Hispanic Enterprise - October/November 2007 - (Page 38)

SUCCESS & MOTIVATION NELSON ALBAREDA CAPITALIZES ON THE EMOTIONAL RESPONSES EVOKED BY HISPANIC MUSIC TO CONNECT CONSUMERS AND CORPORATE AMERICA. By KiKi Bochi HITTING A HIGH NOTE n the pulsating rhythms and enthusiastic crowds at the Latin Grammy Street Parties across the country, Nelson Albareda ﬁnds many of the things he holds dear. A chance to showcase Latino culture and accomplishments. A celebration of the Hispanic family. Music that can set your soul aﬁre. And business opportunities. Lots of business opportunities. Albareda, president and CEO of Eventus Marketing, has been staging these street parties for ﬁve years now in cooperation with the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, the sponsor of the Latin Grammys. As a prelude to the November 8 nationally televised awards show, the street parties were held in New York, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles and Dallas. The estimated draw: 150,000 people. “My passion has always been this Hispanic market,” says Albareda, 38 I whose company promises highly customized events to connect with different segments of the Latino population. Each street party, for example, featured a different cultural ﬂavor based on its location: tropical in South Florida, Mexican in Los Angeles and Puerto Rican in New York. The street parties serve to build excitement in the Latin Grammy Awards while feeding the Latino public’s hunger for events and entertainment that speak their language, both literally and ﬁguratively. At the same time, sponsorship of events like the parties offers Corporate America a prime opportunity to woo the growing Hispanic market. Companies involved in this year’s street parties, for example, included McDonald’s, Verizon, WaMu and Chevrolet. “If you want to tap into any market, you have to ﬁnd the passion points,” explains Pedro de Córdoba, the chief marketing ofﬁcer for Eventus. “For Latinos, one of the very, very strong pas- sion points is music. As an immigrant, you latch onto anything from your culture that you can take with you, and music is one of those things. What better way to make a connection with a consumer than with music?” As high-proﬁle as the street parties are today, these outdoor music festivals—and Albareda’s involvement in them—began somewhat serendipitously. A casual encounter at a breakfast event led a bank executive whom Albareda barely knew to suggest his former company to the Latin Grammy representatives. “He was impressed with us, and he mentioned our name,” Albareda says. Over lunch at the Hotel Intercontinental in downtown Miami, there was a meeting of the minds and an instant connection. Almost before he knew it, Albareda says, “We made the deal on a napkin.” Albareda and his then-partners later split up, but Albareda continued to work with the Latin Grammys, staging their October/November 2007 HISPANIC ENTERPRISE

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Hispanic Enterprise - October/November 2007

Hispanic Enterprise - October/November 2007 Contents BIZBUZZ: Business Briefs Trendsetters BIZTECH: Personally Digital BizLife - Travel: The Mobile Meeting Motoring: Is What You Drive, Who You Are? Q&A - Fact Tank for the Hispanic Population Hispanic Commerce Cover Story: Tiles with Style Success & Motivation: Grammy Whammy Finance: Talking Code Event: Masterminds NCLR Report - Improving your Triple Bottom Line Politics & Government: Keep on Truckin' Managing: Avoiding an Identity Crisis Franchising: Beyond the Brand Finance & Investing - Talking Money Movers & Shakers Regional Report - Louisiana, Louisiana Chamber Focus - On the Island of Enchantment

Hispanic Enterprise - October/November 2007

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