Write Angle Film writing Contest from B4U and Sulekha a Huge Success
 

The "Write Angle" global contest for great movie ideas, organized by B4U and co-sponsored by MetLife, closed for submissions on March 15, 2002, as a great success attracting more than 1,800 entries.

The Write Angle contest, aimed to spot originality and creativity in film writing by Indians and Indophiles worldwide, offers them an unprecedented opportunity of making a Bollywood film next year.  The contest was conducted at Sulekha the biggest and most acclaimed online community for Indians worldwide, sustained solely by the creative contributions of its members.

Write Angle's panel of judges and internationally acclaimed filmmakers -- Shyam Benegal, Javed Akhtar, Mahesh Bhatt, Mira Nair, Tanuja Chandra, Farook Dhondy, John Mathan, Honey Irani and Santosh Sivan -- are reviewing the entries and will, in June, announce the winning movie idea entries.  The contest sponsors are working with production houses to arrange for one of the three winning scripts to be produced as a fully developed feature film.

Satya Prabhakar, CEO of Sulekha said,  "The size of the response was quite unexpected even to us at Sulekha. The lure of Bollywood and the awesome intellectual prowess of the global Indian community is indisputable.'

Hari Srinivas, U.S. Country Head of B4U, remarked, "There have been numerous reports in the recent past, following the critical acclaim and commercial success of the movie, Lagaan, that the Indian film industry is poised for a major leap forward. Good movie concepts and scripts will aid in gaining greater global acceptance for Indian films. Write Angle promises to be a productive source of great ideas for the Indian film industry."

Tariq Khan said "The creative vibrancy of the South Asian community has never been more apparent.  The response to the Write Angle contest has been truly phenomenal."

Satya Prahakar added, "The success of the Write Angle effort proves that there are those in the movie-going audience who have the talent and the inclination to propose creative movie ideas."
 

McDONALD'S CONTINUES DOLLAR MENU BRAND CAMPAIGN WITH BILINGUAL SPOTS
Latin Diva Daisy Fuentes Adds Spice to McDonald's Line-up
 

New York, NY - June 13, 2002 - McDonald's restaurants continues to target the U.S. Hispanic by launching a culturally relevant Dollar Menu brand campaign
The campaign, "You Know What You Want", speaks to the consumer benefits of the McDonald's Dollar Menu - taste, choice, control and individuality. Using celebrity talent, the campaign angle for the brand positioning is "your taste, your appetite, your dollar.McDonald's Dollar Menu - you know what you want." This unprecedented bilingual advertising campaign features Latin superstar Daisy Fuentes. The Spanish-language campaign broke in the New York / New Jersey / Connecticut tri-state area in May, and the English-language spots are currently in general market rotation.
Daisy Fuentes is not only very well known in the Hispanic community, she has an extensive crossover appeal both culturally and geographically. "We liked The  recommendation of producing both Spanish and English-language versions to reach the entire U.S. Hispanic population," said Elena Ramos, Senior Director of Marketing, East Division at McDonald's. "Daisy English will be viewed by a mainstream Hispanic audience - widening our reach. Instead of 80% of the Hispanic pie, we now will reach 100%."

 The first round of Hispanic advertising broke in the New York City and Hartford markets in May 2002 and may appear in other markets in the East region shortly thereafter.

INFKT truth(sm) RETURNS FOR ENCORE SUMMER TOUR HITTING 41 STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WITH KICKOFFS IN NYC AND HOLLYWOOD

 truth(sm), the largest anti-tobacco campaign for teens, kicks off its summer 2002 INFKT truth(sm) Tour (pronounced "infect") with events in two major cities, one on each coast.  The action-packed tour starts on June 13th in New York City's famous Washington Square Park, and continues on June 15th at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, California.  The tour runs through September 2002 with stops in other major cities: Chicago, Atlanta, Kansas City, Seattle and Denver.

The INFKT truth(sm) Tour delivers strong messages on the deadly toll of tobacco and the tobacco industry's marketing practices to teens at some of the summer's hottest teen events and venues.  Throughout the summer, 60 truth(sm)  youth marketers will reach out to young people at these events and spread knowledge about tobacco to hundreds of thousands of teens with truth(sm).

The INFKT truth(sm) Tour arrives at events in high-tech truth(sm) trucks rigged with state-of-the-art DJ equipment and video monitors, video gaming stations, XM satellite radios, and Internet access.

Next Thursday in New York City, from 4pm - 6pm, the public celebration will be hosted by BET Rap City's Big Tigger and Direct EFX's LaLa. The X-ecutioners and the legendary Jam Master Jay of Run DMC will bring their raw deejay skills to center stage to spin the hottest beats. Graffiti legend Lee Quinones will paint his interpretation of the truth(sm) logo on the truth(sm) truck, and the Rock Steady Crew featuring Crazy Legs will perform a hip hop show.  DJ lessons will be provided by the Scratch DJ Academy and graffiti lessons will be provided by Ease. 

Between 12 noon - 2pm next Saturday in Hollywood, just outside of Soundstage 9 on the Raleigh Studios lot, X-Games Gold medalist "Mad" Mike will go off with a freestyle demo that will include "Mad" signature jumps over the 22-foot truth(sm) truck. Christian and Grayson Fletcher will ride an actual jump box set up inside Soundstage 9 with MC commentary provided by Mike Escamilla. Hot beats are courtesy of LA's dopest morning duo, the Baka Boyz, and graffiti legend Lee Quinones will paint his interpretation of the truth(sm) logo on the event's truth(sm) truck.  Scratch lessons will also be available there for teens through the Scratch Academy.  Attendees should mention truthsm at the Clinton Gate to gain complimentary access.

The press and public attendees are welcome to attend all the events.

"The INFKT truth(sm) Tour is a grassroots counter marketing campaign created to reach teens on their own terms, in their own places, with their own role models," said Cheryl Healton, president and CEO of the American Legacy Foundation®, which sponsors the truth(sm) campaign.

