HispanicsAreDead now has a new interactive
platform, a way to connect, participate and join the movement. Let's kill "Hispanic" as
a cultural barrier and outdated consumer description of American Latinos in the US.
Featuring Kill your stereotype:
Regardless if you are American Latino or not, we all know about the "Hispanic" stereotypes
from our friends, colleagues, or even strangers. These stereotypes act as social barriers
affecting our society and it is time to eliminate them. What is the stereotype you want
to kill? Go to the DEBATE section at
http://www.hispanicsaredead.com/?pg=debate&id=3 and join the conversation.
Learn about the movement, post your comments, become an activist and vote at
www.HispanicsAreDead.com.
For American Latinos Twitter is Facebook's alter ego
When it comes to social networking there is clear difference between Facebook and Twitter for American Latinos. Some may argue Facebook has been out there longer, but how can you explain the recent jump to 22 million of American Latinos Facebook users in the last year? Others will say it's about access, well, they are both free, online and mobile. Different than other groups Facebook reflects the American Latinos' hybrid identity, not just Latino or American, or somewhere in between, or trying to be either. As we discovered, that is why almost 9 out of 10 of the new American Latinos do not have Twitter*.
Facebook is about "talking" "sharing life," it is not just about simplifying and integrating both their real lives with their virtual ones seamlessly, but actually becoming an extension of themselves from the moment they wake up, at home, while commuting, at work, with friends, at parties. It is a two-way conversation where they can engage, chose who to engage with at all times. It is social facetime value as opposed to a popularity contest.
As for Twitter, they see it more as a one-way street, "it's all about yourself," not as engaging or deep, "it's just status, not stories," and it feels more superficial. The idea of "following" someone is not as empowering. They also said Twitter feels a bit colder and more "American," and Facebook is more like them, combining emotions and technology.
What this means to brands reaching this target audience its key: it's all about creating relevant engaging content either through social media, mobile app, or on the web, that allows them to be themselves, and collaborate among their already-established network with platforms that drive participation with engaging emotions.
Check out some inspiring ideas and innovative content-driven platforms by AOL's digital prophet David Shing at AWNY's Advertising Career Conference. Great examples on how to engage with American Latinos, the leading mobile audience: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n865MWSdlo&feature=player_embedded#
*2010-2011 GC Qualitative Research, 132 American Latinos interviewed
American Latinos revamping the economy in creative ways
Since GC started the movement "Hispanics are Dead" at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity this past June, we have gotten incredibly positive reactions at industry and client conferences, meetings, through our website and online communities, on the street and one-on-one interviews. In this issue of InTrend Greencard Creative takes a closer look at how young American Latinos are becoming the next middle class of America by propelling this country economically and with a creative spark - another reason why "Hispanics are Dead."
American Latinos 22 to 29 years old are true believers in American values and the system that has helped them become who they are today and reach their future goals and dreams. They are the next creative American middle class as they are opening businesses in creative industries and want to keep educating themselves in the midst of technology and design. We are talking about the new generation of Latinos, regardless if they were born in the US or not. They are creative by nature because they come from highly visual cultures, they are resourceful and in the forefront of technology and design as they know it is the future. They are all about iPhones, and the mark Steve Jobs imprinted in our society is part of what they want to follow independent of social class, current job, country of origin or time in the US.
They are revitalizing neighborhoods both in small and big towns by opening businesses with more exotic and hybrid Latino-based dishes, fashion stores, fashion lines, music genres…all of these fall in the intersection of the Latino and American culture as they believe the power and the future depends of having both. They combine the Latin energy, emotion and a sense of community and togetherness with the entrepreneurship spirit, hard work and ethics of the American culture to protect and embrace the best of both worlds.
These learnings come from three years of cultural ethnographies, meetings and interviews with people from designers, truck drivers, data entering, dance teachers and others, talking about how they are reinventing their job to make it more creative or studying and preparing to open their own creative company.
This young generation wants and needs brands that support them in their creative pursuits and at the same time help them become better at what they do – technology, education, infrastructure, finance. But mostly they are looking for brands with American values that at the same time embrace their American Latino spirit.
