Media All-Star: Christopher T. Young

NEW YORK To be David in a Goliath business means knowing which sling to use. As a mid-sized player in the U.S. Hispanic market, Vista Media Group, Entravision Communication Corp.'s out-of-home division, believes it has an edge over giant competitors. Mom-and-pop businesses are key to driving the company's success, in addition to a staple of national advertisers, says Christopher T. Young, president of the group and All-Star for Out-of-Home.Under his leadership and aggressive strategies, ad revenue has boosted the outdoor division's year-to-year growth. During 2006, outdoor ad revenue climbed 7 percent and accounted for roughly 13 percent ($36.6 million) of Entravision's total revenue of $291.7 million. Television represents 54 percent of revenue, and radio holds 33 percent, according to the company.Vista Media competes with the likes of CBS Outdoor Latino and Clear Channel Outdoor, two media juggernauts with deeper pockets and resources. While the competitors may take a bigger piece of the national market, Vista Media has focused on smaller communities as a way to generate more business—and to grow.In Tampa, Fla., the out-of-home division won a multiyear contract with the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority to sell advertising on the area's public buses. The five-year agreement, signed in May 2006, helped increase the company's transit advertising business and created opportunities for broader reach.Buoyed by a recognized parent company, the Hispanic-owned Entravision, based in Santa Monica, Calif., the wholly owned outdoor unit is becoming a solid entity in its own right."[The team] must be on top of their game in every way" to make that happen, says Young, who operates out of New York. That's the challenge in the booming Hispanic out-of-home industry, which insiders estimate to be $100 million. "It's about getting people in the right places."Stephen Freitas, chief marketing officer for the Outdoor Advertising Association of America, says, "The [Hispanic] segment is growing at a quick pace, 13 percent annually."Vista Media's operation consists of approximately 10,600 advertising faces located primarily in Los Angeles and New York, the top two Hispanic markets in the United States, respectively. In addition to Tampa, the billboard business is active in Chicago, Dallas and Sacramento, Calif.The company has capitalized on cross-promotions with Entravision's radio division. Co-locating the outdoor and radio sales staffs when possible has helped to increase revenue.At 38, Young is the youngest executive heading an Entravision business segment, following TV and radio. He was appointed president of Vista Media in 2004 after serving as CFO of the outdoor unit four years prior.Before joining Entravision, Young held various positions in corporate finance divisions at large banks, in some cases, for the broadcasting and outdoor advertising industries."He has strong [business] ethics," says Walter Ulloa, Entravision's chairman and CEO. "He's the kind of person whom people respect, and he's a leader. We expect our managers to be great sellers and to constantly be in contact with our clients and developing new business. Chris certainly fits that category of qualities." Rudy Ferrer, president of Delta Media ad agency, lauds Young for running a stealth operation and meeting clients' needs, including Corona."Vista Media is capable of management in a way that I don't have to talk to Chris often, and that's good," Ferrer says. "If I need anything, he's quick to respond."Good company response has propelled a 5 percent revenue growth for Vista Media in the first quarter of 2007, which also reflects solid increases in local revenue that helped offset softness in national revenue, particularly in New York. Vista Media services clients such as McDonald's, Chase Bank and Continental in New York City's Spanish Harlem.The services category delivered the highest percentage increase this year compared to 2006, followed by healthcare and package goods. Advertisers included Lay's and HIP, a healthcare provider in New York.Though Wall Street analysts have speculated the publicly traded Entravision might sell its outdoor division, Ulloa is quick to respond."There's always some rumor out there about somebody or something being for sale," Ulloa says. "I don't comment on those rumors. We have a strong division. It's an important part of what we do and it's growing, and certainly it will continue to grow in the future."Local advertising growth is first and foremost, Young says, but there are other important factors at play. "I'm having a lot of fun," he says. "I love coming to work every day and being in charge of a team."And that's what might be needed to stop any giant.

Brand Marketing

Media All-Star: Christopher T. Young

Justino Aquila/marketing Y Medios

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Justino Aquila/marketing Y Medios