17535: DIY Multicultural Marketing From The Home Depot…?

ModernRetail at Digiday reported The Home Depot recognizes Latinos comprise a major revenue-generating opportunity, prompting World Cup promotional activities to reach the audience—because Latinos love soccer.

 

The Home Depot evicted BBDO as its White advertising agency earlier this year, moving marketing duties to in-house resources.

 

Plus, the retailer is among corporations that bowed to political pressures, quietly abandoning DEIBA+ dedication in 2025.

 

Is The Home Depot tapping internal or external experts to verify Latino-targeted messages are relevant, authentic, and culturally competent?

 

Are the multicultural initiatives receiving fair marketing budgets—or crumbs?

 

Are in-house resources such as Orange Apron Media and Studio Orange predominately White?

 

Don’t expect official statements—delivered in English or Spanish—anytime soon.

 

Hispanic shoppers and pro customers are key to The Home Depot’s World Cup retail media strategy

 

By Mitchell Parton

 

While The Home Depot is not a sports equipment or sports apparel retailer, its consumer base has given it ample reason to develop a comprehensive retail media strategy around the World Cup.

 

Customers often come to The Home Depot and other home improvement retailers to solve a problem or take on a project — especially working professionals like remodelers, painters, electricians, plumbers and other contractors.

Taryn Dominie, senior director and head of industry for Orange Apron Media — The Home Depot’s retail media network — said the diversity of the growing soccer fan base mirrors that of its customer base, especially among its pro customers. “A good majority of our pro customers are multicultural, and [The World Cup] just gives us a way to really connect in a deeper, more meaningful way with those pro customers,” she said.

 

Hispanics make up around 30% of the construction workforce in the U.S, and U.S. Hispanic consumers surveyed by Nielsen in 2024 or 2025 were 87% more likely to say they had watched a World Cup qualifier match in the past 12 months, according to a 2025 Nielsen report. Hispanic individuals are also 39% more likely than the total population to be avid Major League Soccer fans, Nielsen found.

 

Molly Battin, svp and CMO of The Home Depot, told the Hispanic Marketing Council last month that the company expects “multicultural” customers — led by Latinos — to make up more than 40% of the home improvement category by 2040. “We see the Hispanic market and the Latino community as a huge growth opportunity for The Home Depot,” she said.

 

For Orange Apron, sports marketing in general has also been an opportunity to drive deeper partnerships with supplier partners through big cultural moments. The company has done College Game Day partnerships over the years as well as deals with MLS, the U.S. men’s national soccer team, March Madness and NCAA, Dominie said. “We’re talking about partnerships that extend beyond our traditional media, whether it be digital or linear, to real, grassroots fan engagement opportunities.”

 

Orange Apron’s involvement in the World Cup has included in-person events and in-store activations, primarily featuring the paint brand Behr and the power tools manufacturer Makita. Centering its activations around just a couple of brands has allowed Orange Apron to co-create more interactive and tailored experiences, Dominie said.

 

The Home Depot has hosted interactive houses called “Beckham’s Backyard” at official FIFA Fan Festivals that featured Behr and Makita, allowing them to have a presence at official FIFA events in cities such as Atlanta without being official FIFA sponsors. The activations are named after former soccer player and club owner David Beckham, who also has appeared in national commercials and digital content for The Home Depot during the World Cup.

 

The activations included a Behr-sponsored digital target-practice game where fans kicked soccer balls, as well as a Makita-hosted station where guests could decorate paper fans, according to Sports Business Journal.

 

The retailer also collaborated with soccer media network Men In Blazers on a bus that doubles as a studio for Men In Blazers. It has been traveling to World Cup host cities, with signage featuring Behr and Makita. In stores, The Home Depot offered a custom FIFA scarf to customers who bought certain Makita power tools. Outside of the advertising business, on the enterprise level, The Home Depot was doing in-store integrations around the World Cup with sweepstakes components and ticket giveaway opportunities.

 

“We really went into this knowing that we wanted an integrated, fully omnichannel experience that we were creating for our customers and in partnership with our brands,” Dominie said.

