A JOURNEY INTO LATINO FAMILY VALUES
DECEMBER 14, 2011 10:21 PM by StevenBridges
By Steve Roth, Director, Agency Development
When I was in high school, I struggled with Spanish. No matter how much I studied, I just couldn’t wrap my head around a foreign language and, as a result, I ended up with C’s and D’s. Then came college. Ugh. Two more years of foreign language requirements and I once again found myself knee deep in… you guess it, Spanish. I somehow managed to make it to the finish line with a D, a halleluiah, and a pitcher of cold beer to celebrate. I was finally done with Spanish… or so I thought. Quite a few years later, I found myself out in California freelancing as a creative (in English) for a boutique Hispanic agency. The people were nice, the work was interesting and the food was amazing. I think it was the food that convinced me to accept a position as the agency’s first head of new business development.
Knowing little about the Hispanic market, and even less about the agency world, I rolled up my sleeves, ducked my head and charged forward. During my six years at the agency, I gained a real appreciation for the Latino culture, the people and the importance Latinos place on family. I often found myself telling my gringo friends that we non-Hispanics could learn a lot about family values by looking at the Latino culture. In the Latino family, it’s a priority to spend time with family and friends. My boss at the time was from Colombia, and I remember him saying that as much as he loved the quality of life in America, he truly missed the social aspect of life back home where people didn’t need an excuse to drop by the house and visit. Parties would often start spontaneously, and they always involved music, dancing, drinking and celebrating time spent together. Three years ago I was recruited by Acento and my immersion into the Latino culture magnified ten times.
On my first day at the agency, I was blown away by the colorful, art-filled offices which are built around a large kitchen area where everyone eats lunch together, and the conversation revolves around personal life, family, and of course, the food. There’s a real bonding among the team at Acento, a family where people work hard, play hard and enjoy each other’s company. It’s fun to invite people to our offices. You feel the Latino culture the moment you walk through the front door. It’s a welcoming place and a terrific agency to promote. Outstanding work, amazing people, authentic culture… what more could a guy want in my position?
