• by Aaron Baar , April 5, 2011

AT&T is looking to connect with U.S. Hispanics, the culture and their passions through the power of music, with a new Spanish advertising campaign featuring Grammy Award-winning singer Natalia Jimenez.

"One of the key passion points for Hispanic consumers is music -- music that connects them to their culture and passion for life," Luke Roberts, director of strategic planning for Dieste, the agency behind the ads, tells Marketing Daily in response to e-mailed questions. "AT&T's services strive to keep Hispanic consumers connected to what they care about most, including some of the best in new music both at home and on the go, and AT&T is constantly innovating to help them get the most out of every moment in life."

The ad highlights AT&T's high-speed Internet service (and the various public hotspot locations the company offers), using a performance by Jimenez (singing her new single, "Por Ser Tu Mueir." As she delivers the performance through these Internet portals, a crowd gathers to join the experience. In addition to touching on the American Hispanic culture, the commercial is meant to show that AT&T offers "support, billing and online content in all languages," Roberts says.

"Advertising to U.S. Hispanic consumers in Spanish creates an instant connection for Spanish-speaking consumers; brands that make the effort to reach them in their language are showing that they recognize and respect their culture," he says. "The focus on a Latin performer brings them closer to their passion for music and, at the same time, illustrates the exciting content and online destinations our customers enjoy in the network of possibilities."

The commercial follows the model of similar general market collaborations with artists like Mariah Carey, Pitbull, Mary J. Blige and Lil' Wayne, among others. "Music is a universal language and many of AT&T's customers have a passion for music," Roberts says. "These efforts allow AT&T to create an emotional connection with those consumers."