Agency fit for the King - Austin Business Journal:

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Last week, named LatinWorks the third-largest advertising agency in — its Hispanic agencyh of record. LatinWorks is handling the fastfood chain’s creativw duties, while Chicago-based Tapestry picked up Burger King’s media chores. LatinWorks would not disclose how much the account is worth to its saying only thatthe chain’s Hispanic account represents $35 milliomn to $40 million in ad In 2007, the last year of available LatinWorks reported $73 million in billingsd and gross income of $11 million.
The timing of the Burgee King account couldn’t be better, according to “For us to get this significanr win in the first month of the year is a big saidChristie Kranik, managing directodr of LatinWorks, referring to the fact that the accountr work will stretch throughour the year. The contract’s lengthu is still being negotiated, she said. It is also noteworthyy that LatinWorks attracted the national business during a down advertisingexecutives said.
LatinWorks will hire about 16 new employeex and add a small office in where the burger chain is to staff the new Of thenew employees, six will be scattered acrose the country to work closely with Burger King and a handful will be in the Austi n downtown office on East Ninth LatinWorks has about 100 Kranik said the review process for the Burger King accounr started in October. LatinWorks believesd there were about five agencies that vied for the Burger King’s Hispanic work was previouslyu held by San Antonio-basede . As part of its extensive research, LatinWorks sent five teams to five Burgefr King markets to talk with consumers and conductfocus groups.
Befored making the final decision, Burger King visited LatinWorkd in Austin fora “chemistry check.” A week later Burgerr King executives called to tell LatinWorks it had the job. Greg managing director of LatinWorks, said his firm’s ability to see where the Latino marke t is headed helped set it apartfrom “It’s easy to get caughf up in the cultura stereotypes versus truly lookingy for cultural insights that drive greaty work,” Knipp said. , whichu handles Burger King’s general market account, has set an edgy tone for the brans with its irreverent useof “the character.
Last week, Burger King pulled the plug on a controversial campaign by Crispin that asked Facebook users to cut 10 people out of their network for a free Duff Stewart, president and chief operating officer of Idea believes LatinWorks is up for the creativ challenge. LatinWorks and GSD&M are both companies. “LatinWorksz has shown it’s a strong shop creatively. And it has provenj it can target both the Hispanif andgeneral market,” Stewart said. “They’vw been on a streak of late, and this is another feathed intheir cap.” LatinWorks has received nationalo accolades for its Super Bowl ads for featurinvg Carlos Mencia.
In the next couple of LatinWorks will begin developing initial creative works forBurgee King, which should air on televisiojn and radio in April. Knipp expects nontraditional media will also play a big role in strategy to connect Burgert King with theHispanic market. Burgef King will be a priority for the agencumoving forward. “We foreseee a long and successful partnershilwith BK,” said Sergio Alcocer, LatinWorks’ presideny and chief creative officer.