CHICAGO (December 8, 2006) — The sounds of popping champagne bottles and Latin pop hits filled the inside of the Cabaret nightclub in Chicago on Dec. 6, 2006, as The San Jose Group (SJG) celebrated its 25th anniversary.
The crimson-hued, Moulin Rouge-style cocktail lounge was packed with SJG clients, the media, as well as many other friends of SJG, to join America’s most established independent Hispanic advertising agency with the longest-running active president, in celebrating its 25-year milestone.
“We are very excited to have this opportunity to look back at our accomplishments over the past 25 years,” said San Jose. “Looking back, we’ve achieved quite a lot; but I also believe, in many ways, that I’m just getting started,” San Jose said.
The San Jose Group, then called San Jose & Associates, was founded on December 11, 1981. At that time, Chicago was home to 12 Hispanic advertising agencies, but San Jose & Associates became the first full-service agency focusing on the national Hispanic market. According to San Jose, he launched the agency on his own, with $247 dollars in the bank, a desk, a chair, and a “bold imagination to create.”
Since then, SJG has continued to grow and expand. In 1991, San Jose created The San Jose Network, Ltd., a conglomerate of marketing firms consisting of 25 agencies in 25 countries, to further assist the agency’s clients in seizing growth opportunities throughout the Spanish-speaking Americas. With this network, which has welcomed new affiliates in Atlanta, Miami, and San Antonio in just the last two months, SJG is the largest group of marketing communications agencies exclusively serving U.S. Hispanic and Latin American Markets.
The highlight of the party was a heartfelt speech given by San Jose, who paid special tribute to his clients, his colleagues, and his agency team, to whom he attributed his success over the last quarter century. This was followed by a brief ceremony featuring a dramatic 22-foot timeline display, which told the story of SJG since its inception. The over-sized timeline was also the centerpiece to the “SJG Milestone Moments Game,” which invited guests to guess the years in which mystery milestones had occurred for the agency in exchange for exciting prizes.
As a seasoned industry veteran, San Jose’s experience has given him plenty of vision into the future, which was illustrated in a framed display at the anniversary party, listing his “25 Predictions” for the future of the U.S. Hispanic advertising industry. San Jose’s predictions offer a humorous, but credible, view of the future landscape based on current trends. However, even with the anticipated changes, San Jose said that he would continue to focus on the same mission he established for SJG in 1981.
About The San Jose Group
Incorporated in 1981, The San Jose Group is a consortium of marketing communications companies specializing in reaching the Spanish-speaking Americas. Headquartered in Chicago, the Group’s expertise, services, and resources transcend domestic and international markets. More information about The San Jose Group can be found at https://thesanjosegroup.com.