Clutter?

Dear Nina,

I’m planning my Fall back-to- school strategy and I want to stand out creatively from the clutter in the Hispanic teen market. What are some out-of-the- box or non-traditional methods that I can use?

Flustered in Florida.

Dear Flustered,

Every teen has a set of mixed emotions when “back-to-school” comes around. On the one hand, they dread the fact that they will no longer be able to sleep in late! On the other hand they are completely pumped on “who they can be” this fall. This is precisely the kind of energy you have to tap into.

My first recommendation: Think culture, not language. This is not a Spanish-dominant group. It is a media-savvy, intelligent, trend-setting, and culturally- assertive, English-dominant group, that most likely already has preconceived notions about your store. Your first job is to convince them that you’ve “amped it up for fall.” A partnership with your local reggeaton radio station would be a good start. This way you can get the word on the street that something hot is going on in your store. Next, make sure the party in the store matches the party on the airwaves. Define the space with a clear entrance, velvet rope and bouncer if possible. Be sure to have a DJ booth and a charismatic MC in the store. You could have a live fashion show or you could challenge your visual and styling teams to really make the most of their mannequin centerpieces (lights, fans, the works.) The music is key here: For Florida it should be a fresh mix of English and Spanish pop, reggeaton, salsa and some hip hop to round it out.

Note: I haven’t said discounts or coupons yet. Why? Because in Florida you’re working with an affluent Latin market that shops based on style, brand and shopping experience. If you want to up the energy at a given time, offer up to a 1/2 hour of 15% off purchases, just to get the adrenaline rushing.

Once they’re in your store, get info for future viral marketing efforts. Have promotion girls or guys walking around getting their info the same way they do at clubs. Last but not least, keep the momentum going. See which of these elements can become regular installations in the youth section of the store. Ideally just hanging out in your space should make a teen feel cool.

This customer is a discriminating Latin youth who most likely shops in her own car with her friends, choosing where she wants to shop.

Here’s hoping she chooses your store!

*Nina

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My pick of the month:

Ok, so it’s finally happening.

Jlo just released her first all-in-Spanish album called “Cómo ama una mujer” “How a Woman Loves.” Marc Anthony must be doing something right. But wait, he’s producing it! Now it all starts to come together.

Jlo has always had her fan base with the 2nd gen and urban audiences (black and Latino). After all, she’s Jenny from the block, who paid her dues, and made it big time.

She started her career as a dancer and moved on to the stage as a singer. With Selena, she won over the U.S. Mexican market, one of the most beautiful moves a Puerto Rican from the Bronx can make. Unmistakable on any red carpet, today she is at the top of the list of the most influential and richest people in the U.S.

Now, following the footsteps of Linda Ronstadt, Gloria Estefan and Cristina Aguilera, she’s going back to her roots singing in Spanish – a retro-acculturation process.

The critics have not gone easy on her, but then again, Jlo has never depended on critical reviews.

She’ll have a built-in audience with Marc Anthony’s Caribbean and 2nd gen bilingual fan base, plus her own loyal base. No small audience.

It will be interesting to see how her general market and African American fans respond to this new album, or whether this broadens her horizons with the 1st gen market hailing from South and Central America, who have made the careers of Shakira and Juanes.

This album could not have been easy for her as it’s no secret that Spanish is not her first language, and it puts her in quite a vulnerable spot.

I salute her for stepping up, despite the critics and the pressure, and making the album she wanted to make in the language she wanted to make it.

*Nina