Ethnic Marketing Group switches to Shopper Marketing Group.

Since the passing of Enrique Gil, Hispanic marketing pioneer and founder of Ethnic Marketing Group Inc. (EMG), key members of the original EMG management team have formed Shopper Marketing Group, Inc. SMG is continuing to service former EMG clients and new SMG clients, focusing its growth in the area of multicultural shopper marketing, which has always been EMG’s niche in the industry.
 
“Even before the shopper marketing term and discipline came about, we were working ‘below-the-line’ in supporting our clients’ retailers, distributors and the communities they serve,” said Mario Echevarria, CEO, managing partner of SMG. “We’ve always supported media buys with tactical grass roots efforts to drive traffic or phone and web leads.” 
 
“Much investment is going from mass media to more targeted, grass roots, especially retail-focused efforts to include digital media, while SMG is positioned well to support this trend in multicultural markets…” adds Widad Leal, SVP, managing partner at SMG. Widad brings 20 years experience in marketing, promotions and leadership positions in working with clients like Verizon, Coca Cola, GE and Kellog’s. She was also director of Latino marketing at Universal Studios and was director of advertising and promotions for NBC Universal’s Telemundo.