Three questions with Yudi Fernandez

07851337Yudi Fernandez joined our firm in 2011 as an entry level Account Executive, and has since risen through the ranks to the role of Account Director.

Today, Yudi manages accounts in the firm’s real estate, finance and corporate communications practices. She also leads Hispanic publicity, marketing and digital media campaigns on behalf of our clients across all sectors.

Soundbytes carved out a few minutes to speak with Yudi about her new role and her time with the firm to date. We even managed to squeeze in a question about her native Cuba.

Soundbytes Blog: You’ve been at Schwartz Media Strategies for 3 and half years now. What stands out as your most memorable moment?

There have been a lot of good times, but I’d have to say that developing a communications campaign for the national convention that CREW Network (Commercial Real Estate Women) held in Miami last year was a real highlight. Hillary Clinton served as the keynote speaker and we secured regional, state and national media attention for the event.

This was important to CREW as an organization and to Miami, which served as host city for the first time in more than two decades. It was a big moment for me personally and for CREW-Miami, which has been a client for almost 10 years.

SB: It’s no secret that the news media and marketing landscape is changing. How do you expect your role – and the firm’s work – to evolve in 2015?

Changing is an understatement! Think about it: has another industry evolved at a faster pace than the news media in the past decade?

We’re doing a number of things at our firm and with our clients. First, we’ve been broadening our services in recent years as consumers rely less and less on traditional media sources. That means integrating digital media and original content creation into our client campaigns — and concentrating on a client’s overall brand. This remains a primary focus of ours in 2015.

Second, we’re putting even more emphasis on Hispanic and Spanish-language work. Florida as a state — and the U.S. as a whole — are becoming more diverse by the day and companies likes ours are in position to help companies and organizations connect with their Spanish-speaking audiences. It’s something we do well given our bilingual team and strong Florida presence, and it will be an even greater focus in the new year.

Lastly, we’ve been spending more time working with clients to create new opportunities for getting in front of their target audiences, through events, speaking engagements, sponsorships and community partnerships.

SB: Finally, a personal question: Having emigrated from Cuba to the U.S. when you were 9 years old, what are your thoughts on the decision to re-open diplomatic ties to your native Cuba? What impact do you think this will have on Miami?

The fact that our society can have an open dialogue about these changes in US-Cuba relations is the very reason why my parents made incredible sacrifices to give our family a better life in a free Miami. While our opinions on what’s best for the island are diverse, we can all agree on one thing – we want a better Cuba and a better life for Cuban residents. My instinct tells me that it makes sense to remove any roadblocks that might stand in the way of Cuba’s future. The more information that reaches the country, the more empowered its citizens will become and I believe that knowledge ultimately drives change.

Have a question for Yudi? Feel free to reach out directly via email.

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