For those of you left wondering… It should be “aprobado” and not “aprovado” for this abuela.
Category: Marketing & Advertising
Mexican Barbie Is Documented; Comes with Passport
The folks over at Mattel are so smart, that not only they have come up with a Mexican Barbie, but they have given her all the possible tools to go around the U.S. the world undisturbed.
In addition to a “wonderfully bright pink dress with ribbon accents,” Mexican Barbie comes fashionably ready for a fiesta with her Chihuahua friend (we all do.) But that is not all: According to Mattel, this beauty features accessories that “add play value,” including a passport and sticker sheet.
It is not for me to inform you about the “play value” that a passport provides, so go ahead! Play with your Barbie Mexicana and don’t even think of calling her indocumentada. Oh, and she can be yours for only $24.50 on Amazon.com
IMPORTANT UPDATE: This blogger has found a Mexican Ken to go with the Mexican Barbie. Here it is:
Univision’s Bárbara Bermudo Launches Clothing Line at -Where Else?- Pompis Store
Latino celebrities are a resourceful bunch. Not content with having the main role on a telenovela, host a network’s most successful TV show or sell out music venues worldwide, they can easily switch gears to sell bottled water, flavored chips and/or their own fragrances.
The turn is now for the sculptural Bárbara Bermudo, host of Univision’s Primer Impacto, who this week announced with great fanfare the launch of CAMI, a clothing, shoe and fashion line inspired on her two daughters (Camila and Mía.)
If you know Bárbara Bermudo you’d agree with me that she is known almost as much for her curves than for her intellectual stamina. So it is no surprise her clothing line will be sold at Puerto Rico’s famed Pompis Stores. [NOTE FOR THE MONOLINGUAL CROWD: I urge you to look up the word “pompis” so you can appreciate the true scope of this venture.]
With the launch at Pompis Store, Bermudo and her bundles of joy are joining yet another “pompous” Latina: Maripili, whose Maripili Jeans are a thing of beauty.
Behold…
It’s National Paella Day! [and I Have No Idea Why]
I just woke up to the news that March 27 is National Paella Day in the U.S., yet another reminder of the weirdness of living in a country obsessed with bizarre celebrations and holidays.
But, as they say, when in Rome, do as the Romans do, and so hereby I’m paying tribute to Spain’s national dish by sharing one of my favorite ads featuring a “paella de pollo.”
NOTE: I am sorry, but this piece can only be appreciated by those who master the Spanish language. Enjoy!
Shocking: Hispanics Buy Non-Hispanic Stuff at the Supermarket
I love Hispanic research, don’t you? And that’s because you get to learn some amazing stuff. For instance, how my people (i.e. The Hispanics) approach grocery shopping.
Take the latest research, stating that Hispanics are as “eclectic” as non-Hispanics when they go shopping, meaning we don’t only go to the supermarket to buy stuff like tamales, pinole, piñatas, nopales and mole Doña María. In fact, according to a recent online survey conducted by Meredith Corporation:
“Latinas confirmed that they are not only shopping the Hispanic aisle – they have eclectic palettes and enjoy cooking a wide variety of foods”.
So don’t believe everything they tell you about my people. We (i.e. The Hispanics) are so eclectic that in fact have joined forces with the Chinese to come up with this:
This Whole Colombia-not-Columbia Thing is Getting Out of Control
Photo: Laura Martínez (109 & Broadway)
#ItsColombiaNotColumbia
Upon Helping America Re-elect Barack Obama, Eva Longoria Moves on to Pick New Potato Chip Flavor
Eva Longoria, this blogger’s favorite retro-acculturated Latina, might have been successful in her quest to get Barack Obama re-elected. But this time she needs your vote to accomplish something yet more significant -and potentially delicious: She wants your VOTE to help Lay’s choose its next flavor of potato chips.
Sí, señor. Longoria (aka “La Prieta Faya”) this morning visited New York City to ring NYSE’s bell on behalf of Lay’s and even spoke to Fox News about her latest campaign, Do Us A Flavor, urging Americans to vote among three potato chip flavors: Cheesy Garlic Bread; Chicken and Waffles and Sriracha.
