#Portada16: Are Multicultural Media Buying Agencies Necessary? -

One of the key highlights of the many sessions of #Portada16, co-produced with MediaPost last week, was the panel “Do Multicultural Media Buying Agencies have a Reason to Exist? The panelists argued passionately on a topic that is at the very crux of Multicultural Marketing and Media. The session was moderated by Zachary Rosenberg, president, Milner Butcher Media Group and the panelists were Mebrulin Francisco, Senior Partner, Director of Marketing Analytics, GroupM, Alejandro Solorio, Hispanic Marketing Director, Comcast, Gloria Constanza, Partner Chief Contact Strategist, d’exposito & Partners, Alexander Traverzo, Multicultural Marketing Manager & Strategist at Hola and Lucia Ballas Trainor, EVP of Ad Sales, Hemisphere TV.

Panelists and Zach Rosenberg, moderator.

Despite the session taking place after lunch, the audience was extremely engaged by the topic and the panelists. Panelists did not agree on many points (particularly d’exposito’s Gloria Constanza and GroupM’s Mebrulin Francisco were involved in relatively heated argument). Lisa Torres, president Multicultural at Publicis Media, participated in a related session. Below are key excerpts on what the panelists had to say:

Gloria Constanza, Partner Chief Contact Strategist, d’exposito & Partners

We should know that it is not about Total Market but about Total Relevance. A holistic approach is necessary.

Lucia Ballas Trainor, EVP of Ad Sales, Hemisphere TV

Univision and Telemundo made it all about language. Spanish became the equivalent of Hispanic Marketing. Bi-cultural is much harder to sell.

Mebrulin Francisco, Senior Partner, Director of Marketing Analytics, GroupM

The reason we exist is to drive multicultural insights. Even if all Hispanics only spoke in English. Even then, there would be important cultural insights. Language is just a component.