The Department of Homeland Security is increasing its outreach to
Spanish speakers with a new emergency preparedness campaign aimed
at business owners and managers.
Listo Negocios is the Spanish version of the Ready Business campaign,
which Homeland Security unveiled in September 2004. It was unveiled
in June, nearly nine moths after its English equivalent.
One of the key findings of the 9/11 Commission report was the need
for the private sector to prepare for potential disasters. Including
Spanish-language businesses in this effort has been a priority for
the administration, but one that has lagged.
The public service announcements are not just translations of the
English ads. Instead, the Spanish-language campaign uses a Guardian
Angel, described by DHS as “a popular icon in Hispanic culture
thought to defend individuals from danger,” to deliver preparedness
information.
The television, radio, print, outdoor and Internet advertising
campaign was crafted pro bono by Elevacion, a Washington, D.C. bi-cultural
advertising agency that has worked for national political campaigns
and charitable foundations. The department has also established
a Spanish language website to mirror English ones.