Is nothing sacred anymore? Introducing a urinal-mounted, urine-controlled games console for men.
And for advertisers, a new way to reach a captive audience.
(Don’t worry ladies, there’s something for you in the works too.)
Recently I had the opportunity to attend a talk by Junot Díaz, author of one of my all-time favorite books, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. As expected, this Pulitzer Prize winning author did not disappoint. He was candid and insightful in his discussion on how Latino culture has influenced the mainstream. From the effect of Latinas’ feminine style on hip-hop fashion in the 80’s, to metrosexual Dominicans promoting the benefits of dance ability on overall “swag” to the male community at large.
The thing that resonated the most with me though, was something that having immigrated to this country as a little girl, I felt was fundamentally true. It’s the idea, as he so eloquently put it, that people function across the axis of simultaneity. We so often are asked to choose a way to identify ourselves: Hispanic, Ecuadorian, American, New Yorker, Spanish-speaker, English-speaker, female, mom…but the truth is, a person can be all these at the same time. However, more often than not, marketers rely on demographics to surgically carve out their targets. If I say I prefer to speak English, does that make me any less Hispanic? And if I say I’m Hispanic, does that mean I can’t navigate American culture without missing a beat? It shouldn’t be one thing or the other, this against that. Recognizing that people live along the axis of simultaneity provides an opportunity to change our own marketing narrative and communicate through better, truer, more engaging stories.
Continue reading→As I was walking into my office building, I was greeted with a warm hello from Leonel, the security guard, and the melodic sounds emanating from his radio. It was a bachata— a distinctly recognizable sound that can be roughly described as a fusion of bolero with bits of cha-cha-cha, pasillo, and tropical influences—native of the Dominican Republic.
The song on Leonel’s radio was by Romeo Santos, lead singer of the bachata group, Aventura. The surprising thing was the special guest vocalist on the song: Usher. That’s right, Usher of R&B fame is now singing bachata.
As I heard Usher crooning the lyrics of the song, Promise, in typical bachata style, I couldn’t help but say “wow.” Aren’t artists usually trying to cross over the other way? And when they do, don’t they generally stick to their own genre? This Romeo-Usher collaboration is a definite first. It’s very telling of the times we’re living in and the opportunities to connect across cultures.What a great way for Usher to broaden his fan base among bachata lovers and for R&B fans to get exposed to bachata. It’s great to see this once marginalized musical genre being embraced internationally among Latinos andnon-Latinos alike.
Below is a link to the English-language video of Promise. (I warn you, it’s a bit provocative).
Continue reading→When it comes to ailments, Latinos can get creative in terms of diagnosing, preventing and curing them. This time of year, it’s not uncommon for the phrase, “Pásame el vivaporú” to be heard across Hispanic households. Vivaporú, otherwise known as Vick’s Vapor Rub, makes regular appearances during cold and flu season and throughout the year {…}
Continue reading→A lot actually. Or that’s often what parents hope when they name their child. That the name will somehow influence or be a reflection of the person they are going to become… strong, creative, one-of-a-kind, successful. More and more we hear about celebrities and their unique choices for baby…Bronx Mowgli, Rocco, Apple. For them, Jane {…}
Continue reading→Hispanics are social beings by nature, always looking for ways to engage with others, even people we don’t know. Simple examples are just saying hello to a fellow elevator rider, or acknowledging someone walking down the street with a good afternoon, (things you may not get from your typical New Yorker). Other examples can get {…}
Continue reading→Everyone assumes that if you’re a Hispanic man, you must like soccer. Many will tell you that they don’t just like it, they loooooove it, they live it, they breathe it, it’s in their blood. But what about other sports? When men come from Latin America to the U.S. they are exposed to several other {…}
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So amidst all the World Cup fever, what do you do if your country’s national soccer team didn’t make the cut? Do you root for someone else? Or do you simply disengage from all the madness? The fact is that for most people, the excitement of the World Cup is simply too good to pass {…}
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