The San Jose Group honored with Hermes Awards.

The San Jose Group (SJG) continues its streak of creative award victories, adding three new Hermes Awards for SPAM’s “Balloons”, HERDEZ “Desde Arriba” and Hy Cite’s “Transitions.”

“We are proud to continue to be recognized for our commitment to creative excellence,” said George L. San Jose, president and COO of SJG. “To be awarded not only one, but three
awards, is definitely an honor for our team.”

The winning spot for SPAM marked the iconic brand of luncheon meat’s debut into Spanish language television in the U.S. Its title is a reference to engaging “thought balloon” effects that
appear throughout the commercial. The balloons encapsulate visions of delicious meals prepared with SPAM, which two lead male characters proceed to repeatedly steal from one
another in an action-packed chase scene throughout a modern, downtown setting. The commercial’s high-energy, urban appeal set out to solicit a curiosity of SPAM among Hispanic
consumers as an incentive to trial.

“Desde Arriba” was the second commercial produced for HERDEZ Salsa. The title, which means “From Above,” refers to the consultation given by a young woman’s grandmother as she
desperately tries to recall the ingredients to her family’s salsa. The grandmother gently appears from above, accompanied by heavenly harp-sounding melodies. She then proceeds to offer her granddaughter advice on how to prepare the perfect salsa, which culminates in an unexpected ending. The commercial’s at-home, heritage-rich appeal set out to keep the U.S. Mexican Hispanic’s attention and further establish HERDEZ Salsa’s positioning as a category leader.

The television spot developed for Hy Cite departs from the traditional cooking demo, infomercial approach most commonly used in the cookware category. Created with a highly stylized, retrochic appeal, the spot places Royal Prestige pots and pans center stage as glimmering props held by perfectly coiffed female dancers who twirl and glide to an infectious Latin beat. Visually appealing recipes are showcased and morph seamlessly into the dancers. The spot ends with a toll-free number and the tagline, “Cocina al Máximo” (Cook to the Max).

The Hermes Awards is an international competition that honors the messengers and creators of traditional and emerging media by recognizing excellence in terms of creativity and hard work.