But. Wait. No tortilla española, nor tamal-flavored chips?!!? I’m afraid La Prieta Faya is losing her Latin touch, so I’d better stick to my Cannabis-infused tortilla chips.
¡Ajúa!
Kraft Adds Chorizo to Give Lasagna a “Latin Twist”
Don’t you just love it when marketers go out of their way to cater to our fine Hispanic palate?
Here’s a video of a very cheerful person named Alison teaching us how to give a Latin twist to a regular, non-Latin-twisted Lasagna. The concoction contains frozen chopped spinach, tons of ricotta cheese, chorizo, Philadelphia, shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Yummy!
NOTE: Serve warm. Enjoy. Schedule a doctor’s appointment for a coronary artery disease exam. ASAP.
God Created a Farmer; RAM Made a Macho out of Juanes
Hispanic news outlets and bloggers continue to blast RAM’s God Created a Farmer for forgetting to acknowledge what “real farmers” in America are all about. What RAM critics fail to see is that the automaker’s Hispanic campaign actually features a “really real” macho troca-driver; a tough hombre who would do whatever it takes to get ahead, even if that means driving around in a gas guzzler.
Sí, señor. In order to pitch their trocas among the Latino macho in you, RAM has picked none other than the gentle, baby-faced, environmentally friendly Juanes, who is featured driving around a RAM truck for some inexplicable reason.
Really, RAM?!
Really, Juanes?!
This blogger has only one thing to say. Ha ha ha ha. Or -as we say in Spanish- ja ja ja ja.
OMG You Guys! The Estefans Are Coming to Broadway
Well, not quite yet. But Estefan Enterprises and the Nederlander Organization today announced a plan “to develop and produce a new Broadway show inspired by the music made famous by Gloria Estefan and her husband musician/producer and entrepreneur Emilio Estefan.”
Per a press release:
“The musical will be set in a way that tells the Estefans’ riveting life story detailing their journey all the way from Cuba to superstardom.”
Details are still sketchy, but this blogger will be very, very interested in seeing how the whole thing turns out. One thing I can tell you for sure: Should the Broadway musical come to fruition, I’m sure Mr. Estefan will produce a kick-ass DVD, which will then be properly included among Emilio Estefan Picks for Target Stores, which -as this blog accurately reported– include tons of Emilio Estefan stuff.
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Cubans ‘Avanzan Confiados’ with Chevrolet, not Toyota
Remember Toyota’s ‘Avanza Confiado’ tagline for the U.S. Hispanic market? Well, it seems the automaker hasn’t used it for a while, hopefully apparently because 1) It sounds awful and/or 2) They found a better copywriter.
Either way, that doesn’t seem to bother this Chevrolet owner in Viñales, Cuba, who was proudly driving around in a 1950’s Chevrolet which -by the way- seemed to avanzar lento, pero con mucha confianza.
Photos: Laura Martínez. Valle de Viñales, Cuba 2013
Cuba’s Answer to Coca-Cola: Refreshing ‘Your Ass’
Cubans might not have access to Coca-Cola, but who cares when you can enjoy a refreshing beverage called TuKola?
I am sure my advertising and marketing peeps will help me come up with a great tagline for this awesome product. Here´s what my brother came up with:
“Si quieres refrescar algo… que sea TuKola”
Photo: Laura Martínez (Havana, 2013)
Rubén Darío Inspires Best Smoking Warning. Ever.
Who said Latin American poetry and health warnings don’t go hand in hand?
Photo: Laura Martínez. 2013
Looking for a Place to Fix Your Latino Computer?
In an increasingly Latinoized USA, we have seen (and this blog has dutifully documented) the birth of the Hispanic cheese; the deliciously weird tortilla-flavored chocolates; the Mexican Coca-Cola and even a Hispanic lettuce to go with your Hispanic tuna and your Hispanic mayonnaise.
So it was just a matter of time before small business owners jumped on the Latino wagon to create culturally-relevant businesses, like this computer store and Internet service outlet I spotted last weekend in Silver Spring, MD.
