STATEMENTs

October 2, 2026

Dear HMC members,

On October 1, HMC submitted formal comments to the Federal Communications Commission on the proposed transfer of control of Spanish Broadcasting System Inc. (SBS). The filing is part of the FCC’s review in MB Docket No. 26-240, which also covers a related petition concerning SBS ownership.

Here’s why we spoke up:

SBS operates leading Spanish-language radio stations in key U.S. markets. Those stations deliver news, emergency information, entertainment and a sense of community to millions of listeners. A change in ownership could affect the programming, services and audiences tied to those licenses. Our filing makes the case that this is not just a business transaction — it is a question of how public-interest obligations to Hispanic audiences will continue to be met.

In our comments, HMC asked the Commission to:

• Conduct a thorough review of the broader public-interest implications of the proposed ownership structure before making a final decision
• Allow sufficient time for investigation, discussion and public input
• Analyze the potential effects on the audiences and communities the stations serve

As the only national trade organization representing marketing, communications and media companies that engage the U.S. Hispanic community, HMC has a responsibility to speak up when decisions like this one could shape how our community is informed and served. Many of you work with these media outlets every day, and your clients and audiences depend on them.

The full letter is available here.

We will keep you informed as the proceeding moves forward. If you have perspective or expertise to share on this issue — or if your organization is considering filing its own comments — please reach out to me at hgavilan@hispanicmarketingcouncil.org. Your voice strengthens ours.

Thank you for your continued commitment to HMC and to the community we serve.

Sincerely,

Horacio Gavilan
Executive Director
Hispanic Marketing Council

March 12, 2025

The Hispanic Marketing Council (HMC) was founded with a clear mission: to help brands authentically connect with and engage the U.S. Latino community—a consumer segment whose economic power cannot be ignored. With a GDP of $3.6 trillion, U.S. Latinos represent the fifth-largest economy in the world, a driving force that is shaping industries, markets, and mainstream culture across the country.

At HMC, we are deeply committed to the well-being of the communities we represent and serve. The fact is diverse segments drive 100% of U.S. growth. Hispanic marketing is not about checking a box; it is a business strategy that fuels growth, market share, and profitability. The Latino market is not a social cause—it is an economic powerhouse that no brand can afford to ignore.

In an increasingly complex marketplace, cultural competency is the key to brand success. Today’s Latino consumers are turning away from brands that lack authenticity and cultural relevance. Companies that thrive are those that move beyond performative inclusivity, embracing data-driven, culturally relevant strategies that genuinely resonate with Latino consumers.

Beyond their immense purchasing power, Latinos shape trends, industries, and the broader fabric of American society. Corporate America must recognize that Hispanic marketing is not optional—it is a business imperative. Brands that fail to engage meaningfully will feel the consequences on their bottom line, missing out on one of the only and biggest drivers of U.S. economic growth.

Latinos are a vital pillar of our nation, contributing to its progress, innovation, and prosperity. The time for brands to act is now.

August 4, 2023

Norma Orci wasn’t just an industry veteran, a trailblazer or an advertising leader that broke boundaries and shattered ceilings… she was that and much more! Norma was a matriarch whose legacy lives on in the work showcased in the Smithsonian Institute, in the paths she paved for Latinas in advertising and in the long-lasting agencies she and her family built.

Norma started her advertising career as a junior copywriter at Noble & Asociados, which was the largest advertising agency in Mexico at the time, but in 1986, she co-founded La Agencia de Orcí—today known as Orcí—with her husband, Hector. There she served as Chief Creative Officer and later President until her retirement in 2010. Their mantra, “Nobody remembers what you say; they remember how you made them feel,” underpinned every Orcí campaign and caught the attention of the U.S. Government, who selected them to create a campaign to mobilize millions of undocumented immigrants to obtain their citizenship. Orcí—with Norma and Hector at the helm—skyrocketed to legendary status, and Hispanic marketing took center stage. Orcí continues to be family owned… and that storied citizenship campaign? It lives in the annals of history at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

Among the many recognitions throughout her career, Norma received the Industry Career Achiever Award from the American Advertising Federation, was inducted into the HMC’s Hall of Fame in 2018 and was named philanthropist of the year by the New American Alliance. Norma continued to be an active supporter of the Hispanic marketing industry and a mentor to Latinas, helping build a strong pipeline of women in advertising.

For HMC, for the Hispanic marketing industry and for those who knew her dearly, Norma’s loss will be felt for years to come. She was única e inigualable.

May she rest in peace.

May 5, 2023

On behalf of the Hispanic Marketing Council, we are saddened to hear of the passing of our founder, our industry advocate and our dear friend Eduardo Caballero. 