Last summer, the 2001 truth(sm) tour made stops at MTV's Beach House in Florida, the FOX Teen Choice Awards in Los Angeles, TRL in Times Square, and the Hot 97 Birthday Bash in Atlanta - hitting more than 754 events, in 158 cities within 29 states and reaching more than 6.5 million people with the life-saving truth(sm)  message.

This year, the 2002 INFKT truth(sm) Tour  focuses on seven major national markets with tour stops scheduled in conjunction with the Vans Warped Tour, the Triple Crown Series, the Core Extreme Sports Tour (formerly known as Panasonic Shockwave), the Source Awards and the And1 Basketball Tour. The tour will bring tobacco counter marketing to a wide array of local and regional teen-type events throughout the country.  truth(sm)  marketers will spread the word at events ranging from the mainstream to the culturally diverse and will include concerts, festivals, parades, malls, arcades, action sports events, streetball tourneys, movie premieres, skateparks and beaches.

The 2002 INFKT truth(sm) Tour will roll out online at www.thetruth.com.  On the site, users will have an opportunity to experience the tour even if they can't participate in person.  Users can learn about the the truth(sm)  movement; meet truth(sm) marketers and DJ's out on tour; purchase INFKT truth(sm) gear; see footage of previous events; find out where upcoming events will be taking place; suggest events in their hometowns; read and submit content to an online zine; explore ways to get involved; and participate in real time conversations with other teens on hot issues. The truth(sm) website receives approximately 500,000 visitors per month.

Arnold Brand Promotions, a division of Arnold Worldwide, in conjunction with Crispin Porter + Bogusky is responsible for the planning, design and oversight of the INFKT truth(sm) Tour. GTM.It means a lot, manages youth marketing recruiting, guerilla marketing execution and operations and the ad*itive, a cultural marketing communications company, oversees public relations.

The award-winning truth(sm) campaign was recently hailed for helping to reduce youth smoking rates. The "Monitoring the Future" study, released in December 2001, reported dramatic declines in smoking rates among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders and cited the truth(sm) campaign as one of the reasons for this public health victory.  The study was sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and conducted by the University of Michigan.

truth(sm), launched in February 2000, is the largest national smoking prevention campaign for youth ever conducted. The campaign exposes the tactics of tobacco marketing and allows teens to make informed choices about tobacco use by giving teens the facts about the tobacco industry and its products. The campaign is funded by the American Legacy Foundation®, which was created by the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement between the tobacco industry and 46 states. To find out more about the INFKT truth(sm) Tour, go to www.thetruthpress.com.

the ad*itive is a cultural marketing communications company described as "people scientists" specializing in connecting brands to individuals within the increasingly diverse, elusive markets. The agency brand roster includes the truth(sm) campaign, Timberland, Ultra Sheen and Gentle Treatment. The ad*itive means to improve, strengthen or positively alter, which also serves as the company mission statement. 

SURVEY SHEDS NEW LIGHT ON CONSUMER BEHAVIOR AMONG ASIANS

Asians enjoy movies in large theaters and show explosive growth with investments

In the latest study by KSCI-TV in Los Angeles, results revealed remarkable trends among Southern California's Asian consumers (Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese). The multi-language study addressed the following industries:  automotive, computer/internet, department/discount stores, family restaurants, fast food, financial/investment, packaged foods, grocery shopping, healthcare/pharmaceutical, leisure activities, movies, media usage, shopping centers, telecommunications, travel, and video games.

Financial
The study found that the Asian community is a growing market for various investment products as well as for major insurance segments such as life, auto, health and homeowners.
- 77% of Chinese, 64% of Koreans and 58% of Vietnamese indicated that the have some sort of investment.
- An explosion of Korean investments in mutual funds, IRA's, stocks and real estate:  The percentage of Koreans with a mutual fund grew from 16% in 2000 to 29% in 2002.
- 40% of all respondents report having a home mortgage.

Fast Food Restaurants
The survey revealed that Asians are turning to fast food for snacks and meals.  Fast food consumption is quickly growing among this market.
- In 2002, 39% of Chinese and 36% of Koreans reported eating fast food meals several times a week or more, compared to 32% and 30% respectively in 2000. 
- Nearly 60% of Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese respondents said that they dine on fast food meals at least once a week.
- KFC's market share has increased dramatically since the launch of their Asian focused campaign in 2000.
- The survey implied that the market is unfamiliar and needs to be educated on breakfast items offered at fast food outlets.

Packaged Foods
Results showed that Asians have a high propensity for the consumption of certain categories packaged foods such as yogurt, soymilk and instant coffee.   Also:
- 90% of Asian households use milk, 70% use salad dressing, 69% use ketchup, and 42% use packaged macaroni & cheese.
- Korean Americans are the most ardent coffee drinkers. 
- Asians favor Coke over Pepsi and prefer 7-Up over Sprite.
- Farmer John's brand enjoys an exceptional stronghold of this market in the packaged meat category.

Healthcare/Pharmaceutical
Similar to their non-Asian counterparts, Asians complained of everything from allergies, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol to severe stress and depression.
- Over 20% of Asian respondents reported having at least one household member who is suffering from high blood pressure.
- The use of health supplements remains incredibly high, especially among Koreans.
- The highest percentage of smokers is found among Korean households.

Movies
Contrary to initial perceptions, Asians enjoy watching movies in a large theater.  More than half of Southern California Asians go out to a theater to see a movie in a typical month.  In comparison, 42% of the total population in the L.A. DMA went out to see a movie in the past thirty days according to 2001 Simmons National Consumer Survey.
- 45% percent of respondents watched "Asian" movies such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Rush Hour 2 at a theater.
- Asians like various genres of movies and especially enjoy action/adventure, comedy and drama.
- Approximately 70% of Asians responded that they rent English-language videos.

