Now is the time to get to work. The new year will clearly redefine winners and losers in all aspects. Your Hispanic marketing strategy can help brands to make a difference. But more than ever, it must be done right.

For the Hispanic marketing and advertising industry, 2009 figures to be full of old threats and new life, slowdowns and growth, and ultimately challenges and opportunities. So what better way to wade into the waters of 2009 than by setting some New Year's resolutions for advertisers, agencies and media companies.

hile Hispanic media investment overall has grown considerably, especially television, the online ad segment has under-indexed relative to general market online spending even though the U.S. Hispanic audience is more open to brand suggestions and advertising messages, as shown in a recent eMarketer report. Will Hispanic marketers shift their investments towards online as the general market has and as new tools and targeting technologies improve?

No other major demographic group in the country swung so heavily to Obama as Latinos did between the primaries and the general election and, thus, the Hispanic voters played a deciding role in this historic election. Now we know why.

As Hispanic marketers, we still want to try new things, even as marketing budgets tighten in 2009. However, there's a heightened need for measurability and performance advertising. Mobile marketing is certainly one of the hottest new areas marketers are exploring -- let's see how much you know.

It's no secret that customers want an integrated experience with your brand and respond favorably when your marketing messages are consistent across different online channels.

A savvy marketer will not only examine the Hispanic market, but will also take a closer look at Hispanic-American parents. This demographic often paints a picture of ambiguity for retailers, although, with a little understanding of Hispanic parents and their spending habits, deals, discounts and products can be marketed accordingly.

SU2C has approached the Hispanic market deliberately and thoughtfully, looking at building long-term relationships with this important community instead of a reactive, one-time touch point. Organizations looking at entering the Hispanic market can learn from SU2C's research-driven, phased approach.

As the presidential race switches into high gear, both candidates would do well to use some online marketing techniques to effectively reach highly coveted Hispanic voters. The presidential candidates need Hispanic voters. Both Barack Obama and John McCain are racing to boost their popularity among the much talked-about "Latino vote" -- and this year promises to draw Hispanics to the polls in record numbers.

A huge part of the American way of life is going out - hitting what I call lifestyle destinations and events. While these lifestyle venues can be a huge opportunity to tap into the Hispanic market, it's important to understand that you cannot target this demographic without a strategic approach.