Hola Señor Romney, hola de nuevo Presidente Obama,

Regardless of your ideology, your policies or where you both are coming from, you have to agree on one thing about Latinos. As we say in Spanish " si éramos pocos, parió la abuela " (Direct translation: As if we were not enough, grandma just had a baby); 50,500,000 Hispanics live in the U.S. and this number is growing as you read this.

Out of 20M that are eligible, only half are registered to vote. And of those 10M that are registered, 50% percent don't vote.
Do the math closely because in those swing states, every figure, every number, every vote—every Latino matters (remember NC, VA, FL, AZ, CO, NV in 2008?)

We do like to participate, but we need to have reasons to vote for you. Prepare some policies that interest us; tell us why we should vote for you, talk to us...HÁBLENNOS. We will be listening to you.

Gracias,

See full infographic here.

Happy day Graphic Designers!!!

World Graphics Day is celebrated annually on April 27, the anniversary of the founding of Icograda, the world body for graphic design /communication design in 1963.

It is a day to celebrate the profession of graphic andcommunication design.

The day has been celebrated since 1995.

On this occasion, designers reflect and hope how our international network contributes to a greater understanding between people and helps build bridges where divides and inequities exist.

Cheers designers!

Spring Has Sprung

We’re putting on a new face for spring. We know that with spring comes “spring cleaning” and sprucing up. And few things brighten up a space like a fresh coat of paint. Plus, cleaning is cathartic, its effect on mood and psyche akin to a change in venue, helping to keep those creative juices flowing!

Friends around a bottle of KJ

We love wine. We drink it to celebrate, to relax and sometimes even to become better dancers. We drink it at home and at work. Yes, you got that right. We drink it at work. Here at GlobalWorks we love wine so so much that two years ago we decided to give it the space and time it deserves. And we created Unwine. So the first Tuesday of the month, around 5:30, we get together and enjoy some whites and reds over cheese, chocolate, and of course, joyous conversations.

Yesterday was the perfect day to have an Unwine. Spring is in the air in NYC, everyone is way more cheerful, and it also happened to be a day to celebrate. We toasted with a couple of bottles of smooth Cabernet, tasty Chardonnay and fresh Sauvignon Blanc from Kendall Jackson, our newest client. We had the best time savoring these magnificent wines over some Polish Torcik Wedlowski.

Salud!

Anna and Yuri entertained us with the best stories of when they first moved to the States. You can say wine was in the air...

we [heart] culture

At GlobalWorks we are “tripping” on culture. Their evolution is our passion. So what do we do?   We spend time in the neighborhoods where our consumers live and work. This is, to me, one of the most thrilling things about working in marketing; breathing cultures in all their dimensions, learning about human behaviors, rituals and new trends.

Sometimes, we visit places like Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where one culture has displaced another. Hispanic bodegas and bakeries have been replaced by thrift stores, cafes and clubs catering to the booming “Hipster culture.” At other times, we go back to basics, like Union City or Newark, NJ, where the immigrant Hispanic communities are still so much alive and kicking.

But we don’t reduce the exploration to geography. Utilizing all the tools that we have available, we can feel the pulse of communities all over the world in “the blink of a click” through online forums, visual reports, blogs, surveys etc.

We feel so lucky to live in these exciting times, which for marketers, everything is in constant transformation and new cultures are sprouting  up like the most delicious mushrooms. Observing, listening, experiencing and growing are the seeds of our passion.

Art, Digitized: Google Art Project

These guys are Google just never stop!

Just yesterday they announced the start of its expanded, technologically refined Google Art Project.

This new program, the company said, “goes global.” With 30,000 more works from 151 museums.

You can learn about the most brilliant pieces of art, from National Museums such as The Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the Philadelphia Museum of Art; and Globally from 40 countries like Australia, Japan, India, the Philippines, Israel and Qatar.

In this digital gallery you can browse by Artis, Collection, Artwork and even create your own gallery.We are wondering if there is an opportunity for this space to have a social component...

The world is indeed getting smaller!

Welcome, screenshots are allowed.

 

 

 

Where in the world is "La China-Latina"?

