Alma Once Again Named Ad Age's Multicultural Agency Of The Year

Latin America - español

U.S. Hispanic Agency receives top industry honors for second consecutive year.

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Jan 26, 2015, 09:00 ET

MIAMI, Jan. 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Alma has been named 2015 Multicultural Agency of the Year as part of Advertising Age's Agency A-List honors for the nation's best advertising and marketing firms. For the second year in a row, the Miami-based shop takes the multicultural title by combining technology with a total market approach to multicultural targets.

"The Advertising Age A-List represents the industry's most innovative and successful ad agencies, the shops that are moving the industry forward," said Matt Quinn, executive editor of Advertising Age.

McDonald's is always looking for more ways to connect with consumers beyond feeding them, and Alma has been helping them do it for over 20 years. They too a near universal experience - a teenager's first job - and presented it through the lens of the bursting-with-pride Hispanic parents. The campaign made people laugh while reminding them that McDonald's is often the first real work experience for thousands of teenagers - just one more way they're an important part of the Hispanic community.

Advertising Age's 2015 Multicultural Agency of the Year

In 2014, Alma boosted its interactive profile with the help of The Social Media Lab (a proprietary tool that helps identify and analyze Hispanic conversations online). Overall, efforts generated an increase of 28 percent in digital revenue for the year.

"We aim to find the ideal balance between creativity and technology for our clients," said Isaac Mizrahi, SVP Managing Director at Alma. "For the first time 100% of our existing clients activated at least one form of digital capability."

Additionally, Alma's TV work – including McDonald's "First Customer" and State Farm's "#Worryfree Celebrations" – was among the most recognized campaigns of the year. "Our original vision 20 years ago was to shatter stereotypes and elevate the image of Hispanics in the U.S." says Luis Miguel Messianu, President and Chief Creative Officer at Alma. "We're very lucky to have great clients that trust in our vision and give us the space to do what we love."

While strengthening relationships with existing clients, the agency also renewed a General and Hispanic Market contract with Tobacco Free Florida and added new partnerships with Anheuser-Busch, Optimum Cable, and Square, among others.

"The real soul of Alma is our people," says Messianu. "We couldn't do any of this without the talent and dedication our team puts forth day in and day out." The Coconut Grove agency is comprised of 120+ employees representing 31 different nationalities – a fact that clearly contributes to its success in the multicultural market.

To keep up with the agency's work, visit AlmaAgency.com. You can also follow on Twitter @AlmaAgency and enjoy Alma's brand page on Facebook.

About Alma
Founded in 1994, Alma today is the 7^th largest Hispanic Agency based on Ad Age's Hispanic Fact Pack and the 2014 & 2015 Ad Age Agency A-List Multicultural Agency of the Year. In 2013, Luis Miguel Messianu was named Diversity Trendsetter at the AAF Diversity Achievement Awards. Alma's clients include McDonald's, State Farm, Clorox, Quaker, and Goodyear, among others.

About the Advertising Age Agency A-List
The Advertising Age Agency A-List has been celebrating the best agencies in the advertising and marketing business since the mid-1970s. Ad Age editors make their selections based on elements including creativity, financial performance, innovation and the ability to build clients' businesses. The franchise expanded in recent years to honor a broader range of shops and reflect changes in the marketing and media business.

Media Contact: Tatiana Bengochea
Phone: 305-662-3151
[email protected]

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SOURCE Alma