AHAA Newsletter

AHAA 2008 CREATIVE AND ACCOUNT PLANNING CONFERENCE
September 10-12 in Los Angeles, CA at the Beverly Hills Hilton

American culture is drastically changing --- thanks in large measure to Latino influence --- and advertising is increasingly morphing into another form entertainment. AHAA member agencies have an opportunity to be leaders, not followers, in this change. So we’ve invited preeminent leaders from many walks of life --- the performing arts, television, film, music and other areas to share with us their insight and experience on what it takes to be a leader.

AHAA’s “Look Who’s Leading” conference is designed to create an environment in which ideas, perspectives and insights on Latino consumers can be shared, discussed and debated. Some sessions are intended to provoke the kind of discussion that’s necessary for the creative and planning process, others will showcase creative excellence, while others will remind us that our consumers are part of a powerful and growing community. In all sessions, the importance in exercising leadership and writing our own rules will dominate.

For more details including a complete agenda, confirmed speakers, and registration information visit our conference micro site at: www.lookwhosleading.com

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INDUSTRY MOURNS PASSING OF PIONEER PABLO RAUL ALARCON, SR.
Founded Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS) in 1983

Pablo Raul Alarcón Sr., founder and Director Emeritus of Spanish Broadcasting System passed away last month.

Mr. Alarcón, a pioneer in Spanish radio, left Cuba, and the radio company he had founded there, following Fidel Castro's rise to power. He re-established his radio career in the United States, and in 1983, he purchased his first radio station.

Twenty-five years later, SBS -- now headed by Alarcon's son, company Chairman/President/CEO Raúl Alarcón Jr. -- owns 20 radio stations and is one of the largest and best-known broadcasting companies in the country. Mr. Alarcón served as President of the board of directors of SBS until November 1999.

On behalf of the AHAA Board of Directors and our members we extend our condolences to the SBS family.

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HISPANICAD.COM AND AHAA PRESENT 3rd ANNUAL HISPANIC ACCOUNT PLANNING EXCELENCIA (HAPE) AWARDS
Awards to be Presented at AHAA's Upcoming Conference in Los Angeles.

We invite all account planners to select their best work, write their story and share it with us. Your participation will once again demonstrate the high caliber planning that is steadily improving the quality of work we produce for clients. Your submissions are critical to ensure that we continue to make the planning discipline even stronger and more relevant.

This year's categories have changed from having three categories based on the level of differentiation of each case's strategy with respect to the general market work to more of a focus on the strategic planners “oficio”. It makes this year's awards so much more challenging and centered on the way that the strategic thinking contributes to our market growth.

With this new philosophy in mind, we'll award the best strategic thinking based on creating new opportunities for products and services in the Hispanic market as well as the best inspiration of creativity that builds and keeps brands relevant to Latino consumers (even if they are not based on “cultural” insight). We are also creating a new category to recognize the contribution of strategic planning in the development of integrated communication platforms.

In addition we will recognize the best young planner, the best usage of research in the strategic process and the best communication strategy targeting young urban ethnic groups.

The 2008 awards will only concentrate on work completed during the past year (from June 2007 to submission date).

This year's judges include seasoned and awarded planners, creatives and account executives from both Latino and general market agencies. It includes 2007 HAPE winner Ken Muench Account Planner for Grupo Gallegos; Tracy Lowett, WW Strategic Planning Director for BBDO; Andrew Speyer, head of planning at Zubi; Jenn Urich from eedexperience; Gustavo Lauria from la comunidad and Carlos Pérez, partner in BBDO Argentina.

The deadline for submission of entries is 12:00 p.m. EST on August 1, 2008. Each entry fee is $150.

AHAA LAUNCHES GROUP ON FACEBOOK
Join the AHAA Facebook Group Today – more than 225 members already connected!

Come write on our wall, poke an old colleague, tag photos of your friends or join the latest discussion of dicey industry topics. Last month, AHAA created a Facebook group to develop a community of people and events related to Hispanic-specialized advertising using one of the most popular new media tools. “AHAA agencies are masters at social media strategies and creativity,” says José López-Varela, chairman of AHAA. “It only made sense to use this widely accepted platform as a way to connect our members and bring others into the Hispanic advertising conversation.”

On AHAA’s Facebook page, you’ll find photos from the April conference, messages from visitors, video links, job postings, internships and event announcements. But most importantly, you’ll find a dynamic venue for you to share and interact with friends in and around the industry. Visit the page and start a new discussion topic or just post a comment. We want you to become a member of the AHAA Facebook group.

If you don’t have a Facebook page, go to www.facebook.com, and create a profile page then join the AHAA group, search for your friends and invite them to join AHAA so our group gets bigger and more robust with new views, comments, photos, ideas and members. It’s really easy, it’s free and we want to connect with you.

By the way, did you know that AHAA posted some of the conference presentations on YouTube and created a Podcast of Ralph de la Vega’s keynote speech. Check it out on the AHAA Facebook page.

REACH THE HISPANIC MARKET WITH PR NEWSWIRE'S POWERFUL DISTRIBUTION NETWORK
Send your Communication to Hispanic Web sites - for FREE!*

Join PR Newswire between now and August 31 and you will be automatically entered for a chance to win a FREE Hispanic Web-only news distribution. TWO (2) winners will be selected to receive free distribution valued at $175, and every organization will also receive free membership ($195 value).*

Successfully showcase your business with PR Newswire's powerful, targeted Hispanic online distribution and reach Web sites where thousands of Hispanic media, bloggers and consumers are, so you can generate interest among those who can help you gain success. Hispanic PR Wire, a service of PR Newswire, offers an array of options for targeting your message to the Hispanic audience with pinpoint accuracy.

