Lapiz Sharpens Offerings With Addition of Digital and Shopper Marketing Practices

CHICAGO, March 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Lapiz, one of the top U.S. Hispanic advertising agencies, today announces the addition of Digital and Shopper Marketing practices to its already thriving advertising services. With the addition of new agency resources, including retail and digital subject matter experts, methodologies and processes, Lapiz can now expand its multiple touch points with U.S. Hispanic consumers to help brands achieve their goals.

"We have a strong reputation of having the most intimate understanding of Hispanic consumers' behaviors, and can swiftly apply that knowledge to our new practice areas to move consumers to action," said Dolores Kunda, president and chief executive officer, Lapiz. "Bringing full capabilities in-house allows for the full breadth of our people's talent to be leveraged so that we continue delivering best-in-class marketing communications for our clients."

With a 2010 Census forecast estimating that 50 million Hispanics are living in the U.S., reaching the community is of utmost importance to many brands' strength, growth and survival. Furthermore, the evolution of a multi-channel marketplace has had substantial impact on the retail market, as customers now balance their purchasing habits between the online and offline world. With a laser focus on Hispanic communities and the belief that marketing efforts need to mirror the way consumers live, Lapiz Digital and Shopper Marketing capabilities provide blended techniques to effectively activate consumer purchasing.

Two seasoned leaders within the Leo Burnett family will drive the respective disciplines:

• Eduardo Alvarez, senior vice president, leads Lapiz Digital. He brings more than 20 years of international experience that spans the globe across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, with expertise in Direct, Database Marketing, and planning of Integrated Marketing Communications.  Importantly, Eduardo brings extensive experience working with multinational accounts managing some of the biggest marketing databases in the world.
• Toni Knoop, account director, leads Lapiz Shopper Marketing. Toni offers 15 years of experience, targeted almost exclusively to the U.S. Hispanic consumer, and has most recently led Hispanic marketing initiatives for numerous MillerCoors brands, as well as general market campaigns for MillerCoors' Import and Above Premium brands.

Lapiz currently services a strong client roster that includes such blue-chip brands as U.S. Cellular, Allstate, Procter & Gamble, Kellogg Company, Bush Brothers and ACH Food's Mazola brand.

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 & Gamble, Kellogg Company, Bush Brothers and ACH Foods among others.  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 Leo Burnett Company Inc.