Telecommunications
The Asian market remains well connected with their loved ones making them an attractive and lucrative market for the telecommunications industry.  Their high propensity for making international calls, frequent use of dial around services and cellular phone ownership make them a very appealing market.
- The number of frequent international callers making 5+ international calls a month continues to rise.
- Their use of 10-10 dial-around numbers mimic the current ethnic marketing patterns.  For example, 10-10-345, which was advertised heavily in the Chinese market only, experienced phenomenal growth among Chinese in contrast to its dropped usage results among Koreans.
- Asians are more connected than ever through wireless devices.  An astonishing 84% of Korean households have a cellular phone with a majority of them having 2 or more cellular phones.
- An analysis of average monthly home telephone bills versus cellular phone bills reveals that not only do cellular phone bills surpass the amount of monthly home telephone bills, but that cellular phone usage is growing while the use of home telephones is declining.
- There is also a phenomenal growth rate in upgrading internet connections from regular dial up to DSL and cable modems.

Language Preference
- Language preference for interviews: 89% of Chinese chose to be interviewed in Mandarin or Cantonese as opposed to English, 94% of Koreans and Vietnamese chose Korean and Vietnamese over English. 
- Only 13% of Chinese and Korean respondents said that their HH speak either all English or predominantly English, and 10% of Vietnamese said the same.  
- Therefore, not surprisingly, the study shows that in-language media from TV, radio, newspapers to internet play a major role in their life.  A dominant majority of them consume in-language media everyday.

8TH ANNUAL HISPANIC FEDERATION BENEFIT GALA

The Hispanic Federation's Eighth Annual Gala will be held on Tuesday, May 21, 2002, at the Waldorf=Astoria Hotel in New York City.  Attended each year by more than 900 of the nation's leading business executives, public officials, and community leaders, the Hispanic Federation's Gala is the preeminent fundraising effort for the Latino community.  Thanks to the support of generous donors, the Hispanic Federation directs gala proceeds to over 70 Latino health and human service agencies which provide many vulnerable tri-state residents with after-school programs, job training programs, affordable housing and health insurance, English classes for recent immigrants, and much more.   

The gala will begin with a reception and then dinner and an awards ceremony, which will culminate with the entertainment portion of the event.  This year's Gala Chairman is Jaime Polanco of Prisa Internacional; the Honorary Gala Chairmain is Gustavo A. Cisneros, head of the Cisneros Group of Companies, and the distinguished sponsor is Harvey Weinstein, Co-Chairman of Miramax Films.  Gala honorees include His Excellency Luis Alberto Moreno, Ambassador of the Republic of Colombia to the United States; Violy McCausland Seve, President of Violy, Byorum & Partners Holdings, LLC; and Beatrice Rangel of the Cisneros Group of Companies.

The proceeds from the gala are used for direct grants to the Hispanic Federation member agencies, which provide a full range of community services from after-school programs for at-risk youth, job training programs and affordable daycare, to economic development and case management for people living with HIV/AIDS.  The goal for the gala is to raise $1,000,000 for their member agencies. 

With funds raised through the 2001 gala, the Hispanic Federation awarded about $708,000 in grants to Latino agencies providing a range of services from after school programs for youth to nutritional programs for seniors; they registered 18,000 new Latino voters through a citywide voter registration and education campaign that brought together community agencies, local businesses, and major media outlets; and, they provided undocumented, recent immigrants and other Latino victims of the World Trade Center tragedy with cash assistance to pay for emergency needs such as housing and food.  To date, the Hispanic Federation has helped over 380 people. 

The Hispanic Federation is a non-profit, tax-exempt membership organization representing 73 Latino health and human services agencies in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.  Their mission is to better meet the growing needs of the Hispanic community by strengthening their member agencies and enabling them to provide the best possible services.

For more information, please contact Enrique Ball of the Hispanic Federation at (212) 233-8955 or enriqueb@hispanicfederation.org.  Tables can be purchased at the $25,000, $15,000, $10,000, or $6,000 level.  Other benefits are included with your table purchase.  Individual tickets can be purchased for $600.   To make your reservation, please e-mail Suzanne Murphy in the gala headquarters at smurphy@projectsplusinc.com, or call 212-997-0100.

ASIAN AMERICANS VIABLE HEALTHCARE CONSUMER BASE

NEW YORK CITY, May 13 -- Asia Link Consulting Group, a marketing research and consulting firm which advises American companies on how to most effectively market to Asians, has revealed healthcare information particular to Asian Americans that distinguishes them as key potential consumers and targets of healthcare providers and pharmaceutical companies through in-language/in-culture marketing, advertising and communications efforts.

A top reason for targeting Asian Americans have a higher predilection for certain diseases/health risks:

- Stroke -3rd leading cause of death for Chinese, Japanese and Filipino
- Greater prevalence of diabetes in men
- Cancer is the leading cause of death among woman
- Vietnamese woman -4x cervical cancer rate
- High rate of female suicide

"With a purchasing power of $253 billion, the latest census figures solidified the fact that Asians are an integral consumer community within American society awareness and knowledge of these integral healthcare facts provides much needed educational as well as business opportunities for anyone in the healthcare industry interested in reaching the Asian market."

Asian Americans are at higher risk for several diseases, including cardiovascular, depression, anxiety, cancer and diabetes.  There exists a lack of resource knowledge among Asians, and they tend to underutilize available healthcare systems, according to findings of Asia Link Consulting Group.  Also, Asians are less likely to seek out specialists.  Research has shown that Asians respond to companies who advertise in their native language.  First generation immigrants have a clear preference for in-language media and communication and are easy to target via ethnic newspapers, radio and television.

KTSF-TV'S "CHINA CROSSTALK" TO BE CARRIED LIVE NATIONWIDE ON INTERNATIONAL CHANNEL BEGINNING MONDAY, MAY 6, 2002

SAN FRANCISCO, May 6, 2002 - The "Larry King Live"-style, KTSF produced TV talk show "China Crosstalk" begins its national syndication through the International Channel today, Monday, May 6th.  Hosted by veteran broadcaster Jay Stone Shih, KTSF-TV's Mandarin-language news-driven/interview/call-in program will be carried live on the nationally distributed cable television channel International Channel to 11.5 million households throughout the country.  "China Crosstalk" will continue to be broadcast on KTSF in the San Francisco market. 

