• by Wayne Friedman , April 14, 2017

Major Spanish-language broadcast network Univision retains the same upfront advertising goals heading into the marketplace this year: Acquire more English-language advertising partners, those who still haven’t as yet spend money on Spanish-language TV networks.

“The opportunity for us is with all the English-language brands,” says Keith Turner, president of advertising sales and marketing at Univision Communications. “We focus on the general market -- because that’s where our opportunity is.”

Turner says Univision has made many gains in recent years in adding brands.

Over the last year, for example, he says Univision aired Google, Amazon ads for the first time -- as well as brands such as Powerade and Gatorade. Looking at overall categories, the Univision grew in business from pharmaceutical and movie marketers.

Media executives say Univision now has more than 600 national TV marketers on its air, almost double the level it was a few years ago when it was around 350. Overall, there are roughly 1,200 regular upfront/scatter TV network advertisers.

“It’s an education on daily basis,” says Turner. “There are still a number marketers that don’t believe in our segment.”

Over the past year period ending April 13, Univision pulled in $1.6 billion in national TV advertising, with some 669 brands airing commercials, according to iSpot.tv.

Concerning the upfront advertising market this time around, “this year will be good, but I’m not sure as strong,” says Turner. “It’s still early.”

A year ago, most of the English-language TV broadcast networks gained near double-digit CPM [cost per thousand viewer] increases from the previous upfront -- up 9% to 12% for ABC, CBS, and NBC for example, somewhat lower for Fox. Turner would only say about last year’s upfront: “We beat the market by two or three points.”

Turner says TV marketers should note: Unlike other TV networks, Univision doesn’t have much time-shifting viewing -- that is a bonus for big TV advertisers that see “live” viewing as key to getting viewers engaged in their commercial messaging.

He says 91% of Univision’s viewers watch the network live and that 68% of its prime-time viewers only watch Univision; they don’t watch any of top 10 English-language TV networks.