Amway Global and d expósito & Partners: The meaning behind the win.

As the Ada, Michigan-based Amway Global tapped d expósito & Partners as its Hispanic agency of record, two things became apparent. On one hand, a leading direct seller and the number-one online retailer in the Health & Beauty category is coming into the U.S. Hispanic market, as the latest example of this market’s importance. Secondly, the win is the evidence of another agency showing growth at significant speed, despite the difficult financial times.

“Drawing upon extensive experience and research,” said Jori Hartwig, VP Marketing, “we are working with d expósito & Partners to craft a uniquely effective strategy to engage what is perhaps the fastest-growing segment, as reflected by our country’s changing consumer landscape.” The agency was selected after an extensive search.

According to Amway executives, HispanicAd.com learned that the Hispanic program is expected to launch later this year, and activity will consist of advertising, experiential and CRM. The goal is to raise awareness of Amway Global as a company, as well as two of its brands, Nutrilite and Artistry. Paula Otero, Hispanic Brand Manager, states, “we will be leading with two brands, NUTRILITE, the world’s leading brand of vitamin, mineral, and dietary supplements**, and ARTISTRY, our prestige line of facial skin care. In our search, we looked for an agency with a unique vision and philosophy, and we really sparked to d expósito & Partners – its team of strategic thinkers, experience and impressive track record.” concluded Ms. Otero.

Other direct sellers have also noted the importance of the Hispanic market to companies that utilize the direct selling business model. Earlier this year, Avon initiated Hispanic advertising with the intent of recruiting Latinas as part of their sales force. Following the same approach as their English-language advertising, Avon uses testimonials to communicate key benefits of the direct selling model: the ability to have your own business while affording a sense of personal freedom. Herbalife, a direct seller of weight management and nutritional supplements, also has a concerted effort targeting the Hispanic market, including sponsorship of the LA Galaxy and an extensive grassroots outreach. Mary Kay Cosmetics has dabbled in the Hispanic space, sponsoring events executed through Meredith Corporation’s Siempre Mujer. These direct sellers, and many others, have witnessed a disproportionate representation of Hispanics in their direct sales forces, which has directly translated to disproportionate sales volume.

In 2008, Amway invested in general market advertising to announce the name change of its U.S. business, from Quixtar to Amway Global. As it celebrates 50 years of existence in 2009, a concerted Hispanic initiative is only appropriate given the growing importance of this consumer group and the entrepreneurial spirit it possesses. Amway’s 2008 sales exceeded US $8 billion on a global basis.

“We’re thrilled,” said Fernando Fernandez, partner/chief client services officer, d expósito & Partners. “In three years we’ve turned into one of the fastest-growing agencies in our space.”