Thursday, October 28, 2010

What's In a Community?

According to Wikipedia, a community can be defined as "a group of interacting people living in a common location".

Today's new media thought leaders offer a variety of definitions and names for 'community' in the online arena which include tribe, twibe, twub, group, network, social circle, sphere of influence, and crowd.

The prevailing dynamic is that these groups and communities impact and lead positive change. Many lessons in collaboration and teamwork are offered by exploring the successes of groups past and present.

For instance, what lessons and insights can we take away from the progress made by collaborative efforts surrounding the likes of the United Farm Workers of America, American Civil Liberties Union, League of United Latin American Citizens, many others and the very active Latinos in Social Media?

These groups are leading change, impacting nations, and making a difference. We are presented with many opportunities to learn the values of teamwork, collaboration, and working together which can only lead to positive progress and dynamic momentum across countless private and public sectors.

Want to learn more about community and collaboration or connect with individuals who are passionate about positive impact? Register here for the upcoming Latino2 event soon to be held on the Central Coast or visit Latino2.com for more information.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Cain Velasquez | A Big Deal for the Latino Market

Outreach to the Hispanic market.
Source: Inside MMA

Much was made on blogs and fight fan forums about the marketing of UFC 121 and Cain Velasquez to the Mexican audience. The UFC billed him as the first potential Mexican heavyweight to win a major championship in combat sports. Velasquez, born in Salinas, Calif., considers himself American but he also grew up paying respects to his Mexican heritage.

The push by UFC appears to have been a huge success, as the nearly 15,000 people inside the Honda Center, many waving Mexican-flag colored garb, were clearly behind Velasquez.

"I think Cain winning the title and holding the title is a big deal for the Latino market," UFC president Dana White said. "Mexico dominated the lighter weight categories in boxing and I think they will in mixed martial arts eventually, too."

The difference between Velasquez and other Hispanic fighters, especially those native to Mexico: wrestling. There will need to be a steep learning curve for many young Hispanic fighters making their way into MMA, unless they're exposed to wrestling at an early age. For now, Velasquez would seem to be the exception. But with a fighter like him to look up to, let there be no doubt that a young crop are already mapping out their careers to the top.

"I feel great being the first Mexican heavyweight champion of the UFC," Velasquez said. "I'm going to keep representing. This belt I dedicate to the Mexican people in the United States and Mexico."

The UFC has attempted to make inroads into Mexico for at least half a decade. Velasquez could be the key to getting that done.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Humanizing the Web

What's in a screen name?

Humanizing the web
Guest post by Louis Pagan of Latino Rebranded.

I remember my first live event: meeting live people...talking with live people...exchanging handshakes instead of emails or comments. It was a thrill!

When introduced with my real name, I was greeted with a confused look. On that cue, my screen name was then offered: the Latino Pundit. It was then greeted with familiarity.

Ever since that experience, I felt that people only new the mask, and not the person behind the online identity. And it was then the decision was made to make my name a brand, and not a fictitious identity to hide behind. This is the reasoning behind my Twitter handle, and my blog name albeit it has two names. I do realize that we still are not fully transparent online - even if we do use our real names - but I feel we are a little closer to humanizing the web by doing so.

So, what is in a screen name? Well, everything: how people perceive you, recognition, reputation, memorability, relatability. I'm sure I missed some.

I wonder how many people remember their first screen name, and if they still are using it solely. That would be interesting!

What's your take?

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Univision, Vevo Strike Content Pact

Vevo is looking to widen its footprint in the Hispanic market by adding Univision to its content distribution and ad sales network.

The music video site—a joint venture between Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Abu Dhabi Media Company—has begun delivering video content to Univision, which plans to feature videos from various Latino artists on several of its Web sites. A likely candidate is Música, the all-music site Univision launched last week.

Like its other distribution partnerships, which include CBS and AOL, Vevo will handle all advertising sales for this deal, while Univision will handle programming.

According to David Kohl, Vevo’s evp, sales and customer operations, the Univision partnership is part of an aggressive play by Vevo to leverage its growing Hispanic audience for brands. Among Vevo’s 49 million unique users tracked by comScore in September, 8 million were Hispanics, he said.

As a result, over the summer Vevo landed dollar commitments from several advertisers specifically seeking its Hispanic demographics, including Toyota and Warner Bros. Pictures, per Kohl. “This will make it that much more exciting for them,” he said.(Source: Mediaweek)

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

3 Must-Read Articles on the Hispanic Market

Below are three recent articles providing us with excellent insight into the happenings surrounding today's Latinos. Hispanic grocers are a force to be reckoned with due to their niche offerings and ability to cater to the various tastes and interests of the Hispanic market. Spanish digital content is an arena that must be explored by today's digital pioneers. Young Latinos are once again setting trends in how we communicate.

Hispanic grocers focus on customer service, specialty products

A view into the real-world experiences and trends affecting Hispanic grocers and the impact of recent attention placed on immigration.

Spanish Content: The Next Frontier in the Digital Race

Interesting view into the future and potential market of Spanish digital content.

"We would do well to remember that Spanish is the third most-spoken language in the world after English and Chinese and one can hardly turn a blind eye to the revenue potential of a market that is poised to cater to 500 million Spanish speakers around the world."

Research: How Young Latinos Communicate with Friends in the Digital Age

Discusses recent findings based on a new analysis of data from a nationwide telephone survey of Latinos conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center.