China Crosstalk began in 1997 as a radio show in the San Francisco market.  KTSF and Jay stone Shih brought the format to television in November of 2000 and the televised version of China Crosstalk was immediately successful.  "The concept we hoped to create was a town hall meeting for Bay Area Chinese-a forum where any and all topics could be discussed, "said KTSF General Manager Michael Sherman.  "Now, with International Channel carrying the live broadcast, Chinese Americans throughout the country can participate.  It's a testimony to the growing strength of Asian media across the United States."

"This is a first for International Channel-to air a live, call-in talk show," said Scott Wheeler, senior vice president of network development for International Channel Networks.  "This also helps us respond to the requests from our viewers to provide more programming about the ethnic communities here in the United States, in addition to the programming from their homelands." 

Monday through Friday, "China Crosstalk" will reach major markets including New York, Washington D.C., Boston, Houston, San Diego, Los Angeles, Chicago and Seattle at 11:00pm PST / 2:00am EST.  The show will retain its live call-in format, where audiences coast-to-coast can participate.

With host and producer Jay Stone Shih at the helm, "China Crosstalk" was awarded "The Best Radio Program" in September 1998 and "The Best TV Program" in September 2001 by the Northern California Chinese Media Association.  Since then, the program has rapidly "taken the Bay Area by storm", as chronicled by the nation's leading Chinese newspaper, the World Journal."   "From radio to TV, China Crosstalk has been more than a success in Northern California...it's a phenomenon," said Shih.  "With the launch on the International Channel, I am delighted that the national audience can now experience what the Bay Area has grown to love."  "China Crosstalk" is a joint production between KTSF-TV and Westone Media.

RTVI (RUSSIAN TV INTERNATIONAL) HELPS COMPANIES REACH AFFLUENT RUSSIAN-AMERICANS IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE

Russian-Americans are deservedly one of the most sought after consumer markets today.  The median household income and average educational attainment of Russian-Americans is far above that of the general population in America.  In addition, the Russian-speaking population grew 254 percent between 1990 and 1998 and continues to increase at a rapid rate.  This could be explained by the heavy migration of young professionals from Russia and the former Soviet Union Republics that has occurred in the last few years.  The current population of Russian-Americans is estimated to be in excess of three million.  Russian-Americans live throughout the United States and are heavily concentrated in major urban centers like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Boston, among others. The programming is distributed via local cable operators and a satellite network nationwide.

"More and more companies have recognized the tremendous buying potential of the surging Russian-American population and are benefiting from it," says Svetlana Ivanova, VP of Advertising for Russian-language television network available to all Russian-speaking residents in America. "Yet, some companies are still trying to find the best way to reach this affluent community."  For maximum results, Ivanova says that companies should not simply translate their message into Russian.  Instead, they must adapt their message to fit the Russian culture as a whole.  "Once companies tailor their message to the 'Russian way of thinking,' the level of penetration is usually much higher than within any other ethnic market or even in the general market," she said.

Russian-Americans in the United States are also well assimilated, yet are still eager to follow the latest political developments in Russia and pass on their language and culture to their children.  Ivanova says that Russian culture is extremely family-oriented and therefore, the opinion of friends and relatives strongly affects buying behavior.  Similarly, Russian-language media is viewed by most Russian-Americans as being more trustworthy than other media.  In a way, these in-language sources actually become a part of a Russian family and its main source of information.    

Russian-American consumers are aspirant and brand loyal, with strong tendency to 'keep up with the Jones.'  These consumers are adverse to propaganda tactics, such as hard-selling and direct testimonial advertising.  Russian culture has disposed them to value advertising that draws on humor irony, and Russian themes.

Today, in the United States, there are more than 90 Russian-language publications, over a dozen Russian-language radio stations, and one 24-hour two-channel Russian-language TV package: RTVI, the only global and independent Russian television network.  The average Russian-American household owns two television sets.

RTVI's objective in the United States is not to compete with American television, but to complement it by catering to the informational and entertainment needs of the Russian-speaking audiences.  RTVI offers round-the-clock, award-winning programming specifically tailored to meet the tastes and preferences of the Russian-speaking population in the United States.  As the leading provider of Russian original and acquired programming to the Russian-speaking market, RTVI's programs are the most watched in Russian-American homes.  Major advertisers on RTV International include MCI, Western Union, AT&T, Verizon, Lot Airlines, and Zepter International.

RTVI's two channels, RTVI and RTVI Plus, provide an extensive line-up of programming produced in Russia and the United States.  The programming is similar in format to that of major English-language networks, including news and information, current affairs, motion pictures, documentaries, comedies, game shows, sporting events, children's programs, concerts, theater, variety and talk shows, and drama series.  All of the programming is geared to the rapidly growing Russian-speaking market. 

The Changing Face of Advertising Series, Tuesday, April 16th, 8 - 9:30 AM Breakfast, The Ad Club of New York, New York City.  The Changing Face of Advertising Series addresses the needs to market to diverse cultures and presents techniques for the best way to reach these segmented multicultural markets.  Panelists will include Carlos Ayala, Manager of Multicultural Marketing at H&R Block Worldwide Headquarters; Hector Placencia, Director of Growth Markets at Gateway; Mark Robertson, Group Account Director for Lincoln/Mercury at UniWorld Group; and Jeannie Yuen, President/CEO of A-Partnership for USPS.  The moderator will be Laurel Wentz, International Editor at Advertising Age Magazine.  To register, contact Cathryn Weber at The Advertising Club of New York, 212-533-8080.


