All Inclusive: “We Use Our Identity to Help Us Curate”
ALTERED.LA is fighting for more equal representation and an all-inclusive general market. Over the course of 20 years in the biz, Marcos Cline, ALTERED.LA founder and EP, has seen the power of Latin audiences grow exponentially and is passionate about ensuring this market is authentically and creatively catered to. Representing top-notch award-winning directors, ALTERED.LA believes it's important for Hispanic representation in front of and behind the camera and is advocating for clients to pursue this demographic as part of growing their business.
For this new LBB series, ALTERED.LA will be speaking to representatives from the biggest agencies in the industry to see what they too are doing to advocate for more authentic bicultural storytelling, how this will grant the next generation of Hispanic talent a foot in the door and why this will result in greater Latin representation within the General US Market overall.
THIRD EAR's Serge Flores, joins us for this edition of All Inclusive to discuss how, as chief creative officer, he spearheads the 'identities-led' agency. Known for proudly “connecting people and brands by understanding how people see themselves is at the core of our operating system", earlier this year, THIRD EAR was named "multicultural agency of record" for Ashley, America’s Largest Furniture Store Brand. Serge brings invaluable and diverse insight-driven experiences from his work across three continents, contributing fresh perspective and innovative thinking to the strategy and execution of creative campaigns. He tells LBB’s April Summers how he considers bicultural messaging in his work with THIRD EAR, and why the agency is always looking to collaborate with production partners - like ALTERED.LA - who can demonstrate an understanding of cultural nuances in their work.
LBB> Can you share a project that exemplifies THIRD EAR's commitment to authentic Hispanic representation and storytelling? And perhaps how the agency’s identities-led approach facilitated this?
Serge> Working with M&Ms we leveraged music to culturally connect with consumers. One of the variants, Crunchie Cookie, leaned specifically into nostalgia. When it comes to music, nostalgia can have different flavours. We chose to use nostalgic Latin music to connect with the Hispanic audience. The bonus? We got the M&Ms characters to dance ‘quebradita’, a popular Mexican dance. We also received an additional bonus, as people commented on how they saw themselves in the work.
LBB> What steps does your agency take to involve Hispanic talent in the creative and production processes, both in front of and behind the camera?
Serge> We believe our team being a reflection of the people our work speaks to is very important. Our creative team is selected based not only on talent but also on sensibility. We use our identity approach to help us curate. We also encourage our team to be constantly curious about other identities and to be generous in sharing how their own identities inform their perspective. As for production partners, we always look for collaborators who can bring a cultural touch, either through their own lived experience or by demonstrating an understanding of cultural nuances in their work.
LBB> What would you say are some of the biggest challenges THIRD EAR faces in advocating for more Hispanic representation? How do you overcome these obstacles?
Serge> The biggest challenge with production partners is experience. We tend to look for a certain level of comfort in seeing the experience reflected in the work, be it category, scale, or subject matter. However, we sometimes must take calculated risks to ensure we have the right sensibility attached to the right projects. As for representation in the actual content, data is our biggest ally – it's harder to argue with numbers.
LBB> How has prioritising Hispanic representation and storytelling impacted your agency's business and client relationships?
Serge> Prioritising Hispanic representation and storytelling has strengthened our client relationships. Clients know their audiences better than anyone, and they have sales data, as well as dealer/franchisee feedback. They know and embrace the importance of the Hispanic audience. It's a business imperative first, before it's a cultural one. The representation is a result of the undeniable changes America is going through. As we like to say, more people have a voice, and more wallets have a say.
LBB> Can you share a personal anecdote or experience that highlights why this cause is important to you?
Serge> I was born in Uruguay, then moved to Australia, New York, and finally Austin. My identity has moulded along the way, and how I see myself has changed. I always say I've been a Latino my entire life, but what that means has changed based on cultural context. When I moved to Australia, I was seen as non-Australian until I integrated myself culturally. When I came to the US, I learned that I was not only non-American, but I was also Latino within this context. I had to re-learn what being Latino meant to me.
LBB> And finally, can you think of a bicultural project that really nailed it in terms of authenticity? In what ways did this feel refreshing and inspiring to you?
Serge> "I’m No Longer Here" is an amazing movie about identities. It's about a young man who is very much part of the Cumbia Rebajada subculture in his native Monterrey and is forced to leave for the states. It's an incredible study of the role context plays in how you see yourself. Plus, the NYC part of the film takes place in my old Jackson Heights neighbourhood, a place I still very much identify with.