As part as their 'ideas worth spreading' TedX Washington Heights shared an in-depth conversation about themes that prove "Hispanics are dead" in the context of education, creativity and women advancement as entrepreneurs. To learn more about go to: tedxtalks.ted.com
And check out the pictures of the event at: www.flickr.com
GREENCARD CREATIVE TEAMS UP WITH ACCLAIMED DESIGNER PABLO MEDINA TO INTEGRATE SOCIAL BEHAVIOR, LOCAL CULTURE AND DESIGN IN FUTURE PROJECTS.
Typography is more than just letterforms. It is history, It is communication, it is community, it is art and it is an expression of culture. For every typeface from Times Roman to Gotham, there is a story behind the letterforms. Over a chamomile tea and a cappuccino, Tatiana Pagés and I discussed the story behind my two newest typefaces, Calaveras and Diablitos.
The story began in August of 2009, a half an hour after I stepped off of the plane in Buenos Aires. There, on a street called Entre Rios, I began to photograph street signs that utilized a beautifully intricate lettering style rich with color and ornamentation. That style, I later discovered is a century-old Argentinian type of lettering and floral ornamentation called Fileteado. Fileteado is still a prominent part of the city's landscape, coloring the façades of restaurants, bars and coffee shops. Fileteado and the artisans who paint it are as essential to forming an Argentinian sensibility as a bandoleon player or a fútbol striker. This typography was just commercially released, check the website cubanica.com
Calaveras and Diablitos are two new typefaces that were inspired by Fileteado. More than just letterforms, the fonts are an expression of a Latin-American and more specifically an Argentinian spirit. Tatiana envisioned how the two fonts and their stories can interact with her work of design in Latin America. With her company's work about strategy and design and her experience with many communities in Latin America, from Chile to Ecuador, to the Dominican Republic, she also realized that typography is, as everything in design, an extension of community and culture and it can be a powerful tool in executing a green strategy.
Tatiana and I share this passion about where culture and design intersect. We finished our conversation thrilled about joining forces to continue to create design artifacts that tell these types of stories.
- Pablo A. Medina
Pablo A. Medina is a designer, typographer and professor of design at Parsons the New School for Design. In 1999, his typeface designs were included in the Design Triennial at the prestigious Cooper-Hewitt Museum. Pablo has travelled extensively throughout Latin-America documenting typography and eating as much of the local food as possible. To view his work, visit cubanica.com
GREENCARD CREATIVE BACK FROM CIMA
Greencard talks about Green Strategy at CIMA (International Environmental Summit) in Ecuador. Check out the pictures, highlights of the event and radio interview @ http://www.greencardcreative.com
GIVING BACK TO NATURE WITH INNOVATIVE SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES THAT ARE GOOD FOR THE PLANET AND THE BOTTOM LINE
Nature itself is the best example of innovation. Its beauty is the result of its functionality, "nothing is lacking, nothing is superfluous" as Leonardo Da Vinci stated. But how do we accomplish such perfect harmony in innovation, finding new flavor formulas, packaging solutions, more efficient processes and consumer connections?
We can't design new solutions to our problems or competitive strategies with the traditional business mindset. We have to create a new set of options, new possibilities, to obtain new solutions. Using the power of design helps us spring forward to an innovative place provoking emotions, connections and therefore results. When we talk about design we not only mean architects, artists or art directors; we are also talking about business and marketing strategists, program developers, sales managers and financial analysts. After all a designer is someone that transforms an existing situation into a perfected one. Without design at the core we cannot impact the process and consequently obtain new results. As Marty Neumeier says "the integration of design in every step of the process is key to innovation and differentiation."
Design for the sake of beauty and aesthetics is not good design. Design implies functionality and helps transform human behavior. Each component must have a reason for being, with no waste of materials, time, space or any kind of resources. It is about responsible solutions that respond to consumer needs. Sustainability, in one word. A green strategy that responds to social needs is the basis for new concepts, ideas and a new future: "the only sustainable way to come out of the financial and ecological crisis is promoting new economic models, new production systems and new ideas for a better living," says Ezio Manzini - influential designer, engineer, architect, educator and author.
