Page 28 - 2019 Hispanic Market Thought Leaders

2019 HISPANIC THOUGHT LEADERS Presented by HispanicAd.com
proposition to our brand partners to reach younger audiences in a more authentic way across multiple platforms,” she says, adding that UCN also allows Univision talent to leverage cross- platforms opportunities. Two new sports-focused digital services are also part of the mix at Univision: TUDNxtra and Zona Fútbol.
Has the growth of digital hurt Univision, or perhaps impacted its overall sales efforts? Not if you ask Rodriguez. “Our recent Upfront was the strongest in four years, in part driven by our ability to offer our clients scale across our portfolio of broadcast, cable, digital, social, local television and radio stations, live events and more,” she boasts.
This was accomplished largely with the help of Univision Brand Labs. “We size the opportunity, build a winning media strategy, craft insight driven-creative storytelling, and provide measurement and optimization,” Rodriguez says.
THE ENGLISH PATIENCE
With the rise in consumption of digital content, there’s also been growth in “snackable content” viewing. Quibi is a forthcoming player in this short-form, online universe. Thus far, much of the content has targeted GenZ and millennials, and is in English.
What does this mean for Univision? Finding the right opportunities to shift away from Spanish- language programming will be carefully crafted. “Our audience wants to consume content in- language, but most importantly, in-culture,” Rodriguez says.
But, with Univision’s partnership with The Walt Disney Co. on Fusion arguably a failure and efforts to recreate Univision as a millennial-focused company with a strong digital arm a dud under Issac Lee, how can Univision make the transition in a savvy way? “Real America with Jorge Ramos” on Facebook Watch is a start, as Univision seeks to reach bilingual and English- speaking Hispanics with such offerings.
“The show has pioneered the use of vertical video for mobile-first consumption and has been successful in providing innovative storytelling driven by Jorge’s strong connection with our audience,” Rodriguez says.
Then there is the unique partnership between Univision Noticias and Altice USA’s News 12 Networks to bring short-form Spanish-language news updates to viewers in the New York metro area – exclusively available across News 12’s digital platforms such as its mobile app every weekday morning and evening.
While these efforts demonstrate Univision’s commitment to keeping its strongest assets today relevant in the digital world, where will the company be in five years with respect to cross- platform media? What will the percentage of English-language content be, versus Spanish- language content?
“As the business and our audience rapidly evolve, we will continue to be forward-thinking with regards to where and how our programming is available,” she says.