• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, March 17, 2014

More carmakers are tapping the planet’s favorite sport, fútbol (soccer to Americans), to reach U.S. Hispanics -- and their media efforts are not limited to ads during games. In the latest creative media tie-up, Chevrolet and Telemundo are producing a new digital sports reality series, “La Cueva de la Fiera” (“Cave of the Beast”) hosted on the Telemundo Web site.
 
The new series consists of 10 weekly webisodes offering an inside look at Club León, currently the champions of Mexico’s Liga MX following their much-watched victory over Club América in December 2013. The series will feature celebrity product integrations with telegenic León captain and defender Rafael “Rafa” Marquez and the Chevy Silverado.

In this week’s episode, for example, Chevrolet joins forces with Marquez and the One World Fútbol Project to give aspiring players the chance to participate in a soccer clinic with Marquez; Chevy is also sponsoring the donation and distribution of 1.5 million sturdy One World soccer balls to young people in war zones and disaster areas around the world.
 
Telemundo is promoting the series with segments on popular series, including “Un Nuevo Dia,” “Titulares y Mas,” “Titulares Telemundo” and “Ritmo Deportivo.” Broadcasts of “Fútbol Estelar: Club León” will drive viewers to “La Cueva de la Fiera” and various companion content through mentions from the announcers and tagged tune-ins, among other things.

The campaign also features a dedicated digital hub with player profiles, game highlights and post-game interviews. Finally, a social platform, “Pregúntale al Leon,” will feature Twitter chats and exclusive digital shorts with players from Club Leon.
 
Earlier this year, Honda launched a new Spanish-language campaign for the 2014 Honda Civic Coupe targeting younger Hispanic adults with fútbol-related content, coincidentally also featuring Marquez. The multiplatform campaign, created by Orci, centers on an infectious techno tune, “Canción de Fútbol” (Football Song), written by Orci and produced by the Spanish electronic music band Kinky.