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The Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies (AHAA) and HispanicAd.com are accepting entry submissions for the first awards competition in the Hispanic advertising industry recognizing the important and influential account planning discipline. The HispanicAd.com Account Planning Excelencia (HAPE) awards, designed to identify and select the best account planning in the industry, will be presented to winners at AHAA's 21st semi-annual conference to be held at the Hyatt Regency Miami in Miami, Florida, September 19-21, 2006.
"Acknowledging excellence in account planning will make the significance of our discipline even stronger and more relevant," says Alex G-Pallete, president of the awards jury and managing partner-director of account planning/The Vidal Partnership. "The undeniable power and passion of account planning in our market will be demonstrated through the brilliant, strategic work we are confident will be entered in this competition."
Inspiring case studies, summarizing a business challenge and describing the skillful solution that changed or guided the course of communications development, will be judged on insight, creativity and effectiveness. A distinguished, experienced and motivational panel of judges representing varied disciplines within Hispanic advertising agencies has been selected to evaluate the inaugural awards entries in four categories: cultural interpretation; cultural transformation; culture specific; and, pro bono. Also serving as a judge, lending additional credibility to the first-time awards program, is Domenico Vitale, Kirshenbaum bond + partners, a remarkable planner with demonstrated success in the general market and part of the team that launched the Jay Chiat Account Planning Awards, notes G-Pallete.
"Originally born in the United Kingdom, the account planning discipline was brought to the United States a little more than two decades ago by Jay Chiat," says G-Pallete. "Soon after the implementation in the general market, Hispanic agencies began to incorporate the practice as a way to stay competitive and produce even better work. During the past several years, however, the discipline in our market has evolved tremendously due in part to the growing sophistication of some of the most relevant advertisers; the increasingly demanding needs of the Hispanic consumer; and the arrival of new talent with planning background attracted by the intriguing complexity of our industry. The HispanicAd.com Account Planning Excelencia Awards will showcase the amazing ability and thinking of account planning professionals in our industry today and the growing importance of the discipline in Hispanic agencies."
Account planning seeks to understand the motivation behind consumer behavior and reveals closely held attitudes, beliefs, and feelings about brands, self, family and lifestyle. Insight and consumer perspective combined with innovative concepts, strategic analytical thinking, and instinctive curiosity guide planners in developing the platform for brilliant creative execution. The account planning profession plays a key role in an interdisciplinary approach to serving clients and delivering demonstrated business value.
"Account planning is particularly important in gaining critical knowledge and comprehension of the Latino culture and identity," says Carl Kravetz, chairman of the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies (AHAA) and chairman/chief strategic officer of cruz/kravetz:IDEAS. "Continuing to develop a more nuanced view of the Hispanic market and proposing inventive methods and tools to reach consumers will truly advance the merit of our industry and the value we deliver to our clients. AHAA is proud to partner with HispanicAd.com to host our industry's first account planning competition and we look forward to sharing the success stories at our conference and continuing to raise the bar of strategic thinking and creativity within our industry."
"The new awards program is another way HispanicAd.com can demonstrate its commitment to the Hispanic advertising community and enhance our long-standing relationship with AHAA," says Gene Bryan, CEO, HispanicAd.com. "We involved experts in the development of the program to ensure the highest integrity and we anticipate great participation and support from the industry. Celebrating the best and the brightest talent in our industry has become a hallmark for our organization."
HAPE entries are being accepted through August 4, 2006, and gold, silver and bronze winners in each category will be announced at AHAA's fall conference. Awards will be presented by HispanicAd.com's CEO, Gene Bryan. Entry details for the new awards program are available online at http://www.ahaa.org or download an entry form at http://www.hispanicad.com/HAPE/HAPE 2006entry.pdf.
About AHAA:
The Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies (AHAA) is the national organization of firms that specialize in marketing to the nation's 41 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 agencies offer a unique blend of cultural understanding, market intelligence, proven experience and professionalism that deliver Hispanic market success for clients. AHAA agencies help organizations gain market share, increase revenue and grow profits by building the bridges and delivering the messages to reach America's Hispanic consumers, who together have an estimated buying power of $630 billion.
About HispanicAd.com & ADnotas.com:
Since its launch in February 1999, HispanicAd.com has been the Hispanic market's leading advertising and media news and information site in the US, Latin America and the Caribbean. A division of Hispanic Media Sales, Inc., HispanicAd.com offers daily Hispanic advertising news and updates, weekly articles about the issues, individuals and corporations that define the industry and a weekly newsletter to more than 15,000 subscribers weekly.
In June 2004, ADnotas.com was launched as the leading advertising and media news trade journal in the Caribbean targeting the advertising, media and sales professional. A division of Adnotas, Inc., Adnotas.com offers daily news and updates, weekly articles, information on individuals and corporations that define the advertising industry in Puerto Rico, and a weekly newsletter to more than 6,500 subscribers weekly.
