Related Articles:

Automakers Target Hispanic Market by Paul A. Eisenstein (12/12/2004)
Chevy, Ford and others going after an American revolution - Latino style.

Diversity is a hallmark of America. And today, it's also one of the biggest issues - and opportunities - facing corporate America. 

Look at a few recent headlines from across the country, and you'll see the eager steps and occasional miscues made as companies try to reach out to new and growing communities of Americans:

MOBILE PHONE GIANTS STEP UP HISPANIC ADVERTISING - New York - The battle for U.S. Latino mobile phone consumers will heat up in 2005 as two marketers have recently picked their first U.S. Hispanic ad agencies and another has switched Hispanic shops.

AVON BREAKS NEW GROUND WITH SALMA HAYEK PROJECT - Los Angeles - Avon Products, which recently signed actress Salma Hayek as brand endorser, will co-market her upcoming film, After the Sunset, and create a new line of products tied to the movie, according to the company.

U.S. HISPANIC TV EMBRACES PRODUCT PLACEMENT - New York - Product placement has come to scripted drama on U.S. Spanish-language TV. At least 20 hours of weekly novelas (soap operas) that air between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. are now homegrown productions that offer content integration opportunities never before available.

VIDAL PARTNERSHIP WINS NISSAN'S HISPANIC ACCOUNT - New York - Nissan Motor Co. said it is moving its estimated $50 million U.S. Hispanic account to independent agency the Vidal Partnership, New York.

I remember well back in early 1982 when I started in this business with a local Hispanic automotive publication, how many of the car makers would laugh at us because of our intentions to write directly to the Hispanic market. I will never forget how one day in the mid-80s while trying to promote our efforts for Latinos inside a very important auto show, we were literally asked to pack our bags and hit the road. What a difference a decade has made with the burgeoning Hispanic market. With the tremendous growth of the Latino community in this country, and an amazing buying power of $700 billion annually.

TCC en Espanol bows

So we come to us now, The Car Connection en Español. Why us, why Español and why now?

Those of you who've been regular visitors to TCC likely have noticed that over the past few years, there have been many changes and improvements, from posting four or five stories, columns and reviews each week to an average of 15. Our design has changed, our technology has been upgraded, and our coverage has broadened. We've won awards for Daily Edition and our road tests, features, and breaking news, too.

Web publishing is always changing, and TCC is growing to accommodate the new audiences flocking to the 'Net. Today, we feel that there is a tremendous void among automotive sites geared to Hispanic readers and enthusiasts. And thanks to the expertise of the TCC team - including me, the newest member - we are poised to fill that void with the same integrity, professionalism, and the best and broadest automotive editorial content you'll find anywhere on the Internet in the Spanish language. We think we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with any automotive news source in print or electronic distribution, and we know we will too amongst Hispanics.

The Car Connection en Español will resemble somewhat, but not be identical to the mother site, TheCarConnection.com. It will be tailored to meet the specific needs and interests of Hispanic readers everywhere with the help of great Latino contributors from many cities in our country. We have even gone the extra mile in making certain that our original content stays true to our idiosyncrasies, heritage, jargon, and sazón. Even our color theme has been given a fresh twist, which you'll see soon on the new site when it premiers at http://www.elcarroconnexion.com.

In short, it will be tailored to meet the specific needs and wishes of the Hispanic market. But that's just a start. As the new Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of TheCarConnection en Español, I pledge to you we'll grow together and become a strong, very culturally rich organization that will better reflect the diversity of our society and our profession, and listen to you, our readers, for your input, your thoughts, your praise, and your criticism.

We are very excited about launching this effort during the upcoming North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, on Monday, January 10th, 2005, and becoming part of your lives. Look for us and let us know what you think of TCC en Español.

Happy Holidays to all and Feliz Navidad!