• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, April 5, 2011

As Lauren Zalaznick takes over NBC Universal's Spanish-language networks, she is launching an initiative to pitch advertisers on Hispanic audiences for all the networks' properties, not just Telemundo.

Looking to help sales efforts, NBCU is also offering research to show multicultural women have an affinity for advertising of high-end products.

"Hispanics at NBCU" will become an initiative within NBCU's multiplatform sales group, which will create opportunities on platforms with a notable Hispanic index -- from the Miami NBC station to Oxygen to E!. NBCU says it can reach 91% of the Hispanic audience with its Spanish and English portfolio.

WIth NBCU now under Comcast control, Zalaznick heads Telemundo and sister network mun2. She is also responsible for targeting certain consumers across multiple touchpoints: "Women at NBCU," "Green is Universal" and "Healthy at NBCU." The Hispanic initiative will follow those templates.

At some level, the Telemundo group could gain a boost from linked sales efforts with a Bravo and its "Real Housewives of Miami" or NBCLosAngeles.com.

"The buying power of Hispanics will rise from $1 trillion in 2010 to $1.5 trillion in 2015, accounting for nearly 11% of the nation's total buying power," stated Zalaznick, Chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment & Digital Networks and Integrated Media.

Hoping to hammer home the value of the audience, NBCU released results from a study it commissioned -- "Transformers: Multicultural Women As The Shape Shifters of America" -- illustrating that multicultural women are receptive to marketing, notably "highbrow brands," such as technology and cosmetics, and for higher-education institutions.

NBCU also said the research showed some commonality among all women, with "97% of multicultural women, identify(ing) themselves first and foremost as mom, sister, daughter and friend -- with mom topping the list."

The survey was conducted in February with about 2,100 U.S. residents from a variety of backgrounds participating.