 

The Home Depot is also having a bus going around to different cities in the U.S. for watch parties where fans and pro customers can participate in events such as T-shirt giveaways and cornhole tournaments, also presented by Behr and Makita. “We want it to be more fun, because it’s a watch party, essentially, but still an opportunity for Behr to engage their top pros, engage the traditional DIY fan base, and talk about what makes Behr and Makita special and relevant — and do it in kind of a fun way, with giveaways and some engaging activities during those fan fests.”

 

Dominie said The Home Depot has not yet measured the success of the World Cup partnerships, as it is still ongoing, but plans to look at brand lift and purchase intent. She added, however, that the company has found co-branded sports sponsorship programs can increase purchase intent by as much as 40%.

 

“It’s truly a partnership where we align on common goals, and we co-create opportunities to create value for our customers and [clients’] customers, and create meaningful moments that are unique to what only we can do together,” Dominie said. “It goes beyond sponsorship, and it’s about partnership.”

 

Andrew Lipsman, a retail media industry analyst at Media, Ads + Commerce, said that because advertising has moved toward digital performance media, it can be easy to forget that good advertising works through cultural relevance and high-quality content reaching wide audiences — such as through experiential marketing and national TV advertising.

 

“When you can reach the right audiences … and show that there is that alignment around common events or common cultural moments, it creates brand affinity,” Lipsman said. “That brand affinity doesn’t have to translate into a sale at the store at that moment; it just makes you slightly more inclined to visit that store and slightly more inclined to purchase a brand over time.”

 

Ace Hardware has also found that a high share of its customers are interested in sports such as soccer and baseball, according to Tyler Lusebrink, head of brand partnerships at RedVest Media, Ace Hardware’s retail media division that launched last year.

 

“Our focus generally has been: How can we partner with our brand partners to really take advantage of capturing some of that engagement from customers during this big cultural moment?” Lusebrink said. Brands wanting to take advantage of the World Cup are executing full-funnel campaigns with “a heavy lean into off-site programmatic, broad awareness-type tactics that can engage with customers throughout their journey,” he added.

 

These aren’t necessarily campaigns with creative themed around the World Cup — Ace Hardware is not an official sponsor — but they may amplify national messaging that brands are already pushing to reach customers who may be watching the World Cup and related content. ACE Hardware has a media partnership with Epsilon to deploy assets across websites across the web.

 

“We see the World Cup in cultural moments like this as an opportunity for brands to engage with the customer directly in a high-intent mindset,” Lusebrink said. “They’re online, they’re doing research, they’re looking at game recaps and highlights, and brands know that they can get in front of consumers and engage with them to drive them into their brand.”

17485: Subway Offers 6” Subs, Footlongs, And Crumbs.

 

The previous post on Subway launching a creative review to possibly find a new White advertising agency warrants another bite. Specifically, the Advertising Age report stated the following:

 

The chain is also prioritizing Hispanic-market expertise “not as a translation function but as a cultural capability,” alongside in-house or partner-led production capabilities for social, creator and limited-time offer content.

 

The statement demands interpretation.

 

For starters, define “prioritizing.” Which spot in the Subway food chain is designated for Hispanic consumers—that is, how important is marketing to Hispanics vs Whites?

 

Next, given the alleged goals of going beyond a translation function and seeking cultural capability, will Hispanic-market experts have a seat at the table—or will they be taking fast-food orders from the White advertising agency?

 

Finally, will Hispanic marketing restitution involve cash—or crumbs?

17330: ICYMI ICE RFI WTF.

 

MediaPost reported ICE issued an RFI for “Big Data & Ad Tech”—although it’s not clear what the hell that means. Here’s the RFI Purpose verbatim:

 

This RFI is seeking market research information to obtain industry feedback from qualified professionals that could provide operational platforms and data services. It is the Government’s intent to select several respondents to this RFI to present a live demonstration of their operational capabilities, platforms and data services that can support the overall need. This RFI does not constitute a solicitation, nor does it commit the Government to issue a solicitation or make an award.

