NU Online News Service, August 10, 2:20 p.m. EDT

The National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA)has released a series of Spanish print advertisements that willallow its members to better reach Spanish-speaking insurancebuyers.

These advertisements are part of PIA's latest phase in its brandingprogram--"Local Agents Serving Main Street America"--launched in2006 to encourage the use of professional, independent insuranceagents, the association said.

PIA said 66 companies are sponsors of its branding program.

The new Spanish print ads can be used to promote an agencygenerally, or they can be used to specifically support auto, homeor commercial insurance sales, PIA said.

With these ads, PIA members will now have access to a completeline of print and radio ads in both English and Spanish, theassociation said.

"PIA members are increasingly marketing to Hispanic insuranceconsumers, who make up a growing share of the insurance buyingpublic," said Jon D. Spalding, PIA national president.

In addition, each ad includes space for a PIA member agency'sname, logo and contact information, and also gives an option toinclude the logo of a company the member represents.

PIA noted that its print and radio ads are translated and voicedin a manner that allows them to be used broadly across the U.S. andPuerto Rico.

PIA said each ad is available on its website as a PDF file that members can download forfree, provide to their publications or printers, and run in theirlocal markets.

PIA has more than 250 English print ads, 25 Spanish radio adsand 28 English radio ads.