Matador Agency launches.

Luis Caballero, partner and President of Matador, a Latino communications firm, announced that the firm has opened its doors to provide ‘killer’ new strategies for marketers currently targeting or those seeking to tap the buying power of the fastest-growing U.S. Hispanic population.

“There is a gaping void in the strategies used to effectively engage Latino consumers. Typically, many brand marketers and their multicultural agencies mirror the traditional advertising campaigns and strategies. Matador employs a sharply focused philosophy that is media agnostic, culturally relevant and engaging in a personal way that a mass advertising approach, alone, cannot duplicate,” said Caballero.

The philosophy ‘branding at the point of contact’ and Matador‚s Brand Roots˙ process offers clients a new, more efficient tool for gaining traction and fostering brand loyalty among U.S. Latinos. “A tree grows from the roots up, not from the branches down. Brand Roots engages on a socially and culturally relevant level, the point of contact, then goes in for the kill‚ to secure the brand relationship,” he said.

Caballero honed his insights during his 18-year career devising and implementing multicultural and field marketing campaigns for Fortune 500 companies such as Yum! Brands, Subway, Church‚s Chicken and others, and directed Hispanic agencies such as Cartel Creativo and Dieste. He also worked on Hispanic accounts for Burger King and Coca-Cola while at Sosa & Associates (now Bromley Communications) in San Antonio.

“Like un-sexy, but highly effective, disciplines such as direct marketing and public relations, field marketing has long been considered an ugly step sister to the more glamorous 30-second television spot or spread print ad. We believe that the marriage of field marketing-based strategies and keen cultural insights will yield better results for marketers. In my experience, many of the initiatives that became national campaigns were created and incubated in the field. By the time mass advertising was used to support the initiative, we already had momentum and traction to ensure success. Many brands will find this approach intriguing, especially as they seek new ways to build sales and share in these soft economic times,” said Caballero.

“Another major factor is the role that Hispanic youths play in the market. They are extremely tech-savvy, and have established strong ties with both American culture and their family roots,” said Caballero.