 

It’s also unclear if White advertising agencies and White media firms might respond, especially since so many are touting data and tech capabilities.

 

Plus, would the RFI ultimately lead to an RFP and subsequent pitch?

 

It’s a mysterious scenario. If advertising agencies engage in an account review, will Latino shops be invited to participate?

 

And if ICE doesn’t like an RFI response, would the submitting enterprise be subject to detainment, deportation, and/or deadly force?

 

Finally, President Donald J. Trump might earn a repeat for White Man Of The Year honors.

 

ICE Issues RFI For ‘Ad Tech Compliant’ Data

 

By Wendy Davis

 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement appears to be exploring whether it can harness ad-tech data for investigations, according to a request for information published late last week in the Federal Register.

 

The agency is “gathering information to better understand how the industry’s commercial Big Data and ad tech providers can directly support investigations activities,” the request stated.

 

ICE added that it aims “to understand the current state of Ad Tech compliant and location data services available to federal investigative and operational entities, considering regulatory constraints and privacy expectations of support investigations activities.”

 

ICE didn’t explain what it means by the terms in its request, including the phrase “Ad Tech compliant.”

 

The organization also suggested it’s interested in software capable of handling complex datasets.

 

ICE writes that it is “working with increasing volumes of criminal, civil, and regulatory, administrative documentation from numerous internal and external sources,” and is “assessing the marketplace for ... solutions comparable to large providers of investigative data and legal/risk analytics.”

 

The agency did not respond to MediaPost’s request for comment.

 

ICE says its request is “solely for market research, planning and information gathering purposes and is not to be construed as a commitment by the government to issue a subsequent solicitation.”

 

Nonetheless, the request is “alarming,” says John Davisson, a deputy director at the Electronic Privacy Information Center.

 

“It is a really troubling distillation of the alignment between commercial surveillance and state surveillance that has been growing for a long time now,” he tells MediaPost.

 

ICE already has deals with tech companies that offer information that can be used to identify individuals.

 

Among other examples, the agency has purchased facial recognition technology, and reportedly has tapped Palantir to develop a tool capable of determining home addresses of specific individuals ICE wants to detain and deport.

 

Privacy advocates and some federal lawmakers have long raised concerns about the sale of commercial data to the government, arguing that law enforcement agencies shouldn’t obtain non-public data without first seeking approval from a judge.

 

Last year, the House passed the Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act (HR 4639), which would have required federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies to obtain a court order before buying personal information from data brokers, and also prohibit government agencies from purchasing data obtained through deception or violations of a privacy policy.

 

The Senate has not passed the measure.

 

The ad industry group Network Advertising Initiative supported the bill, as did more than 40 advocacy organizations including the Center for Democracy & Technology, Electronic Frontier Foundation and Free Press.

17094: Protests, Politics & People-Powered Proactivity.

 

Adweek reported on how Los Angeles-based Latino advertising agencies are responding to the current protests and political proceedings, providing support to coworkers, clients, and communities.

 

The engagement likely presents a sharp contrast to the responses of White advertising agencies in LA and beyond.

 

‘This is About Humanity’: How LA’s Hispanic Agencies are Responding to ICE Raids 

 

As fear spreads across Los Angeles, multicultural agencies are offering safety, support, and a message to brands: now is the time to show up

 

By Audrey Kemp

 

Downtown Los Angeles is under curfew as military vehicles rumble down Olympic Boulevard and protests continue across the city.

 

At LA’s ad agencies—particularly those led by and built to serve the Hispanic community—the fear is both intense and deeply personal.

 

Since June 6, when the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) launched coordinated raids across LA and into Orange County, dozens of undocumented immigrants have been detained at worksites including warehouses, car washes, and Home Depot parking lots.

 

Meanwhile, hundreds of demonstrators have taken to the streets, protesting what they describe as racially motivated attacks on Hispanic and immigrant communities.

 

In a federal intervention not seen since the 1992 Rodney King riots, National Guard troops have been deployed—without the governor’s request—to support ICE operations. As of Friday morning, June 13, President Trump has maintained temporary control of the National Guard in LA, after an appeals court ruling the night prior. Officials have indicated that the military-backed raids could continue for up to 60 days.

