One of the most difficult aspects of PR in an emerging market is ensuring that your staff, client list and business infrastructure are secure when so many variables - from economics to elections - affect your bottom line. Case in point is Fleishman-Hillard's Miami office, which just laid off five account executives and two support staffers when client projects were halted by the rocky economic market, according to Rissig Licha, who manages the Miami site.
But those who work in the Latin American market are still hopeful that PR opportunities will continue to advance. The "Nuestra Gente (Our People) U.S. Latino Awareness Conference held Oct. 15 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., is an example of the attention being paid to this region. The conference has been hosted for the past three years by MAYA Advertising and Communications. The attendee list, now 300, has doubled in that time.
This year's participants were from well-known businesses and organizations, including the National Institutes of Health, Kaiser Permanente and PBS, says Luis Vasquez-Ajmac, president of MAYA. Forum topics included tips for working with Latino consultants and vendors to build grassroots business relationships. (MAYA Advertising & Communications, 202/393-3370; F-H/Miami, 305/520-2000)