APRIL
April 15 "Matrix Awards Luncheon: Women Who Change the World," New York, NY, New York Women in Communications, Inc., 212-297-2133
April 16 "The Changing Face of Advertising Series," New York, NY, The Advertising Club of New York, 212-533-8080
April 16 "BWE General Membership Meeting and Buffet Reception," New York, NY, Black Women Owned Enterprises, 516-485-5900
April 16-17 "Hispanic Food & Beverage Program," Houston, TX, World Research Group, 212-869-7231 x21
April 18-20 "50 Years of Marketing Success: A Golden Past, A Platinum Future," Washington, DC, National Alliance of Market Developers, 908-561-4062
April 18-21 "AHAA 12th Semi-Annual Conference," Washington, DC, Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies, 703-610-9014
April 18-21 "ABWA Spring Conference," Montgomery, AL, American Business Women's Association, 800-228-0007
April 18-21 "2002 NAMD Annual Conference," Washington, DC, National Alliance of Market Developers, 908-561-4062
April 21-24 "Women's Caucus: Partnering Across Difference with White Men, Other Women and People of Color," Tucson, AZ, Inclusivity Consulting Group, 503-281-3217
April 22-23 "Procurement & Partnership Opportunities for Defense & Security," Washington, DC, Strategic Research Institute, 212-967-0095 x252
April 24 "9th Annual Greater Los Angeles Vendor Fair," Los Angeles, CA, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, 800-267-0106
April 25-27 "ABWA Spring Conference," Traverse City, MI, American Business Women's Association, 800-228-0007
April 26-28 "Magic's Summer Slam Weekend," Atlanta, GA, Insights Marketing, 404-872-9899
April 29-May 5 "16th Annual Reservation Economic Summit & American Indian Trade Show," New Orleans, LA, National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, 800-462-2433.

MAY
May 1 "Black Business Technology Expo & Conference," Philadelphia, PA, BBTEC, 215-492-7163
May 2-4 "11th Annual Committee of 100 Conference: Contributing to America," San Jose, CA, Committee of 100, 212-371-6565
May 6-7 "CelebrAsian 2002," New York, NY, U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce, 202-296-5221
May 10 "NAKASEC 8th Anniversary Banquet," Queens, New York, National Korean American Service and Education Consortium, 718-463-7000
May 12-14 "Latin American Conference 2002: The Emergence of a Single Market," Buenos Aires, Argentina, Esomar, +31-20-664-2141
May 14-15 "The Power of Diversity Conference: Hear It! Feel It! Live It!" Rochester, NY, Rochester Diversity Council, 585-224-2727
May 15-19 "The 7th Annual BE Entrepreneurs Conference," Nashville, TN, Black Enterprise, 800-543-6786
May 16 "Dialogue on Diversity Conference on Technology," Washington, DC, Dialogue on Diversity, 703-631-0650
May 16-17 "4th Annual Forbes Executive Women's Summit," San Francisco, CA, Forbes Management Conference Group, 212-367-3521
May 22 "NMSDC Minority Business Leadership Awards Dinner-Dance," New York, NY, National Minority Supplier Development Council, 212-944-2430.
May 30 "The Spirit of Asian America: Rebuilding Our Communities," New York, NY, Asian American Federation, 212-344-5878
May 30-June 2 "Thinking Globally: Broadening the Context of Multicultural Dialogue and Action," Washington, DC, National MultiCultural Institute, 202-483-0700 x226
May 31- June1 "NAFE National Conference," New York, NY, The National Association for Female Executives, 800-927-NAFE

JUNE
June 6 "USHLI Annual Dinner," Chicago, IL, U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute, 312-427-8683
June 6-7 "Latin America Insurance & Finance Conference," Miami, FL, PlaCord DC Management, Incorporated, 718-904-8751
June 12-15 "Strength in Numbers: 20 Años en la Lucha," San Diego, CA, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, 202-662-7147
June 14-16 "SAJA Annual Convention," New York, NY, South Asian Journalists Association, 212-854-5979
June 16 "Real Men Cook for Charity," Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Real Men Cook, 773-651-8008
June 16-19 "19th Annual Minority Business Development Seminar & Trade Show," Kansas City, MO, Edison Electric Institute, 202-508-5159
June 17-18 "Building Urban & Youth Markets through Grassroots and Innovative Event Sponsorships Conference," Chicago, IL, Strategic Research Institute, 212-967-0095 x259
June 18-20 "Marketing to U.S. Hispanic Youth Conference," Los Angeles, CA, Brunico Communications Inc., 416-408-2300 x537
June 19-22 "18th Annual NAJA Convention," San Diego, CA, Native American Journalists Association, 612-729-9244
June 24 "NAA Gold Conference: Growth Opportunities By Leveraging Diversity," Houston, TX, Newspaper Association of America, 703-902-1657
June 24-25 "U.S. Hispanic Boom and Profitable CRM Strategies," Los Angeles, CA, Strategic Research Institute, 212-967-0095 x252
June 27-29 "19th Annual NALEO Conference," Albuquerque, NM, National Association of Latino Elected & Appointed Officials, 323-720-1932
June 28 "Black Rose Entrepreneurial Awards Luncheon," New York, NY, Black Women Owned Enterprises, 516-485-5900

Hispanic Advertising Executives to Converge in Washington D.C.
America's top Hispanic advertising agencies and media executives will convene at the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies' (AHAA) Semi-Annual Conference April 18-21 at the historic Mayflower Hotel in the heart of the Nation's Capital.  In addition to a full schedule of presentations, conference highlights include the 2nd Annual Media Awards Presentation and panel discussions on "How to Adapt to the Changing Media Environment" and "How They Sold 'Hispanic' to their Companies."    The Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies is the national organization of firms that specialize in marketing to the nation's 35.3 million Hispanic consumers, the most rapidly growing segment of the American population.  AHAA promotes the strength of the Hispanic marketing and advertising industry to the private and public sectors.  AHAA helps organizations gain market share, increase revenue and grow profits by building bridges and delivering the messages to reach America's Hispanic consumers, who together have an estimated buying power of $458 billion. 

Simple Sampling:  An Innovative Marketing Solution to Reach the African-American and Hispanic Markets
Have you ever wondered how many of your product samples actually reach the multicultural market? Increase your ROI in the multicultural market by delivering product samples directly and cost efficiently to African-American and Hispanic consumers.   Simple Sampling features an innovative web-enabled approach for companies eager to gain valuable consumer insights into the buying habits and preferences of ethnic consumers.  The six-step process offers direct access to ethnic consumers, fulfillment services, consumer profile development (including demographics) and a detailed product feedback survey report.  