 

“They are us,” said Marina Filipelli, CEO of LA-based creative agency Orci, of those being detained. “They are our neighbors, our friends, and our family members. It’s really close to home.”

 

The situation, she said, has “shaken us to the core.”

 

“This is about humanity,” Filipelli continued. “Everyone deserves, in our country, to be treated with a certain level of respect and with due process.”

 

Here’s how LA’s advertising scene is responding to the situation on the ground. 

 

Addressing staff needs

 

When the raids began, Orci, which was founded by Mexican American immigrants in 1986, immediately addressed staff and offered the option to work remotely, despite the agency’s two-day in-office policy. Those who wanted to come in were invited to an open forum to talk about how they were feeling.

 

“We’ve always heard from people that come from other agencies or other workplaces that when these things happen, [they] feel very alienated when they go to work,” said Filipelli.

 

Acento, another LA-based agency founded by Mexican immigrants, is also allowing employees to work remotely, as many have to cross curfew zones or navigate public transit to get to work. The agency has an internal channel where team members share news and resources, and which offers safe space to connect. 

 

“We enjoy that kind of culture of flexibility, but also mutual support,” said Acento CEO Donnie Broxson.

 

Casanova//McCann, based in Costa Mesa, has remained open, but employees don’t have to come in. While most staff are legal residents or citizens, many still carry paperwork with them daily. 

 

“We’ve continued to remind people: keep your paperwork with you at all times,” said CEO Ingrid Smart. “It’s sad that we have to do that, but better safe than sorry.”

 

Smart, who owns the now-independent agency, which is certified as both minority- and female-owned, said Casanova is offering counseling support, mental wellness perks, and even a sound bath to help staff cope. 

 

“Our vision is to be the most caring agency, and we have to prove that to our employees on a daily basis,” she said.

 

At Relevant+, a Hispanic-owned media agency in LA, staff are being offered fully paid mental health days. The agency also shared know-your-rights guides and immigrant protection resources from trusted organizations, including the Immigrant Defense Project and Informed Immigrant.

 

“We didn’t want anyone to ‘power through’ this moment,” said CEO Jonathan Patton. “We wanted them to feel seen, supported, and held.”

 

Engaging clients and community—and speaking out

 

Acento has been bracing for this moment since Trump returned to the oval office January, Broxson said. 

 

Prior to the raids, the agency had already begun advising clients—including LA Metro, Banner Health, and Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E)—on how to adjust their marketing campaigns to communicate safety and care in light of heightened fear among immigrant communities. 

 

The agency advised clients to adjust in-market messaging to emphasize security and proactively assure people that their brands were supportive to immigrants, and not a risk.

 

“The fear pervades all aspects of your life,” said Broxson. “It impacts your purchase decisions… We had already started adjusting our shopping and purchasing habits based on an uncertain economy and the tariff war. It adds an extra layer.”

 

Other agencies are supporting their communities. Orci, for its part, is matching employee donations to organizations like CHIRLA, which helps detainees and their families. And Casanova//McCann is encouraging staff to use their three paid annual volunteer days now, while also developing a community-focused pro bono initiative.

 

For Relevant+, standing up is about speaking up. The agency underscored its mission to empower the U.S. Hispanic community in a LinkedIn post that emphasized how many of its team members come from immigrant families shaped by sacrifice and that cultural advocacy is core to its identity.

 

“When dignity is on the line, we don’t look away,” the post read. “It’s not about left or right. It’s about human rights.”

 

“This particular wave of ICE raids felt especially cruel,” Patton added. “And what hit even harder was the silence that followed.”

 

Staying resilient

 

While agencies are doing what they can to support their talent in a turbulent situation, they underscored the role brands can play in showing up to support diverse audiences.

 

“This work can’t just exist when it fits a campaign cycle,” Patton said. “If you claim to stand with these communities, that has to mean something when it’s uncomfortable, when it actually costs something.”

