Univision's Upfront Pitch: You Want Hispanics? You Need Us

Randy-Falco-BB1Univision unveiled a multiplatform upfront strategy Friday that includes more than a dozen new prime-time programs across its terrestrial networks in addition to a number of new online series and several other digital initiatives that will make much of Univision’s programming available to viewers on demand on multiple devices.

Embracing the theme “Latinos Live Here,” Univision CEO Randy Falco told reporters on a press call that with a 73% share of the Spanish-language TV audience in the U.S., marketers “need to come to us if they want to reach them.”

The new Univision programming announcement followed word that the network had done the first major upfront sales deal this year, inking a deal with Publicis Groupe’s Starcom and sister multicultural shop Tapestry for clients including Kellogg, Mars/Wrigley and Burger King, which are shifting dollars from English to Spanish-language TV.

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New prime-time novellas (produced through an exclusive arrangement with Mexican programmer Televisa) include When The Heart Commands, billed as a love story about resentment and revenge. Also on tap is a romantic comedy, For Her, I’m Eva.

The network, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in the fall, also unveiled a new digital network, UVideos, which will offer thousands of hours of Univision programs on demand and that will be accessible via multiple devices including game consoles, smartphones, tablets and Internet-enabled TV. It will feature social media options as well, including TV check-ins and other social streams, and will launch this summer.

“We’re doubling down our effort to meet the overwhelming demand from consumers and advertisers for premium digital content,” said Falco, “and we’ll be offering much more of our popular” programming across multiple platforms.

The network is pitching marketers that its array of assets is the best way to reach the estimated 20% of the average marketer’s target that is Hispanic. Unlike many nets, said Falco, Univision still has 94% live viewership and 68% unduplicated reach, and twice the online traffic of any other network.

The company also has a number of original online content projects in the works including a Web novela from Televisa and two that are being produced by Univision in association with actor/director Kate del Castillo. All three are designed exclusively for air on UVideos. Company officials said that access will have some authentication elements, which were not detailed.

At its upfront presentation Tuesday (May 15), the network will unveil the launch of a series of genre-specific broadband channels that are being developed with outside partners.

Several reality shows will return next season, including a joint Univision-Endemol production, Look Who’s Dancing!3, as well as the seventh installment of Our Latin Beauty, which is produced in house. Parody and Little Giants, both from Televisa, return for a second season.

The network also said it was expanding its news studios in New York, Miami and Los Angeles in time for its coverage of the presidential election campaign this fall. (Earlier this week it confirmed a cable news channel joint venture with ABC News.)

As for the sales market, David Lawenda, president, advertising sales and marketing for the company, said that several more deals are near completion. He told reporters that the Starcom deal signaled the company’s intention to sell simultaneously with the major broadcast and cable networks. “This is huge,” he said. “Five years ago we were an afterthought.” 

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