Women Business Owners Executive Roundtable, May 3rd, DC
Center for Women's Business Research presents the Executive Roundtable - a one-day seminar for senior corporate executives in marketing, purchasing, market research and diversity looking to leverage the economic power of the woman business owner market.  This exciting program will explore proven strategies to strengthen corporate outreach to women entrepreneurs.  If you are interested in learning more about this powerful economic segment, you can't afford to miss this exclusive event on Friday, May 3, 2002 in Washington, DC!  150+ executives representing leading corporations attended the 2001 event including AT&T, D&B, FleetBoston, Ford, IBM, Salomon Smith Barney, Walt Disney, and Wells Fargo. 

Global Advertising Strategies Releases New Data on Client Acquisition Costs in the US Ethnic Markets
A recent survey conducted by Global Ad has allowed for comparative analysis of the cost of new customer acquisition in Eastern European vs. mainstream markets in the US.  For example, the customer acquisition cost through print media is 29 times less in Eastern European markets than in the mainstream market, and 36 times less through radio.  The study also reveals new information about the optimal ratio for media resources used in advertising campaigns by the most active advertisers in the Polish, Romanian and Russian markets in the U.S.  

The Cartel GroupT: Opening Doors for Other Latinas
Victoria Varela (formerly Victoria Varela Hudson who chose to go back to her Spanish surname), CEO of The Cartel GroupT, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the National Hispana Leadership Institute (NHLI) based in Arlington, Virginia.  The Institute is an executive program that prepares Latina Leaders for positions of influence.  Varela is a founder of The Cartel GroupT, one of the nation's largest, totally independent Hispanic marketing communications firms.  She has been recognized nationally for her business savvy and unrelenting drive in taking The Cartel from zero to $100 million in annual billings in seven years.  "I look forward to helping the NHLI in generating more opportunities for Latina leaders.  We are the new breed of the future and we'll put forward The Cartel Group'sT hundreds of years of collective insight and experience to reach this goal," she said.  Together with its newest client, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, The Cartel hopes to develop the next generation of American leaders.  

Wanted: Advertisers Looking to Reach California's Emerging Markets
The highly anticipated 3rd Annual New California Media Expo & Awards Banquet will take place on Wednesday, September 18th at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.  The full-day event, "NCM 2002: Connecting the New Majorities," is a must see for multicultural marketers and advertisers, government agencies, PR and ad agency executives, and others who want to connect to the key communicators in California's new majority of ethnic populations.  The NCM event will feature over 400 exhibitors and presenters, including multi media decision makers and journalists, editorial and business staff representing every form of ethnic media - print, TV, radio and online; workshops highlighting the "success stories" in ethnic media advertising; a directory of California's ethnic media.  The event also features an awards banquet honoring "the best" of ethnic media and ethnic advertising.  


Mans Angantyr of Globalworks to Deliver Workshop at Upcoming Hispanic Marketing Conference in Miami
IQPC proudly announces that Mans Angantyr, President and CSO at GlobalWorks Group LLC, will be delivering a three hour interactive workshop at the upcoming US Hispanic Marketing conference, April 29 through May 1 at the Hyatt Regency Miami.  The workshop, entitled "Hispanic Marketing Online: How to Merge Technology, Hispanic Culture and your Brand into an Effective Multicultural Interactive Program" will teach companies how to match their online strategies with the technology, cultural awareness and brand usage that supports it. Other speakers at this exciting conference include Jeff Manning of the California Milk Processor Board, Adrien Seixas of ABC Television and Mariano Zemborain of SBC Communications. MMR Subscribers qualify for a $200 discount and free admission to the above-mentioned workshop.  

Women's Leadership Exchange to Help Women Led Businesses Grow
The only conference for established women led businesses in the NY Metro area "Women's Leadership Exchange: Making Business Opportunities Happen" will be held at the New York Sheraton & Towers in New York City on Friday, November 1, 2002.  The event will bring hundreds of women leading companies together for a one-day conference to increase their expertise, expand their networks, encourage alliances and generate connections in a collaborative environment.  One of the biggest challenges women owners face today is dramatically growing their companies.  With fewer years in business, less MBAs and more family responsibilities, women can benefit from more access to connections, resources and education in shortened time periods.  Women's Leadership Exchange aims to provide women business leaders with added business skills, expanded contacts and confidence to take their businesses to the next level.  Attendees will enjoy prestigious speakers, networking periods, and educational seminars throughout the day.  Sponsorship opportunities will give corporations visibility and one-on-one marketing opportunity among this powerful group -- women business owners, the fastest growing segment of the small and mid sized marketplace; a market that generates $34.2 billion annually in New York City alone.  

Vital Conference on "Marketing To U.S. Hispanic Youth"
A vital conference on "Marketing to U.S. Hispanic Youth" will take place from June 18-20, 2002 in Los Angeles, California.  This timely two-day conference is designed to help marketers better understand and reach this growing kid and teen marketing demographic by providing them with valuable advice and useful tips.  The event's keynote speaker is Isabel Valdés, Co-Chair & Partner of Santiago & Valdés Solutions, LLC.  In addition to the conference agenda, two additional workshops will also be offered including "Boomerang Effect: Why U.S. born Hispanic Youth and Recent Hispanic Immigrant Youth Need to be Targeted Differently" and "Emotional Branding: Maximizing the Appeal of Your Brand on Hispanic Youth."  Cost for the conference is $995-$1795.  Sponsorship and speaking opportunities are still available.  The event is sponsored by KidScreen Magazine, an international trade magazine serving the information needs and interests of all those involved in reaching children through entertainment.  

Paule Rogol: Independent Photographer Extraordinaire
For over 15 years, Paule Rogol has shared her unique eye for detail as a sought after, independent photographer.  From formal and environmental portraiture to special events, Paule works for both corporate and nonprofit business organizations, magazines and other media outlets.  She has specialized in the healthcare community, where she has worked for many of the major NYC hospitals and organizations. Often working with the public relations and marketing departments, she has shot for annual reports, brochures and newsletters as well as covered special events.  Recent prestigious projects include the Mt. Sinai Medical Center annual report; a day's work at Bellevue will be featured in an upcoming newsletter; the newly-revised NYU Rusk Institute brochure was photographed by Paule Rogol; and recent events for the Bard Graduate Center Museum, the Children¹s Aid Society, and Dorot can be seen on their respective websites.  Together with her husband, Michael, Rogol Photography offers a wide range of photographic services.  

