July 29, 2005
By Jessie Mangaliman
``La Preciosa Gran Fiesta Hispana,'' today's grand event of the San Jose Grand Prix, doesn't sound anything like car racing.
But it is.
When Mexico's ``El Principe'' of crooners, José José, graces the Miller Stage in front of the convention center in downtown San Jose, it will be partially about the thrill of speed, but also about expanding the appeal of the downtown race to a diverse Bay Area audience -- not just hard-core racing fans.
Aarón Reséndez, is enthusiastically going to the races on Friday. But he is eager to see and hear his favorite singer, while his 9-year-old son, Aarón Jr., is excited to see the cars.
``When I heard that they were doing the fiesta at the races and they said that José José was going to be there, I said, `Wow! I'm going!' '' Reséndez said, while listening to the singer on his car stereo. ``He's a legend.''
Race organizers are hoping to draw fans like Reséndez, a San Jose businessman, to the city's first Grand Prix by infusing it with ethnic flavors, hosting events like the fiesta and concert, co-sponsored by KSJO-FM (92.3).
The same idea will be at work on Saturday, when Formula D exhibitions will feature a form of racing called ``drifting,'' which originated in Japan. That event is expected to bring young racing fans, many of them Asian-Americans.
Earlier this week, organizers hosted ``Hispanic Media Day,'' offering interviews with a Latino racer, Mario Dominguez, from Mexico City. The Grand Prix Web site is available in Spanish and the event has advertised heavily in Bay Area Latino media.
``It's a vital part of the community,'' said Dave Rahn, a spokesman for the San Jose Grand Prix. ``It's not necessarily a business aspect. It's something that we felt important to do right off the bat.''
In a region where the population is one-third foreign born -- primarily Latinos and Asians -- Grand Prix organizers are not just promoting goodwill and neighborliness. Marketing experts say they're also being mindful of the bottom line.
``They're being savvy about this by reaching out to a major segment of the population,'' said Saul Gitlin, executive vice president at Kang & Lee Advertising, a New York City agency that specializes in marketing strategies for Asian populations in the U.S.
``I don't think the question is whether Grand Prix should market to ethnic groups,'' Gitlin said, ``as much as what's the best way to bring these groups into the fold.''
A Latino fiesta may sound like a marketing cliche, but it's a critical ``core touch point and relevancy'' that draws Latino consumers, said Mario Flores, a marketing expert with Sportivo, a Los Angeles sports marketing and public relations agency.
Flores praised the Spanish Grand Prix Web site -- www.sanjosegrandprix.com, click on ``en Español.''
``That tells me they're serious about reaching the Latino consumer,'' Flores said. ``It shows that group's growing importance.''
``I think it's fantastic,'' said Lina Broydo, director of public relations for the Fairmont Hotel, which is hosting a charity benefit event tonight featuring a concert by the B-52s and a live auction. ``It's very smart. It's very respectful.''
Ethnic weddings are a common event at the downtown hotel, Broydo said, because it understands the value of outreach to a diverse community.
Similarly, marketers have long known that Latino consumers like Reséndez are likely to bring friends and relatives to the event, creating what Flores termed a multiplier, economic effect.
Reséndez said he and his son are going, along with eight others from his family.
At his family's shop Quinceañera Dream on The Alameda, surrounded by bridal gowns and dresses, Reséndez listened to José José.
``My son can't wait to see the cars,'' he said. ``I can't wait to see `El Principe.' ''
Source: The Mercury News
