SAN JOSE GROUP WINS TWO TRUMPET AWARDS FOR HISPANIC PR PROGRAMS

The San Jose Group (SJG) has been awarded two Trumpet Awards from the Publicity Club of Chicago for its Hispanic public relations work on behalf of clients U.S. Cellular and the Illinois Bureau of Tourism. Both programs were recognized for their excellence in planning, creativity and execution and both focus on marketing tools drawing from emerging media.

The agency’s work for the Illinois Bureau of Tourism won a Golden Trumpet Award and consisted of developing a custom website for Hispanic travelers, drawing from psychographics, celebrity testimonials and personal preferences. DisfrutaIllinois.com welcomes visitors with an interactive home page featuring two couples. Each person represents a different personality type (amiable, analytical, expressive and assertive), making the site appealing to all trip planners. Other sections of the site feature a children’s area and stories from Hispanic celebrities who share their own experiences in Illinois.

“After looking at the travel resources available to Hispanic travelers in the U.S., we clearly saw the need for a site that is culturally relevant and engaging,” said Jim Legg, vice president of client service at SJG. “The proof is in the results – we’ve seen an increase in repeat visits and the length of visits to the site.”

For client U.S. Cellular, SJG developed an interactive mobile campaign to allow the cell phone company to stand out during Hispanic Heritage Month, one of the most cluttered seasons for Hispanic marketing programs. U.S. Cellular customers were invited to download free Latin American flags and Latin-themed ringtones during the month-long celebration. The initiative, supported solely by media relations, resulted in thousands of customers downloading the free content.

“We wanted to create a meaningful connection between U.S. Cellular and its Hispanic customers, and recognizing this audience’s tendency to download data applications, this was the perfect route,” said Jennifer Woods, executive vice president at SJG.

The Publicity Club of Chicago’s Golden Trumpet Awards are the most prestigious awards program in the Midwest honoring distinguished achievement in public relations and communications. These coveted awards are presented for excellence in planning, creativity and execution.

Founded in 1981, The San Jose Group specializes in developing innovative marketing communications solutions that connect brands and consumers to their core purpose. The agency is the anchor to The San Jose Network, Ltd., the largest group of marketing communications agencies serving U.S. Hispanic and Latin American markets. For more information on The San Jose Group, please visit www.thesanjosegroup.com.”

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