McDonald’s and iNSPIRE! launched web series featuring young Latino musicians.

Dallas-based Hispanic advertising agency, iNSPIRE!, launched the first installment of Latinos Are One (LR1). The webisode series sponsored by McDonald’s® and produced by Digital Broadcasting Group features nine-time Grammy-nominated music producer Andres Levin as he works with Hip-Hop MC Velcro, Jean Shepherd from Navegante, and pop star Debi Nova to write, develop and compose a fresh song that celebrates their similarities and strength as Latinos – all in less than 3 days. By bringing together artists from different musical genres and backgrounds, the series provides a first-hand look at how Latino music today is mirroring the shifts in society in the U.S.

One of those shifts is the growth of “Lateens” – bicultural/bilingual Latino teens that are attuned to the mainstream, but avidly celebrate their Hispanic roots – as a powerful and influential segment. “LR1 is more than a webisode series. It is a reflection of who Lateens truly are, how they think and the world they live in,” said Tommy Thompson, president of iNSPIRE!. “This segment moves seamlessly through different cultures, takes the best of each and makes it one of their own. We felt music was an excellent platform to allow for this type of creative expression.” But LR1 seeks to showcase more than just music. Collaboration, originality, passion, education, having a voice and fulfilling dreams through hard work are a few of the relevant themes organically portrayed in the series.

“Lateens represent the future. As such, it’s critical we continue to connect with them in a relevant way. With Latinos Are One, we’re showing young Latinos that dedication and education can produce great results,” says Danny Cervantes, Regional Marketing Manager for McDonald’s USA. “McDonald’s® continues with its mission to encourage Latino youth to stay in school and strive for college. We feel that by showcasing talented people just like them, Lateens will be inspired by the artists’ stories. Using a webisodes series allowed us a greater level of consumer engagement as this is their medium of choice.”

iNSPIRE! has been leading McDonald’s efforts against Lateens in numerous local Hispanic markets for the past 9 years, with each year seeing an increase in the digital space. “The data on Lateens digital consumption over other mediums is hard to ignore,” said Thompson. “As an agency who is redefining marketing to Latinos, we were very comfortable in relying on digital as our primary medium and not having any TV support. Hopefully, others in the industry will see that leading with online is an effective tool in inspiring action and will follow suit.”

To uncover deeper insights about Lateens and their relationship with McDonalds, iNSPIRE! uses a variety of traditional and innovative observational research techniques such as virtual ethnographies. Additionally, iNSPIRE! has established working relationships with predominantly Hispanic high schools where they expose Lateens to multiple marketing disciplines through a semester long advertising class, while collecting key consumer insights from students through assigned projects.