Hollywood's 1st Annual Lunar New Year Parade & Festival A Tremendous Success
In February, the excitement of the most celebrated Asian holiday was brought to Hollywood Boulevard.  Hollywood, the entertainment capital of the world, played host to the 1st Annual Lunar New Year Parade & Festival, which drew countless spectators, celebrities, brilliant cultural performers and colorful floats.  Actresses Keiko Agena, Tamlyn Tomita and Kieu-Chinh, 2002 Rose Parade Queen Caroline Hsu, and familiar characters Mickey Mouse and Ronald McDonald all rode in the parade behind renowned actor James Hong, who served as Grand Marshall.  Popular singers Regine Velasquez, AT LAST, Harlen Yu, and Asia 4 performed at the festival, which also featured vendor booths and free giveaways.  Sponsors included Bank of America, AT&T, Lucky Dog 10-10-345, Pepsi, Toyota, McDonald's, PT-1, ONDCP, BP, and WorldxChange.  The event created a big splash as it shared the multi-faceted beauty of the many Asian American cultures and instilled immense pride in these communities.  KSCI-TV, the preeminent multi-language TV station in Southern California, later aired highlights of this momentous event for the rest of the community to enjoy.  



NAWBO-NYC: Honoring Women Business Owners at Annual Signature Awards Gala
The National Association of Women Business Owners-NYC (NAWBO-NYC), with Diamond Sponsor, The Small Business Network from American Express, honored women business owners who have made a mark in their fields and the business community on Tuesday, March 19th at the second annual Signature Awards event.  Of the 12 finalists being recognized at the event, 5 winners in varying categories were announced.  Diane von Furstenberg, designer, author, and entrepreneur was also be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.  Founded in 1985, NAWBO-NYC represents the interests of nearly 300,000 women business owners in New York City.  It empowers women business owners through relationships, resources and knowledge.  

Online Direct Referral Campaigns Are Wave of The Future For Multicultural Marketing
A recent Jupiter Media study discovered that 45 percent of consumers choose e-commerce sites based on "word-of-mouth" recommendations.  It also found that viral marketing campaigns, which harness "word-of-mouth," can reduce customer acquisition costs up to 27 percent and increase average order sizes by up to 60 percent.  Usage of these campaigns will likely increase during the current economic slowdown, especially among multicultural markets, where "word-of-mouth" is the most effective marketing tool, and where email represents an increasingly important community resource.  GlobalWorks Group LLC has pioneered this premise through their SmartReach technology, which is a new direct marketing tool that allows companies to create, manage and track referral-based e-mail campaigns.  It helps turn an existing customer base into a highly motivated sales force by offering them incentives to spread the word about a product or service.  GlobalWorks is a global marketing, advertising and branding consultancy that helps clients grow across all languages, cultures and media.  They help businesses develop and produce campaigns from the ground up or adapt general market campaigns for various ethnic markets, all under one roof.  

The Film Society of Lincoln Center and Instituto Cervantes Present "Spanish Cinema Now"
In December 2001, The Film Society of Lincoln Center and Instituto Cervantes in collaboration with the Spanish Ministry of Culture (ICAA) and the Instituto de Comercio Exterior (ICEX) presented the tenth edition of "Spanish Cinema Now," the annual series of innovative works from this provocative national cinema.  The program featured 23 films and showcased sidebars devoted to Basque director Montxo Armendáriz and master satirist Luis García Berlanga.  The Film Society will be presenting other multicultural and international film festivals in the coming months, including their "11th NY Jewish Film Festival" in January, "Rendez-vous with French Cinema 2002" in March, the "African Film Festival" in April, the "German Cinema 1945-1962" also in April, and "New Italian Cinema 2002," which starts in May.  Contact Susan Jacobs at The Film Society of Lincoln Center, 212-875-5281, twright@filmlinc.com, or visit www.filmlinc.com.


Hollywood Makes History With Its 1st Annual Lunar New Year Parade & Festival
On February 17th, the splendor and excitement of the most celebrated Asian holiday will be brought to Hollywood Boulevard.  Hollywood, the entertainment capital of the world, will host the 1st Annual Lunar New Year Parade and Festival, which is expected to draw tens of thousands of Asian Americans and others who wish to share in Asian traditions and festivities.  During the event, a magnificent procession of lion and dragon dancers, colorful floats, and many cultural performances will descend down the famous route into the heart of Hollywood.  Event sponsors include Bank of America, AT&T, and McDonalds.  KSCI-TV will air highlights of this momentous event and have both on-air and on-site opportunities for sponsorships.   On-site booths at the Festival offer corporate sponsors the valuable grass roots interaction with Asian American consumers.  KSCI-TV is the preeminent multi-language TV station serving Southern California providing news, sports, dramas and entertainment in 14 languages.  

Posro Creates Promotional and Retail Products for the Urban Market
Sure, key chains and coffee mugs are cute, but when it comes to connecting with the elusive 18 - 39 year old urban market, haphazardly stamping a company logo on trinkets just doesn't cut it.  Studies show that the urban consumer is actually more brand loyal than the general market, but only to brands that visibly work to nurture the consumer relationship.  As a leading producer of innovative, custom-created promotional and retail products designed to reach the urban market, Posro has discovered the best ways to reach this market.  Posro crafts the goods that help corporations tailor-make their brand message, which includes collateral, interactive, books, games, music CDs, film shorts and animations.  Their in-depth knowledge and track record of reaching urban audiences ensures that their clients' campaigns are always on target.  Posro not only conceives, designs, and produces the products, they can also provide the marketing and management support necessary to execute your promotional or retail launch as well. 


