Ad Agency

New full-service ad agency L-Avenue is based in San Antonio. Agency director Carlos Jaramillo, originally from Colombia, will lead an experienced team of professionals in targeting the U.S. Hispanic market.

GMAC Mortgage Corp. has assigned Enlace Communications Inc. to handle creative and media responsibilities for the company’s first integrated Hispanic marketing initiative. The agency and client report that the program is structured in stages, with the initial efforts focused on first-time homebuyers. Ennio García Miera, VP New Markets Group, leads the vision for this initiative.

Burger King International announced it has awarded their Latin American Advertising budget to creativeondemand (C.O.D), Miami. The agency will be charged with developing the fast food giant’s brand advertising throughout various countries in Latin America.

Casanova Pendrill announced the launch of a new campaign for Johnson & Johnson’s baby skin care brand Johnson’s Nourishing Milk Lotion. The :30 television commercial will air on National TV networks Univision and Telemundo setting out to reach the Hispanic Mother who has now become the majority segment of new moms, with more live births than any other ethnic group in the U.S.

Procter & Gamble Co. named Starcom MediaVest Group and Carat North America communication planning agencies. The assignment, the culmination of a review that included two media planning incumbents – SMG and Grey Worldwide’s MediaCom unit – as well as three outside contenders – Carat, Havas’ MPG unit, and Omnicom direct response agency Targetbase, was closely watched because many believe it could lead to fundamental changes in the way the packaged goods marketer handles media.

The US Hispanic Nissan North America account assignment is in its final stages, with the client visiting all agencies that have made the final round.

Mexico’s Femsa has been looking for an AOR for its Tecate brand in the US Hispanic Market. Currently there are several agencies pitching the business, but no apparent leader has been rumored.

Having been the corner stones for the creation of ZGS Communications in Virginia, Lorena Chambers and Patricia Gaitan have left the agency and launched Chambers Lopez & Gaitan (CL&G).

Seventeen years ago, on July 17, the first Hispanic agency in San Francisco opened its doors despite the lure of Los Angeles in those early days as the place to go for Hispanic marketing expertise.