 

Filipelli agreed: “To target U.S. Hispanics as an audience, to sell them products and services, but then turn your back on them when they’re being vilified in certain ways… just doesn’t sit quite right with me.”

 

As the protests continue on, all four agency leaders underscored the unique resilience of immigrant communities during times of crisis. 

 

“The immigrant mind is resilient, is strong, is fearless—and we are staying strong for our people and our consumers,” Smart said. “And we’re not going away anytime soon.”

16973: BHM 2025—Overreaction Of The Week.

 

MediaPost reported Havas acquired an agency based in Buenos Aires and Mexico City, while Publicis Groupe is acquiring an influencer and content company based in Brazil—breaking the news during Black History Month.

 

Yet no word on any White holding companies planning Black advertising agency acquisitions.

16673: Hyping Authentic Connections For Crumbs.

 

Campaign published self-promotional hype from a vendor promising a game-changing approach to help White brands authentically connect with Hispanic consumers, which comprise a group representing a significant portion of the US population and projected to dramatically surge in the years ahead—ie, an audience offering extraordinary profit-generating possibilities.

 

Gee, where has this pitch been heard before…?

 

Um, from every multicrumbtual marketing practitioner in existence.

 

Why not simply instruct White brands to create campaigns incorporating soccer, telenovelas, mariachi bands, Hispanic recording artists, and Pedro Pascal?

 

How America’s first representative Hispanic Measurement Panel bridges brands and Hispanic consumers

 

By Daniel Tjondronegoro, cofounder of Beatgrid

 

A groundbreaking approach to measuring advertising effectiveness targeting Hispanic consumers has emerged through Beatgrid’s pioneering efforts in establishing America’s largest representative Hispanic mobile people panel.

 

This innovative method not only provides invaluable insights into the behaviors and preferences of the Hispanic demographic but also underscores the urgency of engaging with this rapidly growing market by understanding where to reach them and how.

 

As the Hispanic population continues to expand, currently representing a significant portion of the U.S. population and projected to undergo substantial growth in the coming years, its economic and demographic influence becomes increasingly significant. However, a noticeable gap persists between big brands and Hispanic consumers, necessitating precise ad effectiveness measurement techniques to bridge this divide.

 

Traditional metrics have proven inadequate in capturing the nuanced behaviors of this diverse audience, prompting the development of innovative cross-platform incremental reach and incremental brand lift solutions like Beatgrid’s panel-based approach.

 

Recognizing a gap in the measurement industry, Beatgrid swiftly took action. By collaborating with influencers from the Hispanic community and launching targeted app recruitment campaigns for Latinx individuals, they ensured that their panel apps resonated deeply with the Hispanic demographic. But this was only the tip of the iceberg. Just as brands must now start to do, Beatgrid’s apps’ content began to be tailored to align with topics of interest among Hispanics, carefully considering their diverse cultural and social backgrounds. This consumer-centric approach wasn’t merely about checking boxes; it was about understanding and connecting with a rapidly growing community in the U.S. The outcome? Beatgrid’s panel quickly rose to become the largest representative Hispanic mobile measurement panel in the U.S., showcasing the significance of inclusive market research methods.

 

So, what’s in it for the brands?

 

This comprehensive approach not only provides valuable insights into advertising exposure, impact and engagement but also unlocks the potential for brands to genuinely connect with Hispanic audiences across platforms — without the reliance on fusion data, or modeling solutions that depend on opportunity-to-see methodologies. What’s clear is that in a constantly evolving market, brands and publishers that fail to take the Hispanic cohort seriously and don’t start to put explicit efforts into accurately measuring them and giving them appropriate voice and weight in their ad campaigns, will risk falling behind their competitors.

 

CTV’s surge: Media fragmentation also affects Hispanic audiences

 

For instance, as the Copa América soccer tournament and the Olympics approach, advertisers can utilize Beatgrid’s panel-based ad-effectiveness measurement to tailor campaigns that resonate deeply with Hispanic audiences during these culturally significant events. Incorporating an accurate data-driven methodology like Beatgrid’s single-source panel allows advertisers to start measuring incremental reach (given that live events are moving from linear TV to CTV and digital) and incremental brand lift measurement of video campaigns, specifically those tailored to Hispanic audiences.