After many decades of breaking boundaries for Hispanic media, championing Hispanic investment in board rooms all over the country, Eduardo picked up the phone in 1996 and made a call that would change the trajectory of Hispanic marketing forever. He brought together the best and brightest minds to propel the Hispanic media and marketing landscape to new heights. He wouldn’t take no for an answer, and his efforts created the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies (AHAA), which today is known as the Hispanic Marketing Council (HMC). Thanks to his leadership, purposeful collaboration and passion, our industry unified. Agency leaders joined forces to share best practices, advocate for Hispanic investment and diversify organizations—ultimately creating the framework for the best-in-class multicultural marketing strategies employed today.

HMC now represents more than 75,000 Hispanic marketing specialists–and those numbers continue to grow. We continue to induct trailblazers and dreamers like Eduardo into the HMC Hall of Fame, honoring their contributions, dedication and vision that have helped create a vibrant Hispanic marketing industry. In fact, Eduardo was the first to receive the honor, paving the way for other luminaries of our industry.

The legacy he leaves behind is indelible–and you can read about his life and his many contributions here. For those of us who knew him and knew him well, we remember the advice he gave us: “To always THINK. What should (Hispanic agencies) pass on to clients? The idea that the agency thinks not only about the message, but also about the media where to place that creative, to obtain the best results for their client. And to the next generation of the agency’s staff? THINK, THINK, THINK.”

Rest in peace, amigo querido.

The issues surrounding the sale of WPYO-FM to SBS by Cox Media Group has made headlines, most recently in HispanicAd and Radio + Television Business Report. Hispanic Marketing Council’s position on this matter is clear: HMC supports fair competition, especially when it creates opportunities for diverse voices and minority-owned media. As a top-10 Hispanic market with a growing multicultural majority, Orlando benefits from having more choices in Spanish-language radio. The sale of COX media’s FM station to SBS, who has a long trajectory in operating leading radio stations in Puerto Rico and in the US, aligns with FCC’s mission to expand minority-owned media platforms and ultimately benefits Orlando’s thriving Latino community.

In this time of social transformation, as national advertisers you have been thrust into a dialogue of diversity, equity and inclusion regarding multicultural sectors.  While many of the corporate initiatives you’ve undertaken are laudable, in too many cases the DEI conversations and initiatives are being led by the very marketers that are slashing their multicultural ad dollars and using the cloak of DEI to cover the shifts that are taking place.

The bottom line is that only two to five percent of budgets are allocated to multicultural marketing, while the Hispanic segment alone represents 20 percent of the population. There is a vast and unacceptable gap between 5 and 20 percent, despite countless ROI studies showing that allocations of between 15 to 20 percent are needed to drive real bottom-line growth in just Hispanic alone. Brands have a social and business imperative to make Responsible and Intentional Investments in all multicultural audience segments in their marketing AND increase their investment to levels that are in line with the percentage of the business that these audiences represent. 

We need to ensure that we are not just part of a shell game with brands moving money around their multicultural marketing budgets instead of allocating higher percentages to engage every multicultural consumer actively and intentionally. Too many brands are “robbing Peter to pay Paul” by shifting budgets from Hispanic to Black to Asian efforts without ever expanding the size of the investment. They also are hiding behind DEI initiatives as symbolic gestures, instead of allocating Responsible and Intentional Investments as a business imperative. If brands are serious about fostering effective business growth and meaningfully impacting multicultural communities, they must invest their budget where the growth resides instead of an outdated, homogeneous “general market,” which does not exist. Advertisers must understand the nature of a more fragmented consumer marketplace, with their own diverse cultures, habits, behaviors and idiosyncrasies. 

The market doesn’t need another ROI study; what it needs is for brands to commit to Responsible and Intentional Investment that goes well beyond diverse storyboards and checking a DEI box. It is about a balanced scorecard that looks at investments in minority-owned media, endemic media, targeted non-endemic media and multicultural media. The scorecard also must look at advertisers use of culture specialists at minority-owned and minority-targeted agencies to drive effectiveness and allocate a higher investment to multicultural marketing. 

We can’t accept the crumbs any longer and need to call out brands who are laggards or hiding behind DEI initiatives and pledges as a catch-all. There is no short-term fix to the long-standing inequities in marketing, and frankly, you can’t afford to look at just one segment or ignore them all together. There is $8 trillion of spending power depending on how you choose to allocate your efforts.  The time is now!  We already live in the most diverse and multicultural society America has ever seen, and for the 17 and under market segment, America is already “multicultural majority” and soon the whole country will be multicultural majority — the forthcoming Census will only underscore this. 

Brands have a social, moral and business imperative to do the right thing. Do not use DEI as a cloak to raid your marketing budget. Stop moving money around and invest more in Responsible and Intentional ways. It will be a win-win for your bottom-line and the communities you want to support!