financial services

Allstate's Spanish-Language Efforts Target Economy

Allstate ad Allstate is honing in on what's most important to Hispanic consumers in its Spanish-language integrated communication and marketing national campaign.

The TV commercials, running on Spanish-language networks, are in tune with the tough economic challenges facing consumers today. Created by Lápiz, the Hispanic shop of Chicago-based Leo Burnett, the spots identify with the resourcefulness of Hispanic consumers and their desire to get the best value in their purchases, including insurance.

"The Hispanic community really values name brands," says Georgina Flores, senior marketing manager for Northbrook, Ill.-based Allstate. "Part of what gives them peace of mind is doing business with a leading company. Allstate's brand is viewed very highly by Hispanics. We want them to understand that in order to save money, you don't have to sacrifice service."

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Two spots, "Cobbler" and "Toothpaste," broke in February and were joined by "Load," which broke in early July. A fourth spot, "Job," will break late this year, Flores told Marketing Daily. The spots show consumers stretching their dollars and emphasize that Allstate can save them money. They close with "Are You In Good Hands," the same tagline as English-language efforts.

The ads are part of Allstate's ongoing Hispanic marketing efforts that aim to engage and communicate with the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population. The company's Hispanic marketing program includes TV and radio advertising, online activations, media integrations, sponsorship of the Mexican National Soccer Team (for the third consecutive year), and sponsorship of television and radio programs including "Premio lo Nuestro" and the Latin Grammy Awards.

Allstate creates communications specifically for Hispanics, Flores says.

"In the general market, the messaging is about how we need to get back to basics -- how everyone has really been living beyond their means," she says. "With Hispanics, they already have been 'back to basics.' It's just the culture and way of life. They're always trying to do more with less."

The company's Spanish-language Web site, www.miallstate.com, provides interactive online tools including the CoberTOUR which seeks to educate about how insurance works, what options exist and offer quote estimates. Consumers can locate one of the more than 3,000 agencies with Spanish-speaking capabilities. The site also contains resources and tips including information on purchasing a car, common insurance terms and processes and a financial calculator.

"We've really stepped up our efforts online," Flores says. "Essentially, in our category, you'll find big brands simply translate their English Web sites to Spanish. Instead, Allstate went to Hispanic consumers to see what they wanted and needed. There's some similar content (to the English-language site) but we set it up in a much more culturally relevant way."

The company also has created an interactive Web site dedicated to Allstate's Mexican National Team sponsorship, www. proteccioneslajugada.com. Featuring Mexican National Team goalie Memo Ochoa, the online destination offers fans and visitors an opportunity to design their own soccer balls, view behind-the-scenes footage from recent TV commercials and create unique soccer chants while fostering an emotional connection between the consumer and the game of soccer. The company has created a complete "surround sound" communications program tied to the sponsorship, including dedicated TV, radio, print, online, community events and a sweepstakes, Flores says.

2 comments about "Allstate's Spanish-Language Efforts Target Economy ".
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  1. Lauri Jordana from Conexion Marketing, July 29, 2009 at 2:07 p.m.

    This is a fantastic article - good for Allstate, getting out there and giving State Farm a run for their money!

    Speaking from experience, I think their attempt to pull together a website that doesn't *mirror* the English site is a challenge at best, knowing how corporations function. Providing a culturally relevant, unique site definitely seems ideal at-a-glance. However, there is a risk involved: Allstate will need to ensure that the Spanish side is always up-to-date--if there is a special offer on the English site, that offer better appear as prominently on the Spanish site. This is an ongoing battle and can create repercussions if Latinos feel the brand is favoring English speakers.

    I was also interested to learn about the messaging and how it compared to the general market messaging--that the English-language message is that we need to get back to basics. The way they tailored that for the Hispanic market will resonate much better.

    Go, Allstate!

    Thanks, Tanya, for this article.

  2. Tanya Gazdik from MediaPost, July 29, 2009 at 5:54 p.m.

    Thanks for your comments, Lauri. It's amazing to me how many marketers *do* just translate the English into Spanish. But you make good points in that there is risk -- and essentially a lot more work -- involved with taking the approach that Allstate has.

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