• by John Gaffney , November 5, 2002

In Los Angeles white people are a minority. So if you play in the multicultural ad arena, you’re playing in the big leagues. Last week one of the biggest players repositioned itself as the Hispanic ad market continues its double digit growth.

Ad Américas LLC has reintroduced itself as Castells & Asociados Advertising. The name change symbolizes the agency's re-positioning, which it expects will redefine its company culture and work product as "strategic, energetic and results-driven." Castells & Asociados is now defined by a new tag line - "Inspiration, Passion, Results" - a new address, new logo, new management structure, new account and a new strategic alliance.

With quadrupled billings since 1998, the agency's image overhaul coincides with hitting the benchmark of $40mm in billings. A newly configured senior management team will reflect the drive and vision of Castells & Asociados' president, Liz Castells-Heard. With McDonald’s, AT&T and Toyota already in the house, C&A has won a new account, Charter Communications, and established an alliance with R&R Partners.

“We are not the same agency we were five years ago,” says Heard. “We have implemented a team approach and a very strategic thinking-oriented approach. The clients we attract now look to us for the same level of support they get from a traditional agency. They expect us to put together the same level of skill they have with multicultural plans that they get otherwise.”

Charter Communications, a cable service provider, will launch its first marketing effort through C&A Castells & Asociados was recently selected by Charter Communications for the company's first marketing effort to the Hispanic consumer. To increase Hispanic subscriptions, initially, the campaign will introduce Charter's new Latino-tiered package, including value cable programming such as CineLatino, Latin TV, Puma TV, TV Chile and VidaVision. Once the initial strategy is finalized, the account has the potential for a national, multi-dimensional rollout.

Castells & Asociados has also recently entered a strategic alliance with R&R Partners, one of the largest travel/tourism agencies in the country. R&R Partners runs offices in five cities, consists of 211 employees and is expected to bill $140mm in 2002.