Hola! Let me introduce myself: the people in my office call me "China-Latina", because I was born and raised in Hong Kong, and I also have a second home in Spain.

I want to share my insights on the cultural differences.

They are ONLY MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE - based on my background of being raised by a Chinese Catholic family during the British colonial era in Hong Kong, and based on my relationship with my host family in Oviedo, Asturias, Spain.

Disclaimer: They do not necessarily reflect the Chinese nor Spanish culture.

We would love you to share with us your own cultures! and I also hope that these insights will help you survive in a new environment, or inspire you to travel like a local =D

Martha Lee. (La China-Latina)

#SignalPG

Procter & Gamble, one of the largest marketers in the world, does pretty much everything right. And when they don't know something, they look for the best to teach them about it.

So on March 8, 2012, P&G hosted Federated Media Publishing's renowned Signal Summit - Signal P&G. The Signal Summits are one-day conferences focused on the most important topics in digital marketing. The format was a mix of thought-provoking interviews and rapid-fire case studies from some of the most innovative digital companies. The program was hosted by John Battelle, co-founder of Wired Magazine, Executive Chairman of Federated Media Publishing, and one of the nation's foremost thought leaders on the intersection of the Internet with the practice of marketing. The summit, specially designed for P&G, brought together some of the world's most high-powered digital industry leaders.

Here are some of the backstage videos:

You can see all of the videos here.

 

 

MindWorks in style.

As part of our weekly MindWorks initiative, today we visited one of the landmarks of our neighborhood, the FIT (Fashion Institue of Technology).

Fashion is one of the main elements that help differentiate the various subcultures and urban tribes, who find their way of self-expression through creative and unique designs. We are what we wear, and as a form of design, fashion is truly an art.

Today, we learned and got inspired by visiting:

Youthquake

1960s. Vogue magazine identified the “eruption of the young in every field” as “youthquake”. There was a group of young people who didn’t want to dress like their parents. They wanted something new, something different, challenging, dazzling, transgressive, and of course, economical. In a time where it was almost outrageous to see a woman wearing pants, the Mods decided to break with traditional gender roles and started their own fashion movement hand-in-glove with rock & roll.

British Mods embraced a lifestyle centered on music and clothing, and this close connection is reflected in the work of designers such as Harry Gordon. Boutiques flourished and the DIY culture was highly encouraged.

They changed the paradigm to such an extent that in 1966, Donyale Luna was the first African-American model to appear on the cover of Vogue. By the end of the decade, Mod presence ceded to the rising influence of the "Hippies," whose colorful and psychedelic style was also linked to that of rock & roll. It is awesome to see how these two subcultures merged with the rock & roll subculture to create the youthquake culture.

 

Fashion A-Z Part I

This exhibition focuses on modern and contemporary fashion and accessories from the 20^th and 21^st centuries. The work of the designers is organized alphabetically, and there are some fine masterpieces from the 1920s. Prada, Chanel, McQueen, all in one room. Gothic, classic, vintage and modern designs.

Impact

The name says it all. We don’t need to explain the impact fashion has in our society. The fact that people were more interested in what the Oscar nominees were going to display while on the red carpet than in the awards themselves is a clear example.

This exhibition encompasses 100 objects by the most impactful creators of the Council of Fashion Designers in America of the last 50 years. It is amazing to have designs from very different styles and backgrounds all together in one room.

We were surprised at how much and, at the same time, how little some things change.

Behavior through Graphics

This week we were inspired by these 3 great infographics focused 3 unique phenomenons: Pinterest, Millennials & Mobile, and Online shopping.

Happy Friday, Enjoy!

 

Dear school system,

Seth Godin is one our biggest sources of inspiration. (Highly suggest to subscribe to his daily newsletter.)

Because he is innovative by nature, the education subject is one he has lately been advocating to modify. In trying to answer this very complex question: "What do you think we ought to do about education?" Seth has written a 30,000 manifesto, free to the public to share and ignite the right conversation.

The economy has changed, probably forever.

School hasn't.

School was invented to create a constant stream of compliant factory workers to the growing businesses of the 1900s. It continues to do an excellent job at achieving this goal, but it's not a goal we need to achieve any longer.

