6082: You Say Flamingo. I Say Flamenco.

Adweek ran a story that presented the potential road ahead now that Nielsen Media has decided to completely erase Marketing y Medios. The title and subhead read:

Not Lost in Translation
As major brands will attest, the differences between general-market ads and their Hispanic versions are subtle, but critical

How subtle? Don’t mean to be critical, but here’s another excerpt:

At H&R Block, for example, a primary goal of the general market campaign was to wean consumers off tax software. But research revealed different barriers among Hispanics. One was the misperception that retail branch employees didn't speak Spanish, an idea countered by a pair of Spanish-speaking flamingo dancers in another TV spot.

Flamingo dancers? Well, flamingos are certainly graceful, but can’t recall seeing any capable of dancing—except in Fantasia 2000.

Could Adweek possibly have meant flamenco dancers? Granted, the difference is subtle, but critical. ¿Comprende?

Sombrero tip to Laura Martinez for birdwatching.