It is about the bottom line. A sustainable strategy that is beautiful as nature for its functionality and results that are good for the planet and the bottom line.
TREND - HACKING THE STEREOTYPE: AMERICAN LATINOS ARE TECH SAVVY AND MOBILE
Language barrier, lack of resources or simply resistance to adapt to new technologies are some of the reasons people might "log them out" of the social and mobile revolution. Guess what, American Latinos are leading this revolution and over indexing vs. general market in some areas. They are tearing down the firewalls of this myth.
American Latinos are social beings, they are loud, and interacting with others is part of their nature. Imagine what happens when Latinos access a device that will allow them to stay connected, to hear and to be heard at all times...
According to a study by Scarborough Research, mobile phone use growth among US Latinos increased 26% vs. 18% for all adults since 2005. Latinos go beyond calling from their mobiles, they are texting 14% more than the general market. They are more engaged in all the features their new devices offer: they download more music, do more gaming and access social networks more than all wireless users.
Some of them have one or two cell phones, one for their day-to-day life in the States and another one they can use when they go back to their countries of origin to visit their families. Evelyn, a clerk in a salad bar in San Francisco has an extra phone, an old Blackberry that she connects via Wi-Fi to use the BBM chat with friends here and back home, given that BBM is a free service that works internationally.
Carlos for example, has been living in New York for five years. Working in a Manhattan restaurant, he is now on his second iPhone. Carlos and the kitchen staff often watch soccer matches from European and Mexican teams directly streamed on their mobile phones using an app created by justin.tv He got his first iPhone because it was a better deal than to get a new computer and a phone, "why get both when you can do so much on these new phones?" he said.
This is why it is not surprising that more than 47% of American Latinos used a handheld device to go online vs. 28% of other wireless users. This new technology is fulfilling them with a very important need, the need to stay connected, to be in touch, to be aware of what is happening in Latin America and the rest of the world. They are "in the know."
GREENCARD CREATIVE @ CIMA, THE INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SUMMIT IN ECUADOR
Next week Ecuador will host thousands of people representing the international environmental community at CIMA with keynote speaker Al Gore. The goal of the event is to raise awareness about the need to develop sustainable goods, services, programs, projects and businesses in both the public and private sectors, looking at the preservation of the environment as a long-term profitable opportunity.
Other guest speakers were invited to participate in the areas of corporate social responsibility, environmental services, and green communications including Greencard Creative. GC will hold a thirty-minute conference to discuss how a green strategy must be "an alchemy of sustainability, community, technology and design," said Chief Consumer Officer and conference speaker Tatiana Pagés.
CIMA is the first and largest international environmental event in the country and it reaffirms Ecuador's leadership position as the "Eco-Center of the World."
ECUADOR'S CASE STUDY FEATURED ON OUR NEW WEBSITE GREENCARDCREATIVE.COM
Brands, like persons, are accepted or ignored according to their level of reputation, which is built mainly of what others say about us rather than of what we say about ourselves. Brand building is unidirectional, brand reputation is multidirectional. Communication efforts don't always have an advertising tone, but often use other formats of content created strategically to provoke a second party voice as part of the brand's arguments. This was the case for the country of Ecuador.
The 'Ministerio de Coordinación de la Producción, Empleo y Competitividad' (Ministry of Production, Employment and Competitiveness) of the country of Ecuador wanted to attract innovative and sustainable foreign investors. Greencard Creative worked closely with the Ministry as consultants to help identify the barriers and develop the strategy that took Ecuador from a country brand to a green movement, positioning Ecuador as "The Eco-Center of the World."