 

By acknowledging the substantial impact of the Hispanic demographic on U.S. culture and the economy, such a measurement addresses long-standing challenges and emphasizes the importance of inclusion and accurately engaging with this demographic in meaningful ways.

 

To understand how the first-ever representative Hispanic Measurement Panel in the U.S., it's essential to grasp fundamental concepts such as understanding the importance of bridging the divide between brands and Hispanic consumers, while fostering greater engagement with this cohort, driving market expansion and establishing industry benchmarks. However, achieving these objectives necessitates close collaboration among brands, agencies, publishers, ad measurement firms and national advertising associations and organizations.

 

The next few months and years represent a pivotal moment to authentically connect with the Hispanic demographic in advertising and beyond, ensuring that initiatives are effective, culturally resonant and inclusive.

16607: Cultural Appropriation, Minimal Allocation.

 

Mediapsssst at MediaPost spotlighted a new campaign from the Hispanic Marketing Council that cautions Chief Marketing Officers on adverse career consequences associated with creating inauthentic Latino marketing via insufficient funding.

 

In short, engaging in ‘Latino Coating’ for crumbs could lead to being bounced from C-Suite to CUL8R.

 

Unfortunately, HMC can offer no data to support the position. Indeed, the typical CMO has thrived by allocating underwhelming interest, intelligence, and investment toward Latino marketing—or any other non-White marketing. You can’t beat the systemic racism, amigos.

 

So, the HMC campaign presents empty threats—unless they can rouse the public to threaten boycotts or threaten legal action.

 

¡Ay crumba!

 

HMC To CMOs: Continue ‘Latino Coating’ At Your Own (Career) Risk

 

By Richard Whitman, Columnist

 

The Hispanic Marketing Council today unveiled a new campaign calling on marketers to stop the practice of “Latino Coating.” Which is kind of like greenwashing but instead of pretending to care about the environment, it’s about brands that pretend to care about properly marketing to Hispanic communities.

 

Or as the Council put it in a statement, “Latino Coating is defined as a superficial marketing approach coating products, campaigns, media or entertainment with Latino elements for the appearance of diversity without genuine understanding or respecting Latino culture. This behavior involves surface-level attempts at inclusion, such as incorporating stereotypical imagery, language, or cultural elements into marketing campaigns, without a deeper connection or meaningful representation.”

 

The Council cites research that the Hispanic market constitutes 20% of the U.S. population and represents $3.2 trillion in GDP, “essentially making it the fifth largest economy in the world.” By contrast, brands spend less than 4% of their advertising budgets on Hispanic-targeted efforts.

 

The creative development for campaign, #StopLatinoCoating, was led by Luis Miguel Messianu, Founder, President and Chief Creative Officer of MEL (Messianu Edelman Lerma). Creyentes and Casanova//McCann also contributed, with input from the Council’s board.

 

“To us, Latino Coating is a form of cultural appropriation that seeks to capitalize on Latino identity for marketing purposes without genuinely valuing or respecting the culture,” explained Messianu. “It’s akin to whitewashing, greenwashing, or rainbow washing, but it preys on Latino identity—offering a mere illusion of inclusivity by adding Latino elements on the surface. It’s activating during Hispanic Heritage Month and patting yourself on the back.”

 

The Council also points to McKinsey research asserting that more than a third of Latinos are dissatisfied with current products or value propositions being offered.

 

“CMOs who do the bare minimum, check boxes and engage in Latino Coating are not only doing their organizations a disservice but they are also risking their careers,” the Council warns.

 

The HMC offers the following advice:

 

• Increase Hispanic marketing spend levels commensurate with the Latino $3.2 trillion buying power. The general market is dead, and marketers must be savvier to capture the hearts and minds of today’s multicultural consumer.

 

• Delve deeper into understanding Latino culture, respecting its complexity, and acknowledging diverse perspectives and experiences to ensure their products and services stay relevant and valuable to Latinos.