Your message will reach:
• More than 90 Web sites, search engines and online databases such as Yahoo!Telemundo, LatinaStyle, Terra, and more.
• PR Newswire’s media-only Web site where more than 85,000 credentialed journalists go to get news and information
• Journalists looking for expert quotes when working on deadline
• Venture capitalists and other potential investment sources

At no charge you will also receive:
• Actionable intelligence with PR Newswire ReleaseWatch™ reporting designed to provide you with a clear target for maximum impact.

Reach the Hispanic Market with PR Newswire’s Powerful Distribution Network
Send your communication to Hispanic Web sites - for FREE!*

Visit the PR Toolkit today to take advantage of the waived PR Newswire membership fee and a chance to win a FREE Hispanic Web-only distribution* ($175 value) during the month of July and August. Complete our Request More Information form and a PR Newswire Representative will contact you within one business day.

Also included with your waived annual membership – more than $2,000 in free and discounted services:

- Waiver of first year PR Newswire membership fee (value of $195)
- FREE MediaAtlas™ Microlist with first domestic news distribution (value up to $525)
- Discounts on eWatch™ Web Pubs (up to 50% OFF)
- Discounts on ProfNetSM (50% OFF)
- Discount on Interactivo Multimedia New Release (30% OFF)

*Contest Rules: Contest eligibility and membership benefits are only available to new PR Newswire members. Our two (2) winners will be randomly chosen to receive a free Hispanic Web-only distribution (valued at $175) on September 1, 2008. New Members must sign up between July 22 and August 31 in order to be eligible for the Hispanic Web-only distribution giveaway. The waived annual membership fee and more than $2,000 in free or discounted services are available to all new PR Newswire members beyond the contest dates of July 22-August 31, 2008.

A MILLION HOURS OF REMARKABLE FOOTAGE NOW 15% OFF FOR AHAA MEMBERS
Introducing BBC Motion Gallery. Your resource for production-ready motion imagery.

With the cost of original production continuing to skyrocket, and with clients becoming ever more demanding about the quality of their commercial production, every agency needs to have a trick up their sleeve to make the impossible possible. That’s where our friends at BBC Motion Gallery come in.

BBC Motion Gallery offers you easy access to one of the most remarkable collections of footage on earth, with tens of thousands of clips online, and over a million hours of footage offline. The footage encompasses almost every subject imaginable, and dates back as far as 70 years. Here you will discover shots you simply cannot find anywhere else—everything from rare historical moments, candid personalities, stunning news coverage and a vast selection of shots that are perfect for commercial use. And of course, with HD being so important these days, BBC Motion Gallery offers one of the broadest selections of HD footage anywhere—and when you see the footage, it’s simply jaw-dropping.

When you call on BBC Motion Gallery, not only will you be tapping into the almost endless archive of the BBC, but many of the world’s greatest footage resources, including CBS News, NHK Japan, CCTV China and ABC Australia, to name but a few.

Using bbcmotiongallery.com,you can search by keyword, view clips, download showreels, inspire your creativity, collaborate and share with clients and make arrangements to get your footage. BBC Motion Gallery also offers expert research assistance, free broadcast-quality non watermarked files for pitches and digital screeners to help you along the way.

Naturally, one of our favorite things about BBC Motion Gallery is that they provide a global perspective in both their footage and the way they work with clients. They’re multi-cultural, and for members of AHAA, this is particularly useful as your account executive will not only speak Spanish, but they have a deep understanding of the diversity of the audiences we serve. This can save you a world of time, and find you the exact shots you need to give your project extraordinary production values.

And what about pricing? Glad you asked. BBC Motion Gallery prides itself on helping you save money. They’re flexible, friendly, and in it to build long-term relationships. The staff profoundly understands the many hurdles you face in terms of time and money, and they’re expert at helping you overcome them.

And now, as a special bonus for AHAA members, BBC Motion Gallery offers a 15% discount on their entire library of rights-managed footage, a substantial savings by any measure.

We encourage you to take advantage of this terrific offer and to discover the creative potential of utilizing BBC Motion Gallery.

For more information, visit bbcmotiongallery.com, or speak with our key contact in the New York office, Maria Arenas, at 212-705-9378.

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AHAA REACHES OUT TO MEMBERS TO HELP PROMOTE INTERNSHIPS
Submit Your Internship Opportunities Today!

AHAA has devoted a section of its Web site (CLICK HERE TO CHECK LATEST POSTINGS) to student internship opportunities and we encourage all of our members – agencies and associates – to submit internships available within your organization via email at internships@ahaa.org. We want AHAA to serve as clearinghouse for students to connect with members and for members to access a larger group of candidates.

Please submit a brief description of the internship, qualifications, and contact information for the student to respond. This will be an ongoing service so anytime an internship opportunity arises or is filled, please visit the AHAA Web site and send an email with the details and the AHAA staff members will post the notice.

If you don’t have an internship program, perhaps you might consider creating one. Internships offer students hands-on job experience; networking; real-life insight into their academics; and an understanding of the profession and the professional environment are some of the many benefits for undergraduates and graduates. And for the employer, you get fresh ideas and perspective, an extra pair of hands during busy times, and a preview of potential employees at a fraction of the cost.

If you need additional copies of the 2008 AHAA Standard Directory of Hispanic Advertising Agencies, the most comprehensive directory in the industry, just click here. We still have some copies left.