Pivotal PR Thinks this Press Release is in Spanish
UPDATE: Nicole Wool, a publicist for Allison Pescosolido, sent me an email explaining what had happened with the Spanish-language pitch on behalf of her client. You can scroll down to the end of this post to read her email (unedited.)
A PR executive in Los Angeles (I’ve withheld his name) sent me the following press release in what he believes is the Spanish language. Not only the letter is plagued with typos and grammatical errors, but it includes several made-up words and phrases that can actually be very amusing (i.e. He wants to physically introduce one of his clients into my humble anatomy.) He also thinks his client (the same client who will be introduced inside myself) can help couples deal with stuff like the “brokerage” of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. Truly amusing, I tell you.
Let’s tally the grammatical errors, shall we?:
Hola Laura- Espero que estes bien y que tu semana a empesado con tranquilidad.
Te quiero intruducir a un cliente mio que se llama Allison Pescosolido MA. Allison es una expert en relaciones y es la fundadora de la series educacionales – Divorce Detox. La maravilla es que Allison ayuda a gente con sus relaciones etc. y trabaja mucho con la communidad latina. So no solamente relaciones si no cuando pase un divorcio como ser buenos padres, que es saludable para los ninos, como tartar espiritualmente, pshycologicamente y como sobresalir algo tan dificil. Ciendo una expert en el divorcio le ayudado tambien hacer una expert en relaciones que acaban de empesar. Ayudar y notar signos de alarma, como negociar, y como escojar parejas y trabajar por situaciones que pueden ser impossible de controlar.
En addicion Allison has trabajado con estrellas de Hollywood- Nombrandoce una experta de las estrellas, su trabajo ha apparecido en E!, Access Hollywood, y Hollyscoop y en las revistas de OK! Magazine, Life & Style, NY Times y muchos mas.
Unos topicos que quisiera voluntary para tu audencia y la communidad Latina incluyen:
– Como Sobrevivir los dias festivos: Las primeras vacaciones sin tu esposo o esposa, las primeras vacaciones sin tus hijos y creando nuevas tradiciones.
-Relaciones de larga distancia y como hacer las trabajar.
–Sobreviendo Infedilidad
–Soporte a la infancia y las leyes: Cosas que todos papas deverian de saber.
-Relaciones de los celebridades y las rompesas de relaciones como Tom Cruise/Katie Holmes o Kanye West/Kim Kardashian cuando tengas una historia de divorcio, compromise o historias de relaciones.
– Consejos de relaciones: donde conocer personas, como hacer espacio por algiuen nuevo cuando estas muy ocupado, que signos son alambrantes.
-Consejos generales de divorcio: como mantener una relacion saludable o como ser buenos padres despues de un divorcio.
Por favor dejame saber si esto es algo que te interasa– quisiera trabajar con tigo! Aprecio tu ayuda y espero con interes escuchar sus pensamientos.
XXXXXXXX
Account Executive | Pivotal Public Relations
544 South San Vicente Boulevard | Los Angeles | CA 90048
@pivotalpr
_______________________________________________________________
Here is the response of Ms. Wool, sent on Nov. 16, 2012.
Hi Laura:
My name is Nicole Wool. I am the publicist for Allison Pescosolido. I saw the release that you posted from Pivotal PR regarding Allison. I am so very sorry. Pivotal was handling elements of Allison’s campaign, and a publicist in that office who is Latin, translated this pitch on the publicist’s (John’s) behalf. Unbeknownst to John and contrary to what John’s colleague represented, her Spanish is clearly not strong.
Is there any way you might please consider taking down your post? I realize it must have come off as insulting and inexperienced. However, it is terribly embarrassing to Allison. She did not approve this pitch, nor did she have any awareness that the PR firm sent it out on her behalf. She is a great expert and doesn’t deserve to be collateral damage in what was clearly a major mistake. She has worked very hard to build an excellent reputation and helped many people.
Might you please consider taking it down? I am happy to discuss this with you and to do whatever it takes to make this right.
Nicole Wool | CEO
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