 

• Ensure there’s meaningful representation. Authenticity comes from genuinely representing Latino communities, not just by being visible but by understanding and respecting their values and experiences. Latinos don’t want to be targeted; they want to be seen and valued.

 

• Seek and pay for the right help. Work with partners who truly understand the Latino cultural context so brands can forge real connections with the U.S. Hispanic market.

 

More from the campaign can be found here. It was introduced at the HMC’s annual summit in New York.

16579: Overstatement Of Biblical Proportions.

Ad Age is our industry bible…? Holy shit—or holy bullshit. Sounds like someone needs spiritual direction.

16403: Hola, Holding Company.

 

Advertising Age reported that National Hispanic Heritage Month is closing out with the launch of a new Hispanic-owned holding company—Culture+ Group—designed to assemble culture-first and minority-owned enterprises.

 

“The challenge in this space is that there is a lot of fragmentation with a lot of mom-and-pop and small agencies, and if you’re trying to service a Fortune 500 company, there is, of course, concern over the ability to execute with scale,” explained a co-founder of Culture+ Group. “So the infrastructure of the ecosystem is intended to bring the best-in-class partners and solutions, but give [clients] the comfort that it is an ecosystem that has the scalability due to the network.”

 

It's not the first time such a proposition has been pursued. Hopefully, the venture will collect more than larger crumbs.

 

New Hispanic-owned holding company aims to attract minority-owned agencies

 

Lili Gil Valletta and Enrique Arbelaez launched their first agency, Cien+, in 2010

 

By Brian Bonilla

 

Two longtime ad executives are launching a Hispanic-owned holding company composed of minority-operated agencies.

 

The new entity, called Culture+ Group, was founded by Lili Gil Valletta and Enrique Arbelaez, who opened their inclusive marketing agency, Cien+, in 2010 after they both spent time as executives at Johnson & Johnson.

 

Culture+ Group currently consists of Cien+; its healthcare division Cien+ Health; shopper and experiential marketing agency The Choice+; and market research and analytics company Human Dot Plus.

 

Valletta said the partners were looking to borrow from the holding company model but remain independent of giants like WPP, Publicis Groupe, Interpublic Group of Cos. or Omnicom Group. Culture+ will focus on offering full-service capabilities through an inclusive marketing lens.

 

“Typically smaller companies are the ones that are perfect acquisition targets,” Valletta said. “We’re flipping the script and saying ‘Why don’t we put ourselves at the tip of the spear and acquire others?’ So we’re making the tent bigger and continue to be culture-first and minority-owned.”

 

Currently, the company is having conversations with potential capital providers and strategic partners to expand its network. Culture+ is looking to acquire or partner with companies in the research, data analytics, AI, and media space and is currently in negotiations to purchase a digital media company. Each company within Culture+ will have its own P&L.

 

“The challenge in this space is that there is a lot of fragmentation with a lot of mom-and-pop and small agencies, and if you’re trying to service a Fortune 500 company, there is, of course, concern over the ability to execute with scale,” Arbelaez said. “So the infrastructure of the ecosystem is intended to bring the best-in-class partners and solutions, but give [clients] the comfort that it is an ecosystem that has the scalability due to the network.”

 

While 60% of its clients are in the healthcare space, Culture+ also works with clients such as Diageo, PepsiCo, Google, Kellanova and WK Kellogg. Currently, Culture+ has around 100 employees and is about 90% diverse. The holding company will look to add only agencies that are minority-owned.

 

Valletta and Arbelaez, who are Colombian, said they define inclusive marketing as going beyond a traditional multicultural marketing scope and targeting segments of populations—whether by race or other identifiers such as age or interests—to maximize growth for clients.

 

“It’s [going] from doing multicultural marketing to marketing to a multicultural America,” Arbelaez said, “where insights, briefs and priorities follow the evidence of numbers of where growth is.”

 

A recent report from the Latino Donor Collaborative and Wells Fargo found that the U.S. Latino economy had grown to $3.2 trillion in 2021, up from $2.8 trillion the year prior.