IMQuest at Forefront of Surge in Multicultural Healthcare Marketing
IMQuest has been at the forefront of the recent surge in multicultural healthcare marketing as the industry's leader.  Founded in 1997 with minimal startup capital, IMQuest garnered $156K in its first year of business alone.  Within the next two years, sales increased by 53% and 80% consecutively.  By 2001, IMQuest had reached the $2.5 million mark in sales.  The Pharmaceutical industry is their key customer while their products and services drive and support these brand campaigns.  IMQuest specializes in advertising, marketing, PR, disease literacy education, web/e-communications, CME and community based events.  Their core areas of consumer focus are the African American, Latino American and Asian American markets.  Armed with strong healthcare and media experience, IMQuest is in tune with the therapeutic healthcare needs of these multicultural consumers.  They have been successful in working with and exceeding the performance objectives of clients like Merck, Exxon Mobil, Pfizer, Glaxo, J&J and many others.  


SRI to Host Multicultural Pharmaceutical Marketing Event
Strategic Research Institute's 3rd Annual Multicultural Pharmaceutical Marketing and Public Relations event in Princeton, New Jersey is scheduled for March 4-5, 2002.  The event will feature a star lineup of over 30 speakers and panelists.  Representatives from GlaxoSmithKline, Aventis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, National Kidney Foundation, American Podiatric Association and multicultural marketing and media experts from Tapestry (Starcom MediaVest), CommonHealth, National Pharmaceutical Council, MD&A Salud, Kang & Lee Advertising, Fleishman-Hillard and Yankelovich will be in attendance.  For information visit http://www.srinstitute.com/cm372.  The June 2001 program attracted leading pharmaceutical marketers from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pfizer, Eli Lilly, Pharmacia and more.  Also, the 8th Annual Marketing to U.S. Hispanics and Latin America Conference will take place in Miami Beach on January 28-29, 2002.  Companies in attendance include Nike, Nestle, P&G, Wella Personal Products, Danone Foods, K-mart Corporation, Sony Discos USA, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Unilever, Toyota Motor Sales and many more. 

LatinOnline.com Develops Affordable ISP to Empower Latin Community
Two brothers by the name of Alan and Gregory Castro recently set out to create a better, faster and more economic Internet Service.  Their primary focus was to help bridge the digital divide and empower the Latin Community by providing high quality, fast Internet access.  In 1998, they developed LatinOnline.com, a revolutionary new Internet service provider that rivals companies like America Online, Earthlink, and MSN at a much more affordable price.  For only $12.95 per month, customers instantly receive fast and unlimited Internet access in over 5000 locations.  Customers also receive three email accounts that can be checked from anywhere, 10 megabytes of personal web space for creating a website or storing items, FTP access, and around-the-clock technical support in both Spanish and English.  LatinOnline.com is the premier Dial-up Internet Service Provider for the Latin Community, which has grown to over 36 million and beyond.  Contact Greg Castro, Vice President, 310-623-3418 x.104, greg@latinonline.net, or visit www.LatinOnline.com.


"Hawaiian Punch: Black History, Our Words! Our Art!" Contest Expands
After a successful first year program in 2001, Hawaiian Punch is again running its "Hawaiian Punch: Black History, Our Words! Our Art!" contest in 2002 and has expanded to 15 markets with large African-American populations including Atlanta, Detroit and Philadelphia.  Elementary students in predominantly African-American schools, will have an opportunity to learn about key people and events in Black History, by researching the contributors of artists, inventors, activists, etc. from 1900 to 1950, and sharing what they've learned through their own essays and artwork.  The program was designed to stimulate and encourage educational development of youth in grades 1-6 and the contest which runs from February 1 to February 23, 2002, will award 45 grand prize winners, who will receive all-expense paid trips valued at more than $2,500 to Orlando with their parents.  

 Asian American Advertising Federation Wraps Up One Successful Conference As They Plan Another
The Asian American Advertising Federation (3AF) held their 2nd Annual New York City Conference on Nov. 29th, where several new initiatives were announced and the outlook for marketing to Asian Americans was assessed.  The full-day conference, "Asian American Market Outlook 2002," took place in Manhattan and featured speakers from the leading Asian American advertising agencies, premiere ethnic media, and top corporations already involved in multicultural marketing.  Conference Chairpersons Bill Georges, VP of Advertising Sales at International Channel, and Eliot Kang, President of Kang & Lee Advertising and President of 3AF, presented a comprehensive program filled with information relevant to those working in the industry and prospective multicultural marketers.  Industry insiders who presented at the conference were optimistic about the year ahead for Asian American marketing.  During the day, the organization announced three new initiatives that they will undertake to help grow the industry, including a corporate "report card" that publicly rates the commitment of various companies to the Asian American market.  This "report card," which will be disseminated as widely as possible, will acknowledge those companies who have shown understanding and appreciation towards the Asian American community and those which have not.  The 3AF board also vowed to push to gain funding for more market research.  This data would help document the effectiveness of marketing to Asian Americans and help the entire industry grow.  In addition, a 3AF direct mailing on the Asian American market will be created to help educate key professionals about the benefits of marketing to Asian Americans.  The conference ended with a networking reception where attendees met the conference speakers, fellow industry professionals, and potential clients.  The day's sponsors included Sears, Roebuck and Co., Allstate Corporation, India Abroad, B4U USA, Inc., KTSF-TV, and Siliconeer magazine.  The organization's next all-day conference will take place in San Francisco on February 22nd.  The event, "Asian American Market: The Time is Now," is timed to coincide with the most prominent Asian holiday, the Lunar New Year.  Attendees can expect to find out why 2002 is the year to market to Asian Americans, what it takes to get into this market as 3AF debunks the commonly held myths marketers have about the Asian American market, and what 3AF is doing to help you and your business grow.  After a day of enlightenment and networking with potential clients and fellow industry professionals, attendees can enjoy the Lunar New Year street fair festivities on Saturday in Chinatown.  Conference sponsors include KSCI-TV, Allstate Insurance Company, B4U USA Inc., KTSF-TV, and Sears Roebuck & Co.  The Asian American Advertising Federation, or 3AF, (formerly The Association of Asian American Advertising Agencies), established in February 1999, is made up of Asian American advertising agency principals, media, advertisers and strategic partners.  Its mission is to grow the Asian American advertising and marketing industry, raise public awareness of the importance of the Asian American community and further professionalism within the industry.