In this 30,000 word manifesto, I imagine a different set of goals and start (I hope) a discussion about how we can reach them. One thing is certain: if we keep doing what we've been doing, we're going to keep getting what we've been getting.

 

This line truly made us stop and think about what we are doing with the future citizens of this world:

Our kids are too important to sacrifice to the status quo.

While we are aware shifting such established system will take time, effort, dedication, and commitment from many; we are optimistic that the right people act upon this powerful message.

Isn't amazing that everything is adapting to the new era, but the school system remains the same?

You can download this manifesto and share it with the people you think can impact this change.

The On Screen version

Use this one to read it on a computer or similar device. Feel free to email to the teachers, parents and administrators in your life.

The Printable edition

This is the same document, but formatted for your laser printer or the local copy shop. You are welcome to make copies, but please don't charge for it or edit it.

Here's the Kindle edition

You'll need to download it and then plug in your Kindle via a USB cable. Drag the file to the Documents folder on your Kindle and boom, you're done. I'm told that you can also open it with the Kindle reader on your Mac, PC or iPad.

The ePub edition

This should work with other types of ebook readers, but I haven't tested it. Your mileage may vary, and if it doesn't work, the PDF should. Readers have told me that this opens on their iPad as well.

The manifesto in HTML on the web

Useful for cutting and pasting, I guess. The PDFs are easier to read.

How I built the manifesto, plus back up links

If any of the links above don't work, you'll find back up PDF downloads here, as well as a long-ish essay about how I built them.

Click here to download:

StopStealingDreamsPRINT.pdf (960 KB)

(download)

Click here to download:

StopStealingDreamsPRINT.pdf (960 KB)

This is the small PDF version.

We would love to hear your thoughts and comments about this manifesto, and the subject in general.

Gold+Green+Purple = Mardi Gras

A few weeks ago, our Fat Tuesday organizer threw Globies a curveball in the form of a trivia quiz: What is Fat Tuesday?

Some of you may already be aware that, to most of us, it's a random Tuesday when a few select Globies introduce to the rest of us culinary preparations, along with  the accompanying cultural significance of the dish. (see old posts). Well, of course, that's not the only answer to the question.
Fat Tuesday is also known as Mardi Gras in the Catholic world. With its origins in Europe in the Middles Ages, it is a night of indulgence, eating fattening food before the fasting for Lent. Thanks to the French, it has since become a big festival in New Orleans. King cake, an oval-shaped coffee-cake sprinkled with the Mardi Gras colors, is a must. The colors are: gold, for power; green, for faith; and purple, for justice.

Logically, Mardi Gras should be observed at GlobalWorks.

Our Globies have put together the menu below, comprised of a few New Orleans cuisine favorites, and other foods sporting the Mardi Gras color theme:

"Cajun-style" mashed sweet potatoes with cashews and raisins

Iranian saffron rice trio: cherry (purple), zereshk or bareberry (gold),  dill (green)

New Orleans-style Jambalaya w/ smoked beef sausage

Japanese Mochi with purple yam and kabocha pumkin filling

King cake with pralines, shipped from New Orleans

Gluten-free king cake with apricot cream, blueberry cream and pistachio

Traditionally, inside the King cake is either a coin or a little plastic baby. Whoever finds it in their piece of cake must host the next party. Our lucky winner this time is Linda, who found the plastic baby in her King cake, and Leila, who got the (plastic baby substitute) Brazil nut in the gluten-free King cake!

We can't wait for the food these two girls will bring, or prepare, for the next Fat Tuesday.

Stay tuned!

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QUANtify creativity from @tommorton

Data is the raw material for creativity.

Excellent presentation by Tom Morton, on Data, storytelling and marketing.

Pinning

Are you one of the 8 million people addicted to pinterest?

We are.

Follow us here. We'll follow you too :)

 

The Games We Play

Brainstorming is something we do every day. The next great idea can come at any time, but a good brainstorming session promotes creativity and the flow of all sorts of ideas, until the right one comes along.

