AS CONSUMERS WE ARE BOMBARDED DAILY BY THOUSANDS OF ADVERTISING STIMULI FROM THE SUBLIMINAL TO THE OBNOXIOUS. So as marketers, we know that to break through the miasma of marketing messages, our pitch needs to be authentic, direct and communicated in a style and language our audience wants to hear. This is true for any targeted market - teens, Asians, working women - but if your trade area includes some of the country's more than 33 million Hispanics, breaking the marketing code literally boils down to speaking their language.

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To reach this market you must create a message that the consumer wants to hear, as opposed to the message you think they want to hear," said Rochell Newman-Carrasco, co-chair and president, Enlance Communications, Los Angeles. "It's about building cultural bridges between the brand and the consumer that reaches the target market's comfort zone - conveniently located near the heart."

To combat Sears' longstanding awareness among Hispanic shoppers throughout Latin America, Macy's West has focused on reaching the Hispanic market, according to Newman-Carrasco. In light of studies demonstrating that Spanish commercials are more effective at increasing awareness and are more persuasive than English. Macy's developed a Spanish language advertising campaign targeting Hispanic women 18 to 49 with incomes of more than $26,000. Macy's uses Spanish language
TV, radio and newspaper. English language magazines targeting Latina readers, works with Hispanic non-profit organizations and conducts in-store events called "Vida, Estilo y Sabor Larbio," which translates to "Life, Style and Latino Joie de Vive."