24 COMPANIES EARNED A SPOT ON HMC’S 2025 STRATEGIC EXCELLENCE AWARDS SHORT LIST
Fairfax, Va. (March 26, 2025) – The Hispanic Marketing Council (HMC) announced the short list for the Strategic Excellence Awards Powered by Collage Group, the only award competition of its kind recognizing strategic excellence in Hispanic marketing and advertising and cultural fluency.
Representing 44 trailblazing campaign steeped in cultural insights, 24 companies will vie for Bronze, Silver and Gold, the results of which will be announced at the HMC 2025 Annual Summit in New York City on April 8. Jury Co-Presidents Ricardo Aspiazu, Senior Vice President, Creative & Brand Design, Verizon and Esperanza Teasdale, Former Vice President & General Manager, Hispanic Business Unit for PepsiCo Beverages North America will announce the Grand Prix/Best in Show winner, as well as provide insights as to what made these campaigns stand out from the competition.
“With diverse audiences driving growth, it’s a necessity to authentically connect with today’s dynamic consumer—and the caliber of these entries are a reflection of the bold campaigns that move markets and minds,” said Awards Chair Victor Paredes, Executive Director of Multicultural Strategy, Collage Group. “The Strategic Excellence Awards showcase what happens when you marry data-driven insights with culture-forward creative… pure magic. There is no award series of this kind, and we are proud to be an example for the marketing & advertising industry and recognize campaigns that move the needle.”
THE SHORT LIST*
Best Hispanic Cultural Insight
Agency/Company | Client Name | Campaign |
alma | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | Late |
alma | McDonald’s | Spotlight Dorado |
BeautifulBeast | Children’s Health Foundation | Borrowed Stories |
CCOM Group Inc. | Neutrogena Invisible Daily Defense Face Serum SPF 60 & Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face Serum SPF 60 | Neutrogena X Café Versailles: Making SPF Application as Habitual as Latinos’ Daily Cafecito |
CULTURE+ | Kellanova/Pringles | Pringles Salva La Ñ |
INFUSION by Castells | Charter Communications/Spectrum | Life Unlimited Inspiration Campaign: “Infinito” |
Lopez Negrete Communications | H-E-B Supermarkets | Es Para Mi y H-E-B Lo Sabe |
Lopez Negrete Communications | Hyundai Elantra | The Corporate Makeover Manifest |
NBCUniversal | P&G/Vicks | What’s in my MAN Bag? |
Ogilvy | IKEA | Whatever You Call It, IKEA Has It |
Southeast Toyota | Southeast Toyota Distributors/Hybrid Models | As Hybrid as You Are |
Zubi Advertising | Ford Motor Company | MVP Mom |
Mainstream Impact
Agency/Company | Client Name | Campaign |
d exposito & Partners | Cafe Santo Domingo | Common Ground |
Dieste, Inc. | AT&T Brand | Fans Soccer Club Campaign |
Gallegos United | California Milk Processor Board/Got Milk | Real Is Back |
Impactful Multicultural Research
Agency/Company | Client Name | Campaign |
Collage Group | Multicultural Research | America Now: Drive Growth with the New Inclusive Marketing |
d exposito & Partners | Point32Health | Tufts Health Plan Direct |
DLG Research for Select Milk Producers | Select Milk Producers/Gloria Butter | Butter Market Exploration |
Lopez Negrete Communications | Houston Endowment | “You’ve Come This Far” Multicultural Naturalization Campaign |
Nativa Inc. | American Red Cross | Blood Donation |
Impact on Innovation
Agency/Company | Client Name | Campaign |
Blanco-Lorenz | AETN | HISTORIA Fast Channel |
Shopper and/or Experiential Impact
Agency/Company | Client Name | Campaign |
BeautifulBeast | Match Group/Chispa App | Amor with No BS |
NBC Universal | Walmart | The Nuevolution Project |
Ogilvy | IKEA | Whatever You Call It, IKEA Has It |
Media Connections & Content Strategy Impact
Agency/Company | Client Name | Campaign |
Ally Financial | Ally Financial | Ally, Siempre Tu Aliado |
Canela Media | Hormal Foods/The SPAM® Brand | Con Sazón |
Orci Advertising | American Honda Motor Company | Honda Stage |
Relevant+, Inc | Ally Financial/Digital Banking | A Savings Bucket to Honor You |
Zubi Advertising | Ford Motor Company | Ford’s MVP Mom |
Content Creator & Consumer Engagement Strategy
Agency/Company | Client Name | Entry Name |
BBQ Agency | IPCVA – Argentine Beef Promotion Institute | The Texas Open Fire Meat-Up: Where Argentines’ Legendary Bragging Influenced the Influencers |
CCOM Group Inc. | Neutrogena Invisible Daily Defense Face Serum SPF 60 & Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face Serum SPF 60 | Neutrogena x Café Versailles: Making SPF Application as Habitual as Latinos’ Daily Cafecito |
CCOM Group Inc. | Southeast Toyota Distributors/Hybrid Models | As Hybrid as You Are |
Sensis | Church’s Texas Chicken | OG Crunch Challenge |
Zubi Advertising | Lincoln Motor Company | Lincoln’s Aviator Launch |
Creative Ingenuity
Agency/Company | Client Name | Campaign |
BeautifulBeast | Children’s Health Foundation | Borrowed Stories |
BeautifulBeast | Match Group/Chispa App | Amor with No BS |
Canela Media | Canela Media | Cine de Oro |
CULTURE+ | Kellanova/Pringles | Pringles Salva la Ñ |
Ogilvy | IKEA | Whatever You Call It, IKEA Has It |
Southeast Toyota | Southeast Toyota Distributors/Hybrid Models | As Hybrid as You Are |
Pro Bono
Agency/Company | Client Name | Campaign |
alma | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | Late |
Casanova McCann | Brady United/The Ad Council: “End Family Fire” Joint Public Education Effort | Da el Siguiente Paso (Take the Next Step) Campaign |
Mundial Media and Casanova//McCann | Brady United/The Ad Council: “End Family Fire” Joint Public Education effort | Da el Siguiente Paso (Take the Next Step) AI-Powered Media Targeting |
Orci Advertising | It Gets Better | It Gets Better |
For more information, visit hispanicmarketingcouncil.org and follow the HMC on LinkedIn and Instagram at @hmchispanic.
*These awards are open to all U.S.-based companies. Only submissions where the media has run at some point between January 2024 until February 2025 may enter.
About HMC: Founded in 1996 as the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies, the Hispanic Marketing Council is the national trade organization of all marketing, communications, and media firms with trusted Hispanic expertise.