Lapiz Answers U.S. Cellular's Call for New Hispanic Agency of Record

CHICAGO, Feb. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. Cellular, the nation's fifth-largest full-service wireless carrier, has named Lapiz its official Hispanic Agency of Record beginning January 2010. Lapiz, one of the top U.S. Hispanic advertising agencies and a division of Leo Burnett USA, won the business based on a fundamental understanding of human behavior and U.S. Cellular's core consumers, while providing strategic insights and recommendations to strengthen the brand among the domestic Hispanic population, a pivotal audience for the company.

U.S. Cellular was looking for a strategic partner to help them best define and segment their Hispanic customers, while bringing forth strategic insights and fresh creative ideas to resonate with those segments nationwide.  As Hispanic Agency of Record, Lapiz will be responsible for strategy and creative related to overall branding for U.S. Cellular and specific promotional advertising targeting the U.S. Hispanic audience.

"In addition to our award-winning network, we believe in connecting with customers in multiple ways," said Dan Schedler, senior director, brand management, U.S. Cellular. "Lapiz will play a creative and significant role in helping us deliver messages to our Hispanic consumers."

As an additional benefit, Lapiz also has extensive insight into U.S. Cellular's biggest market, Chicago, where both companies are based.

"In looking for a strategic partner to support its brand within the Hispanic community, U.S. Cellular recognized similar company values in our approach to putting a brand's purpose at the center of communication," said Dolores Kunda, president and chief executive officer, Lapiz. "We look forward to serving U.S. Cellular, and positioning the company to make an immediate and powerful impact in Chicago and beyond."

About U.S. Cellular

The 9,000 associates of U.S. Cellular believe a wireless phone enhances people's lives and a wireless company should be in the business of bringing people together. U.S. Cellular has a wide range of monthly plans, including those with unlimited nationwide calling, unlimited free incoming calls and options to prepay. The company has a growing catalog of phones like the BlackBerry® Tour and Pearl Flip, and the touch-screen LG Tritan, which offer e-mail and Web access. Based in Chicago, U.S. Cellular is the nation's fifth-largest full-service wireless carrier, serving 6.2 million customers across the country. To learn more about the company visit one of its retail stores or uscellular.com.

About Lapiz Hispanic Marketing

Lapiz -- which means pencil -- is the Hispanic division of Leo Burnett USA. Since its launch in 1999, it has become one of the nation's top Hispanic advertising agencies partnering with such clients as Allstate Insurance, Procter and Gamble, Kellogg Company, Bush Brothers and McDonald's of Chicagoland. Winner of more EFFIE Awards (recognizing marketing effectiveness) than any other Hispanic shop in the country, Lapiz has also garnered numerous creative awards including a Silver Lion at the International Advertising Festival in Cannes. It is also a two-time recipient of the O'Toole Multicultural Award for "Agency of the Year" from the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A's).  

About Leo Burnett Company Inc.

Leo Burnett Company Inc. is one of the world's largest agency networks and the parent company of Leo Burnett and its marketing services arm, Arc. Leo Burnett is a HumanKind communications company. Our approach is simple and singular: we put a brand's purpose at the center of our communications in order to truly connect with people. Then, we activate this human purpose to create what we refer to as "Acts, not just Ads."  In doing so, we make a life-long meaningful relationship between people and brands.

We believe when you create value, you create value for your clients. That's why an impressive number of the world's most valuable brands, including The Coca-Cola Company, Kellogg, McDonald's, Hallmark, Allstate, Walgreens, Procter & Gamble and Nintendo work with Leo Burnett. Clients share our purpose-centered approach and, like us, they know that agencies don't create great brands. People do.

SOURCE Lapiz