Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Hispanic Population up 31% in Washington state


According to The Carsey Institute, between 2000 and 2006 the Hispanic population in Washington grew by 31.4%, about four times faster than the 8.5% population growth of the state. The study also highlights the move from urban to rural communities especially in the northwest, with about 80,000 living in Washington's rural towns.

The states with the largest number of Hispanics living in rural areas include Texas, New Mexico, North Carolina, Arizona, Colorado, Florida and Arizona with more than 100,000 living outside of cities. The study shows that northern states are quickly gaining on the South, with Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Michigan, Illinois and Georgia all having more than 50,000 living in rural areas. Hispanic media is also taking notice with a Univision station in Seattle and an Azteca America station in Redmond.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Hispanics represented on NBC's Celebrity Apprentice


In the Celebrity version of NBC's The Apprentice there is adequate Hispanic representation on both the men's and ladies' teams. Hispanic TV Executive Nely Galan and Tito Ortiz of Ultimate Fighting Challenge Fame add a Hispanic taste to the show.
The women's team actually picked a Spanish word for their team name, Empresario, which means businessperson. I had not seen the Apprentice in a while, but Gene Simmons attracted me to the celebrity version of the show. We'll keep tabs on the Hispanics and when they get fired!

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Three Kings Day Gets More Play


Retailers are taking note of the Hispanic Holiday of Three King's Day celebrated on January 6th as a way of extending the holiday season and reaching out to Latinos. This holiday commemorates the Ephiphany or the visit of Jesus by the Three Wise Men.

The holiday is celebrated in Puerto Rico, Spain, Mexico and many Latin American countries. I remember when I handled the Marshall's account in the mid nineties, we had marketing activities scheduled around Three King's Day but only for the stores in Puerto Rico. On the island it is a big deal and supported by practically all retailers. The main story today is the holiday coming to the mainland United States. Wal-Mart began promoting the tradition in a big way last year and is expanding this year. K-mart is also planning activities around the holiday. With retailers like Wal-Mart jumping in, I am sure we will see others joining the fray. After all an extension of the holiday season by two weeks will be welcomed by any retailers.