Q&A With Eclipse Marketing's Karen Habib

Marketing Veteran Tells Why Hispanic Campaigns Matter

by Laura Martinez -- Multichannel News, 6/23/2009 5:31:48 PM

Karen Habib is the recently appointed director of the Hispanic division of Eclipse Marketing Services, a Morristown, N.J.-based cable marketing company. A seasoned executive with over 15 years in the multicultural space, Habib has worked in affiliate brand management for several MTV Networks-owned services, including MTV Tr3s, Logo, VH1, Noggin and Nicktoons. Raised in Colombia by a Colombian mother and Cuban father, the former director of affiliate marketing at the Univision Television Group spoke recently to Hispanic TV Update about heading the company's new Hispanic division and why marketing cable to Hispanics matters.

HTU: Why and when did Eclipse decide to launch a Hispanic division?

Karen Habib: We feel the Hispanic market is not only a great opportunity area, but the biggest opportunity cable marketers have today. The unprecedented growth of the market makes Latinos an obvious potential source of new subscribers; not only cable, but video, Internet and phone services. Latinos consume a lot of technology, a lot of media; they strive to be connected. But they are also a natural progression for the cable operators' offering: One million new teenagers become adults each year in the Hispanic market.

In our meetings with cable operators, what we've heard is that there is a need for strategically executed Hispanic marketing ... that has to be done at a local level. And here is where we can really help.

HTU: But Eclipse Marketing, which launched in 1992, has worked in the Hispanic space before. What's different now?

KH: We have created pieces [in the past] for the operators, but not really at a local level. Now, we are capitalizing on the opportunity in a more strategic way, not [just] creating a postcard here and there to fill a specific need. We are looking to take a look at how a campaign can make sense at a time when budgets have been chopped. As you know, budgets in the Hispanic market are either too small or nonexistent.

Where we can help [cable operators] is that -- in the face of small or no resources -- we can act as an extension of their marketing departments, which we are doing on the VOD front and other areas of business ... we want Hispanic also to be part of it.

HTU: Cable has acknowledged being at a disadvantage when targeting the multicultural audiences, compared to satellite TV. How can marketing change that?

KH: I have to acknowledge cable has been moving aggressively in the right direction, both on the programming and pricing front. They are launching more networks, and their packages and pricing are becoming more competitive with satellite.

Cable operators have a lot more on their plate. There is much more Hispanic content now than ever before. Now you have networks targeting the acculturated, bilingual market; operators have better bandwidth and offering VOD.

I'd say that from the operational side, they are taking measures to beef up and compete, and we feel that from the marketing and communications area we can be of tremendous help. This is a time when budgets are limited, when multicultural marketers need to be strategic in their approach. It's not only about translating pieces for the Hispanic market (which is still being done!).

We need to customize the message to connect with their needs, even if that sounds stereotypical. There is no cookie-cutter approach to Hispanic marketing. That never works.

HTU: Does direct marketing work better in pitching cable services to U.S. Hispanics?

KH: My feeling is that there is truly a need for localized [marketing]. Think about it: Most campaigns are developed by the cable operators' Hispanic agency of record, which are either in New York, Miami or Los Angeles, but there is little execution in smaller markets, such as North Carolina or Arkansas, where there is huge growth.

I truly believe in market-specific campaigns. I believe strongly in the localization of the marketing tactics -- grassroots.

HTU: Which operators do you see as being more aggressive in marketing these services to Hispanics?

KH: I think all cable operators really have upped what they are doing on the operation side and offering. Look at Comcast, which has been moving some networks from a tier to digital basic. That speaks volumes and tells you Hispanic marketing is not niche; it's mainstream. If you're in markets like Chicago, Houston, Miami, it's mainstream marketing; no longer niche. This is why I think cable operators should give some serious consideration to reallocating some of their acquisition dollars towards Hispanic and not making such a small budget for Hispanic.

I think overall, they are ramping up their offers. Look at Time Warner [Cable] and [its] recent launch of El Paquetazo in New York.

HTU: In an ideal world, where do you see the Hispanic division going?

KH: We want to be considered an extension of our client's marketing department. We feel it's difficult to find resources for this market. We know there's plenty of opportunity within that space and we feel operators can make their lives much easier by outsourcing [marketing] and want to meet them on a market-by-market level and determine together what the opportunities are.