Sprint Makes Latino Connection

NEW YORK Sprint Nextel is betting that Nascar's time has come for Latinos. On Monday, the wireless provider will debut its first Spanish-language TV commercial, "Gotera" ("Water Leak"), featuring Colombia-born driver Juan Pablo Montoya for its second wave of a comprehensive integrated-marketing campaign. Montoya joined the Nascar Nextel Cup Series last year, making him the most high-profile Hispanic driver. He was formerly a Formula One driver. Nextel's Walkie-Talkie phone feature—a more immediate way to communicate without making a traditional phone call—was launched in Latin America in 2004, but the U.S. Hispanic market will get an extra push with the new campaign efforts. Earlier marketing outreach included radio spots and a familiarization campaign for consumers to experience Nascar firsthand."Planning came up through a lot of conversations," said Victor Paredes, group account director at the Vidal Partnership, who leads the Sprint Nextel team at the phone carrier's Hispanic lead agency, in New York. "To be honest, without Juan Pablo Montoya, chances are we wouldn't be here speaking to you. But the fact that [Nascar] has this athlete and everyone wants [this new] opportunity, I think everyone understands with this program it's an investment."The client's Hispanic ad spending has increased 94 percent from January through April this year to $9.6 million, compared to $5 million in 2006, according to TNS Media Intelligence. Sprint Nextel spent $20.6 million in Hispanic media last year. Isaac Mizrahi, director of multicultural marketing for Sprint Nextel, said the coupling of the Hispanic driving champ, the Nextel phone and Nascar eclipses a traditional sponsorship deal. "In this situation, you have the speed of the Walkie-Talkie feature—and the instant communication that allows it to have—and the speed of the Nascar world," he said. "It's very seldom when you have features that mesh so well. That's why we are so excited." Plus, Mizrahi added, "We're following Nascar's desire to reach out to the multicultural segments. We are the premier sponsor of the Nascar Nextel series, and we have long-term investments" on the racing front as well as to Hispanic marketing. According to research provided by Vidal, from Scarborough, an estimated 8.9 percent of Nascar fans were Hispanic two years ago and growing each year. "The Latino audience has a strong connection with cars and car racing," Mizrahi said. "Nascar is building on this passion that's part of their culture and part of their environment already." The 30-second spot "Gotera" will air on all major Spanish-language broadcast networks (Univision, Telemundo, TeleFutura and Azteca America) and Hispanic cable TV (Fox Sports en Espanol, Galavision). In it, Montoya is seen making a pit stop. While his crew is working on the racecar, he has 15 seconds to Walkie-Talkie his wife and help talk down a plumber's cost.The spot also promotes the "Viva la Copa Nextel de Nascar" national sweepstakes, which launches June 18. The Web site, www.nextel.com/velocidad, is flashed onscreen, where Hispanic consumers can find more details about the grand prize: an all-expense-paid trip to attend the Nascar Nextel Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway and the opportunity to meet Montoya. Sign-ups will be available in stores and by texting "velocidad" to 4242. The contest will be open to all, though nonsubscribers will not be able to text-message. Paredes said, "Part of it is to attract new customers because you can participate in stores." Marketing efforts also will include radio spots but not print, he said, though some Sprint Nextel stores might have some authorized print products. The spot does not detail the ability to connect to Latin America— including Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Peru and, soon, Chile—but that's definitely part of the plan to reach out to U.S. Latinos who want to connect back to their home countries, particularly with direct marketing executions. "[The service] has been consistently on the Latino marketing with Nextel for three years," Mizrahi said.

Brand Marketing

Sprint Makes Latino Connection

Nancy Ayala

About

Subscriptions

Events

Publications

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Subscribe today!

Nancy Ayala