Hispanic Heritage Month: Honoring Creative Excellence Initiative Spotlights Maria Teresa Hernandez
As part of the Honoring Creative Excellence initiative during Hispanic Heritage Month 2023, guest editor Alejandro Claiborne is highlighting the achievements of Maria Teresa Hernandez. As Head of Multicultural Marketplace and Senior Vice President of Brand Partnerships North America at Mirriad, Hernandez shares her experiences and lessons learned in establishing a diverse virtual product placement (VPP) marketplace.
Under her stewardship, the multicultural VPP marketplace has enjoyed substantial growth and improved inclusivity, ensuring that a wider array of audience groups can identify with and enjoy the content. Her pioneering methodology and dedication to diversifying the industry have not only cemented her position as an influential figure in the advertising and entertainment fields, but they also underscore the significance of cultural representation in today’s media environment.
Inspired by Her Roots: Maria Teresa Hernandez’s Journey to a Career in Media and Advertising
Growing up in Chicago during the 1980s, Maria Teresa Hernandez attended under-resourced schools and found motivation through her mother’s tenacity and persistence. As she went on to higher education, Hernandez realized the value of including diverse viewpoints in her chosen profession. In 2019, she joined Mirriad, an artificial intelligence technology company that focuses on virtual product placement.
At Mirriad, Hernandez is a vital asset in developing ground-breaking solutions that enable advertisers to connect with broader and more diverse audiences. Guided by her background and experiences, she brings unique insights to the organization and helps it better comprehend and serve the needs of different demographics in the rapidly changing media landscape.
Mirriad Transforms Advertising with Multicultural Virtual Product Placement Market
Utilizing the power of artificial intelligence, Mirriad’s technology allows media owners to work together and generate additional income by incorporating brands and products into popular programming through digital effects. In collaboration with her team, Hernandez, who is dedicated to supporting Black, Hispanic, Asian, and LGBTQ media owners and creators, set out to create a multicultural VPP marketplace. This innovative marketplace serves as a hub for diverse media creators to display their content and seamlessly integrate brand advertisements, thereby promoting inclusion and empowering minority-owned businesses.
Mirriad aspires to revolutionize the advertising industry by harnessing AI-driven technologies and ensuring a more equitable and inclusive landscape for both creators and brands.
Confronting Industry Challenges: Hernandez’s Determination Drives Change
The social unrest and underrepresentation in marketing ignited by 2020’s unfortunate events only served to strengthen Hernandez’s resolve to effect change. Over the course of three and a half years, she developed a strategy to increase funding for diverse suppliers, while proving the efficacy of their campaigns. As a result, numerous businesses have enjoyed remarkable growth and audience engagement, demonstrating the benefits of incorporating diversity into their campaigns.
Hernandez’s work has encouraged other marketing professionals to acknowledge the value of inclusivity in their field, steering the sector towards a positive transformation.
Breaking New Ground: The First-of-its-Kind Multicultural Virtual Product Placement Marketplace
Mirriad’s multicultural virtual product placement marketplace, the first of its kind in the industry, features over 40 minority-owned supply partners. This groundbreaking advertising model presents a new perspective on combining brands with content, delivering a more engaging and authentic experience for viewers. The platform allows minority-owned companies to introduce their products and services to a larger audience, promoting diversity and inclusion in the advertising domain.
Additionally, this cutting-edge technology enables seamless and unobtrusive advertising that respects viewers’ engagement and fosters a more genuine connection with the featured brands. As Hispanic Heritage Month 2023 unfolds, the celebration of creative excellence and diversity continues, and Maria Teresa Hernandez’s groundbreaking work serves as an inspirational example for others in the media and advertising sectors.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who is Maria Teresa Hernandez?
Maria Teresa Hernandez is the Head of Multicultural Marketplace and Senior Vice President of Brand Partnerships North America at Mirriad. She is a pioneering figure in the advertising and entertainment fields, focusing on improving inclusivity through the creation of a diverse virtual product placement (VPP) marketplace.
What is Mirriad?
Mirriad is an artificial intelligence technology company that specializes in virtual product placement. It enables advertisers to connect with broader and more diverse audiences by integrating brands and products into popular programming through digital effects.
What is a multicultural VPP marketplace?
A multicultural VPP marketplace is an innovative platform that allows diverse media creators to showcase their content and seamlessly integrate brand advertisements. This promotes inclusion and empowers minority-owned businesses, while also providing a more engaging and authentic experience for viewers.
How does Mirriad’s multicultural VPP marketplace benefit minority-owned businesses?
The multicultural VPP marketplace allows minority-owned companies to introduce their products and services to a larger audience, promoting diversity and inclusion in the advertising domain. This approach not only helps these businesses grow but also encourages other marketing professionals to acknowledge the value of inclusivity in their field.
What is the significance of Hispanic Heritage Month 2023 and the Honoring Creative Excellence initiative?
Hispanic Heritage Month 2023 and the Honoring Creative Excellence initiative celebrate the achievements of prominent Hispanic figures like Maria Teresa Hernandez, who have contributed to the advertising and media industries. The month-long celebration recognizes their work in promoting diversity, creativity, and representation in these sectors, inspiring others to follow in their footsteps.
First Reported on: adage.com
Featured Image Credit: Photo by Alesia Kozik; Pexels; Thank you!
