• by Karl Greenberg , May 21, 2009

MasterCard Worldwide is launching a marketing and consumer education campaign for the U.S. Hispanic market that makes dance a metaphor for flexible payment options. The campaign, via McCann-Erickson, N.Y., promotes MasterCard payment products with a 30-second Spanish-language ad under MasterCard's "Priceless" banner.

The ad, "Quebradita," -- named for a Latin American dance form featuring acrobatics and ornamentation -- explains how consumers can better manage their money through the use of debit and prepaid MasterCard cards.

The humorous TV spot, which features members of the International Quebradita Dancing Champions, is set in a nightclub, where patrons are watching a couple do elaborate aerial moves on the dance floor. Unfortunately, the woman -- who gets twirled, spun and flipped -- has lots of change in her pockets, which spills onto the floor, flies across the room, and sends everyone scurrying for safety. One patron calls for a check and pays with his MasterCard.

The ad will air on Hispanic TV in Chicago; Dallas; Harlingen, Texas; Houston; San Antonio, Texas; Los Angeles; Miami; New York; Phoenix; Sacramento, Calif., and San Francisco.

The effort includes Spanish-language radio, out-of-home and online advertising, and www.mastercardenespanol.com.

MasterCard says its pre-paid products -- including credit cards -- allow for online purchases, access to ATMs, direct deposit of paychecks, and protection for unauthorized purchases. "Many U.S. Hispanic consumers still rely on cash as their primary tool for managing finances," said Laura Kelly, SVP, global prepaid product solutions, in a release.

"[Prepaid MasterCard products] are safer to carry than cash, is an important step toward taking advantage of financial options that make life easier. Our community-based efforts reinforce this through an emphasis on strong financial literacy," she said.

The effort includes a grassroots financial-education series developed with Univision Communications, which aligns with Univision's financial literacy program "Cuentas Claras" (Clear Finances). MasterCard's media buy for the program crosses Univision television, radio, and online. The grassroots financial-education events will be held in U.S. cities with a strong U.S. Hispanic population.

Julie Stav, Univision's financial expert, will be on hand at various events to provide financial tips.