We’ve experimented with many techniques of brainstorming. The “just say anything that comes to mind”, the “post-it” approach, the “you have 5 min to come up with 5 ideas”… you name It. And we try to “spice it up” by rotating techniques according to the particular needs of each project.

This time, we decided to try something new, embracing the “Roleplay Brainstorm.” And we have to say, we not only come up with great ideas but we also have lots of fun.

How does it work? Well, we play a role-playing game. Each one of the “players” adopts a role and acts it out during the brainstorm session. Some people call it rolestorming, asking themselves what would they do on a particular occasion if they were someone else.

In our case, we distribute cards among the participating creatives and we each adopt the role described on the card: cute, builder, provocative, exaggerated, safe, techy, anti-logic and comedy, so we each generate ideas based on that point of view.

There are many laughs shared during these brainstorms, and good ideas always come about. The best part is that it makes each of us see everything from another point of view and it teaches--perhaps even forces us--to always think before we speak.

Have you tried this technique before? Will you try it at least once? 

 

Happy Valentine's Day to All!

Yes, this is a "Hallmark" holiday but it's also a good excuse to remind us that we ought to celebrate love every day of our lives. Here are some songs we've randomly picked... for all types of lovers out there. 

The secret one

The "stalkerish" kind

The reassuring one

The "I want to sing and dance for you" kind of love

The passionate kind

The sweetest thing

The hopeless, sad one

 

 

Social Media Week is Here

And we'll be participating. We want to invite everyone else to do so. Let's take this opportunity to see where social media stands today. Let's ask and try to answer questions such as What's its "real" power? Where is it headed? What else do we have to learn? What have we done wrong? What else can we do to make it better, for marketers as well as for consumers? 

Want to participate? Click here to see all the events and RSVP for those who are still open.

Or click here to watch live sessions around the world.

Be part of the conversation on Twitter. Search for #smw12, share and comment. 

Hispanic TV speaks English

The Hispanic market saw more game-changing news in the first two weeks of February than in the past 10 years. The breakthroughs: Fox will launch Mundo Fox and Disney and Univision are in talks to start—would you believe?—an English-language news cable channel. Both developments testify to the surging growth and purchasing power of Hispanic America. They also reflect the evolving definition and dynamic of the Hispanic marketplace, where some 80 percent of the audience now speaks both Spanish and English.

Fifteen year ago, if you wanted to target the Hispanic market, it needed to be in Spanish. We had foregone and omitted a segment that prefers to speak primarily English, because it was acculturated and reached by the Anglo networks. At the time, to embrace the Hispanic market in a viable and sustainable way demanded the use of Spanish. Today, the reality is quite different. We must look at the marketplace in a culturally relevant manner beyond language. The borderline between language and acculturation no longer exists. If networks want to win this significant group, they need to provide options.

Hispanics want programming choices, and the networks are paying attention. Enhorabuena!

The big question now: What type of programming choices do Hispanics really want?

(By: Jose E. Velez-Silva. Globalworks’ Account Director)

 

How Social Games Play Out

Games are, more than ever, a part of our lives. We play while eating, waiting, talking, commuting… you name it. Facebook took notice and has become a source of entertainment that goes beyond knowing what our friends are having for lunch or where they’re hanging out.

Check out this impressive—yet unsurprising data. And if you thought only your teenage relatives played these games, you’re in for a shock. The average age for social gamers is 39 years old. So, little Johnny is just going to have to wait his turn... but first, Johnny, tell daddy what this button does...

 

 

 

NO SUPE FOR YOU!

Take THAT, New England! What else really needs to be said? You don’t need yet another recap, so you won’t get one here from us. We don’t need to boast or brag or gloat…but we could! The game was SUPER—no one can gainsay that fact. Right down to the chess-match strategizing between Coughlin and Belichick…especially in the final minutes. This game went right down to the wire and was all it was cracked up to be. You tell us, what more can you ask for? 

 

Pictures are worth more than words can say.

 

P.S.: The commercials were so bad that we’re still trying to figure out which ones we liked the most, but as a group, we haven’t come to an agreement. What we do agree on is that in general, the advertising portion was, for the most part, very blah.