INTREND: A CLOSER LOOK AT GREENCARD'S ECOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PLATFORM
Origomu: Change the world with your own hands. A movement with the vision of inspiring environmental awareness through design. Origomu began with a collection of artwear necklaces created from plastic six-pack rings, inspired by the impact plastic litter has on shore birds and other marine animals. From necklaces to bracelets, from cutting and reusing plastic materials to a sustainable business idea for low-income women, Origomu is changing the way we look at recycling. With the online contest, designers from around the world are helping us keep six-pack rings away from the shores:
- There are more than 400 designs submitted
- We have collected and reused almost 100,000 plastic six-pack rings to protect our shores and marine life
TREND: AMERICAN LATINO MILLENNIALS: THE NEW GENERATION OF MULTICULTURAL HYBRIDS
Latino Millennials account for 20% of this group, the largest compared to previous generations. They are more likely to be US-born and growing in an increasingly diverse environment. They are trendy, tech-savvy and optimistic, no different than their millennial counterparts, but filled with great anxiety - resisting pressures from their foreign-born parents. They feel they have a distinctive identity, and their Latino heritage makes them unique. For this generation it is "cool to be Latino" more than ever before. They have a multilayered identity and they express it in all aspects of their life.
When it comes to cooking and food, Latina Millennial Moms (almost 5M) express their identity through culinary authenticity and cultural fusion. For these cooks, food is more about urbanism, sophistication, change, modernity and improvement. They differ from the previous generation in embracing influence from the outer world: "the main difference between me and my mother is that she only cooks Mexican food, while I am in the habit of experimenting with new recipes such as Italian and Asian food" said Natalia from LA. This is why they visit a variety of stores, not just the local Latino stores, including Trader Joe's, Costo, Publix, Seven Eleven and their local Oriental markets.
TREND: LATINOS INFLUENCING THE ARTS
Latin jewelry as an expression of identity and a way to trasport culture. The "Think Again" exhibition at the MAD museum in New York showcases Latinos in America and Latin American artists using native, sustainable and contemporary materials. The cultural identity reflected in these unique pieces is no longer necessarily linked to geographical place, or to traditional territorial structures. The result is more about their routes than their roots.
"The Think Again exhibition at the MAD Museum in NYC shows the way in which visual artists and jewelry makers born or living in Latin America view and relate, through jewelry, to the continent" Valeria Vallarta Siemelik - Otro Diseno.
INSIGHT: ALL ABOUT THE SENSES...
More than nostalgia and memories from home what makes American Latinos tick is their thirst for highly sensorial experiences. American Latinos hold a higher appreciation and loyalty to brand experiences that appeal to their senses. "It is the aroma I can't resist" says a Starbucks aficionado from Santa Ana, California. Last year the penetration of single/bicultural American Latinos at Starbucks was 32% compared to 27% of the same group for non-Latinos. This group also overindex in the number of visits (6 to 13 times in the last 30 days) to the convenient global franchise that for some is considered a luxury. Starbucks is the second most visited restaurant for American Latinos who have breakfast outside of their home (19%), after McDonald's. Creating brand loyalty starts with becoming smitten with a look, a taste or an aroma.
AMERICAN LATINOS 'BLOGG-EANDO'
American Latinos are outpacing non-Hispanic whites in blogging. Almost 20% of English-preferring Latinos have a blog compared to less than 14% of non-Hispanic whites. Blogging is becoming a more popular and neutral way to connect with people from the old self and the new self.
TREND: WINE AS EXPRESSION OF CHANGE
American Latinos are driving wine consumption, accounting for 50% of growth in the wine category. Wine taps into the New Self as a social yet self-reflective drink, it's about showing people the "new me."
INSIGHT: APPEARANCE AS A REFLECTION OF IDENTITY
In beauty, American Latinos enjoy the availability and wide variety of products. They are not only experimenting with premium brands but also choosing them because they fit with the New Self. Since change is happening from outside-in, as they redefine their identity internally they are reflecting and defining themselves externally. Their beauty ritual becomes essential.
THE NEW SELF
American Latinos, in contrast to native-born Americans, are more conscious of their identity. They are hybrid individuals constantly evolving and revising who they are.They are aware of this internal New Self, which is permeable and has not yet been fully formed. They have a multilayered self and identity.
As part of the New Self, they are seeking and embracing a new lifestyle in the US that includes new behaviors and adopting new brands...
Follow us on Twitter
HispanicsAreDead now has a new interactive
platform, a way to connect, participate and join the movement. Let's kill "Hispanic" as
a cultural barrier and outdated consumer description of American Latinos in the US.
