The Hispanic Agency and their thinking by Tony Dieste

Tony Dieste – Chairman & Chief Idea Office at Dieste Harmel & Partners

Dallas based Dieste Harmel & Partners is an example of the new wave of multinational Hispanic Advertising Agencies. An agency with strong independent roots and thinking that was eagerly sought after by a multinational agency conglomerate. Tony Dieste and his team have been able to put the agency in a unique position in our Industry that commands the respect of both independent and multinational agency heads alike.

Q&A …….

1. What, in your eyes, defines a “Multinationally owned Hispanic Agency” these days?

Whether multinational owned or independent, Hispanic or general market, what defines a great agency is the same: To be manically consumer based – to seek real and tangible consumer insights from which you can connect to the brand and create ideas that transform those businesses in significant ways. Those who can do this better than others rise to the top in their fields regardless of label.

2. What value do you believe a Multinationally owned Hispanic Agency brings to its clients?

A good Hispanic agency is one which sees the creation and marketing process through the eyes of the client. Are the insights right? Is the creative right? I’ve worked at agencies in the past where there was not a true partnership with the client and work was “forced” a little and in the end, even if the work works the process was painful. Having world-class systems and processes as well as many times being linked in to a deep multi-layer client relationship on the general market side provides a proprietary advantage to the multinationally owned agency.

3. Why do you believe it is good to be a Multinationally owned Hispanic Agency?

What advantages do you think we have as Multinationally owned Hispanic Agencies?
There are many advantages to being multinationally owned – here are just a few:
” World-class management expertise
” Access to world-class systems and software
” Access to tried – proven processes for advertising, promotion, traffic
” Access to world-class Hispanic talent
We receive all of this on top of everything we brought to the table as an independent.

4. What is it like to be a Multinationally owned Hispanic Agency in these days of holding company consolidation and continued acquisition?

Our holding company partner is Omnicom. So far we have had a very positive experience and we are very independent within their network and within the U.S. Hispanic landscape. We are part of the DAS Group in Omnicom. We are like “Switzerland”, and work equally well with all agencies both Omnicom and others. Their philosophy has always been to acquire sector best-in-class creative companies like Goodby Silverstein, Arnell Group, TBWA and enable and allow those companies to thrive within their given disciplines

5. What do you think is the future of the Multinationally owned Hispanic Agencies in relationship to the general market, or the market overall?

This is a great question. I believe the entire advertising industry is under siege / transformation. It started with digital migration and now with the way clients want to go to market and measure their success. Moreover, great ideas are becoming harder to come by. Clients are finding it tougher than ever to connect with the consumer and media is evolving daily. Within this backdrop good ideas and good innovation is becoming harder and harder to find within the agency community. So, I think what we’re seeing is the breaking down of the old advertising and advertising agency models and the creation of new models, some of which are working better than others. We for example have long since gone to the 360o and content approach – but I question, is this enough? Is this right?

6. What do you think the next generation of Multinationally owned Hispanic Agencies look like?

Without question there will be much more involvement in the development of digital and video content. Latinos are moving gradually into those spaces and beginning to leapfrog Anglos in the use of some technologies.

7. What unique challenges do you feel Multinationally owned Hispanic Agencies face in today’s marketplace?

I believe our biggest challenge as Hispanic agencies by far is convincing clients in an environment of media consolidation with large mega-media buyers of the value that we (Hispanic agencies) bring in the media planning and buying process. Not only in the deep knowledge of the programming and audience, but in the ability to create unique highly relevant content and distribution of that content to our consumers.

8. Do you believe there are entities or forces who are or are not supporting Independent and Holding Company-Owned agencies equally and fairly?

Occasionally you hear an argument on each side — those who are good and are focused on the work know that the arguments are absurd.

9. Do you believe there is a unique sense of responsibility Multinationally owned Hispanic Agencies bear (or should bear) insofar as the further development and growth of the Hispanic marketing and advertising industry? If so, please give your views.

We owe the market what they have given us. An industry. Keeping this alive, vibrant, innovative full of talent, is our responsibility. So far I believe we’ve done a pretty good job of self-regulation, evolving the creative product, creating innovation at the agency level, and make strides in developing young U.S. Latino talent. However, I still believe that we still have not unlocked our biggest asset – the millions of U.S. born and foreign-born Latinos that are currently in our education system. I believe we can do a better job as an industry to keep them in school, avoid dropouts, preparing them for higher education, etc. This is the workforce we all pull from our current and future consumers and future talent pool.

10. What advice would you give a future Independent Hispanic Agency professional interested in working for a Multinationally owned Hispanic agency?

Find an agency where you feel like you fit in (“culturally”) Agency’s are organic structures but have definite cultures and they are not meant for everyone – make sure you buy into where they are going, what they are wanting to do. If they can’t answer those questions interview somewhere else!