Now that Hispanic Heritage Month has wrapped up, let’s honor the commitment to this vibrant community year-round!
About this Event

With Hispanic Heritage Month now wrapped up, it’s a good time to reflect on who’s genuinely investing in and supporting the multicultural community. In the past year, many have recognized the Hispanic market as a key growth opportunity for their businesses.

What started as a DEI initiative and a checkbox for diversity in communications has turned into a deeper commitment, acknowledging the growth potential that goes well beyond Hispanic Heritage Month. After all, Latinos celebrate culture every day, not just in September and October!

Brands with Latin roots are increasingly making their mark on American pop culture. From Takis and Topo Chico to Modelo, these brands are truly resonating with audiences, with Modelo even surpassing some well-known American beers! So, how can brands authentically connect with this new America? It starts with having genuine conversations that showcase the daily influence of Latin culture, making sure the community's voice is heard in how they’re represented and marketed to.

Today, we’ve gathered a talented group of individuals to share insights on how these trends are shaping their businesses and the strategies they’re using to stay relevant.

PANELISTS

Paola Ortega

Head of Strategy at Quality Meats

A Mexican-born, Texas-raised strategist with a quasi-irrational obsession to help brands craft their story. Paola’s early beginnings in the multicultural space gave her the tools to always dig deeper to find the sharp, untold truths that act like sparks for creative magic. She’s spent her career helping global brands like Fanta reignite brand love, bringing iconic brands like Coors Light back into the cultural zeitgeist and ensuring brands like Heineken and Barbie keep their magic.
She most recently joined Quality Meats to round out the agency's leadership team and bring her experience to shape the future of the agency.

Maru Bernal

VP Creative Director at TDA_Boulder

With 25 years of experience, Maru Bernal began her career at Leo Burnett Mexico before moving to their Chicago office, where she worked across LATAM, U.S. Hispanic, and General Market segments. She continued her career at FCB and We Believers before joining TDA_Boulder in 2023 where she leads Art Direction and Design. Maru has worked with clients such as P&G, Kellogg’s, Corona, Barefoot Wines, McDonald’s, Disney, Toys "R" Us, Chase Bank, FirstBank, Allstate, United Healthcare, Champion Pet Foods, Purely Elizabeth, Del Real foods, and Daiya foods amongst others. Her work has been recognized at the Cannes Lions Festival, D&AD, The One Show, Clio, LIA, Effie Awards, and multiple Latin American award shows. Maru’s work, has been featured in Lürzer’s Archive and Communication Arts.

Jorge Hernandez

Founding Partner and CMO at Majority

As CMO at Majority, Jorge is responsible for agency growth, relationships, and partnerships. His role spans across disciplines, leaning into all facets of the business to drive the agency’s mission: Ideas that put brands into culture and culture into brands.
Jorge’s experience as an integrated marketer spans product branding, new product launches, broadcast, promotions, experiential, shopper, digital, sports marketing, and B2B. He has won multiple Effies, Pro Awards, EX Awards, Cannes Lions, Clios, Webbys, Reggies, and One Show Pencils. Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Queens, Jorge has lived in Atlanta since 2014.

Abe Garcia

CCO at Dieste

Abe is the Chief Creative Officer at Dieste, overseeing the Creative Department, and the work. Prior to his tenure at Dieste, Abe put to work his strategic creative style for several market-leading agencies where he provided multimedia solutions for different brands including AT&T, Progressive Insurance, Coors Light, Coors Banquet, Miller Lite, NBA, Burger King, Papa John’s, Yoplait, Honey Nut Cheerios, Progresso Soups, Green Giant, Totino’s Pizza, Procter & Gamble, Nestle, General Mills and Continental Airlines, among others.

Abe was born in Mexico where he ran the streets in his early youth before moving and being raised in the United States. It’s this biculturalism that allows him to switch between both cultures, providing the ability to effectively tailor messages for multiple markets as well as the total market. Couple this biculturalism with being an idea junkie has led him down a successful advertising career contributing to the growth and recognition of any brand he touches. His never-ending chase for ideas has earned him over 100 international, and regional awards.

Flor Leibaschoff (Moderator)

Founder & CCO at BeautifulBeast

Flor has a thing for ideas. She is a passionate storyteller and was the first female Hispanic Chief Creative Officer in the USH. She has been named Shining Star by the American Advertising Federation and Woman to Watch by DMN (Data. Strategy. Technology), NY. After working in the industry for over 25 years, Flor co-founded and leads creatively BeautifulBeast as CCO. BeautifulBeast is a business growth company dedicated to cross-cultural solutions through creativity and big data. Flor is a pioneer in the industry, the first creative ever to represent the US Hispanic industry in the Young Creatives Competition at Cannes, France, winning a Silver Lion. Her work is recognized globally and locally. She is the former Círculo Creativo USA president, and she is currently acting on the Board of Directors, among other organizations.