, the Hispanic market is not just defined by language, it is defined by its culture.

Hispanics often live in a multi-generation home. This means that elderly family members live with their children and often their grandchildren. This family structure helps older Hispanics integrate with US culture, and also helps teens remain involved with their Hispanic culture.

In order to evolve with the changing Hispanic hemisphere, marketers should incorporate a creative mix of Spanish and English properties that break the boundary of language and connect with Hispanics on a emotional and cultural level. Advertise off language but in culture.

HeadQuarters recently developed a campaign for Comcast to reach the entire Hispanic market in Northern California. The campaign was developed to connect with Hispanics on a deeper cultural level regardless of their language preference. The spots showcased a typical drama of a multi-generational Hispanic home with a banter between a grandson and grandmother.



Fausto Gortaire
Account Director
HeadQuareters Advertising Inc.