When it comes to social networking there is clear difference between Facebook and Twitter for American Latinos. Some may argue Facebook has been out there longer, but how can you explain the recent jump to 22 million of American Latinos Facebook users in the last year? Others will say it's about access, well, they are both free, online and mobile. Different than other groups Facebook reflects the American Latinos' hybrid identity, not just Latino or American, or somewhere in between, or trying to be either. As we discovered, that is why almost 9 out of 10 of the new American Latinos do not have Twitter
Typography is more than just letterforms. It is history, It is communication, it is community, it is art and it is an expression of culture. For every typeface from Times Roman to Gotham, there is a story behind the letterforms. Over a chamomile tea and a cappuccino, Tatiana Pagés and I discussed the story behind my two newest typefaces, Calaveras and Diablitos.
Nature itself is the best example of innovation. Its beauty is the result of its functionality, "nothing is lacking, nothing is superfluous" as Leonardo Da Vinci stated. But how do we accomplish such perfect harmony in innovation, finding new flavor formulas, packaging solutions, more efficient processes and consumer connections?
Language barrier, lack of resources or simply resistance to adapt to new technologies are some of the reasons people might "log them out" of the social and mobile revolution. Guess what, American Latinos are leading this revolution and over indexing vs. general market in some areas. They are tearing down the firewalls of this myth.
Next week Ecuador will host thousands of people representing the international environmental community at CIMA with keynote speaker Al Gore. The goal of the event is to raise awareness about the need to develop sustainable goods, services, programs, projects and businesses in both the public and private sectors, looking at the preservation of the environment as a long-term profitable opportunity.
Brands, like persons, are accepted or ignored according to their level of reputation, which is built mainly of what others say about us rather than of what we say about ourselves. Brand building is unidirectional, brand reputation is multidirectional. Communication efforts don't always have an advertising tone, but often use other formats of content created strategically to provoke a second party voice as part of the brand's arguments. This was the case for the country of Ecuador.
Origomu: Change the world with your own hands. A movement with the vision of inspiring environmental awareness through design. Origomu began with a collection of artwear necklaces created from plastic six-pack rings, inspired by the impact plastic litter has on shore birds and other marine animals. From necklaces to bracelets, from cutting and reusing plastic materials to a sustainable business idea for low-income women, Origomu is changing the way we look at recycling. With the online contest, designers from around the world are helping us keep six-pack rings away from the shores:
Latino Millennials account for 20% of this group, the largest compared to previous generations. They are more likely to be US-born and growing in an increasingly diverse environment. They are trendy, tech-savvy and optimistic, no different than their millennial counterparts, but filled with great anxiety - resisting pressures from their foreign-born parents. They feel they have a distinctive identity, and their Latino heritage makes them unique. For this generation it is "cool to be Latino" more than ever before. They have a multilayered identity and they express it in all aspects of their life.
Latin jewelry as an expression of identity and a way to trasport culture. The "Think Again" exhibition at the MAD museum in New York showcases Latinos in America and Latin American artists using native, sustainable and contemporary materials. The cultural identity reflected in these unique pieces is no longer necessarily linked to geographical place, or to traditional territorial structures. The result is more about their routes than their roots.
More than nostalgia and memories from home what makes American Latinos tick is their thirst for highly sensorial experiences. American Latinos hold a higher appreciation and loyalty to brand experiences that appeal to their senses. "It is the aroma I can't resist" says a Starbucks aficionado from Santa Ana, California. Last year the penetration of single/bicultural American Latinos at Starbucks was 32% compared to 27% of the same group for non-Latinos. This group also overindex in the number of visits (6 to 13 times in the last 30 days) to the convenient global franchise that for some is considered a luxury. Starbucks is the second most visited restaurant for American Latinos who have breakfast outside of their home (19%), after McDonald's. Creating brand loyalty starts with becoming smitten with a look, a taste or an aroma.
American Latinos are driving wine consumption, accounting for 50% of growth in the wine category. Wine taps into the New Self as a social yet self-reflective drink, it's about showing people the "new me."
In beauty, American Latinos enjoy the availability and wide variety of products. They are not only experimenting with premium brands but also choosing them because they fit with the New Self. Since change is happening from outside-in, as they redefine their identity internally they are reflecting and defining themselves externally. Their beauty ritual becomes essential.