Spanish-language media giant Univision has announced an expansive content slate for its 2021-22 season, along with a suite of new client capabilities for advertisers looking to reach Latino consumers, touting a range of offerings ahead of its upfront presentation this afternoon.

Embracing the theme “Grow With Us,” Univision is promising “even more of what its audience loves” as the company looks towards a post-pandemic return to normal: tentpole events, entertainment coverage, trusted news coverage and top-notch soccer to anchor its sports coverage.

Univision and sister network UniMás are again emphasizing the irreplaceability of Latino audiences in a well-rounded ad strategy, noting the importance of using platforms like theirs to connect with U.S. Hispanics in their own language and culture. 

Today, nearly 20% of the total U.S. population identify as Hispanic or Latino, with that demographic projected to make up as much as 54% of the country’s population growth over the next five years. In fact, if measured independently, the U.S. Hispanic gross domestic product—clocking in at $2.6 trillion—is larger than that of Brazil and Italy, and is currently the third fastest-growing GDP on Earth.

“According to Nielsen, brands not active in Spanish-language are leaving an incredible 39% of ad spend return on the table and are missing out on a key opportunity to speak to the consumers that are the main growth driver in these major categories,” says Donna Speciale, Univision’s president of Advertising Sales and Marketing. “Nobody understands this audience like Univision,” she adds.

To aid prospective advertisers in reaching Hispanic consumers, Univision is launching its first brand studio that will “combine the best in original brand journalism with industry-leading insights” that will execute on buzzworthy storytelling across the Univision broadcast and social media portfolios.

The network is also currently developing the industry’s first Hispanic audience data graph to help solve the issue of Latino underrepresentation in industry-standard data sets. “It will help power new addressable TV beta offerings with Vizio, Dish, and others; strengthen Univision’s audience targeting capabilities; and deliver a cross-platform offering that seamlessly connects brands to targeted consumers across the Univision ecosystem,” the Hispanic-centric network says, noting these new capabilities will begin rolling out in the fourth quarter of this year.

“We have the research, data and insights to help brands engage in-culture and in-language, and are committed to developing new solutions to optimize performance across our portfolio for our partners,” Speciale says.

On its 2021-22 TV slate, a wealth of both scripted and unscripted content amounting to over 2,500 hours of original programming are coming to both the Univision and UniMás broadcast networks— a well of entertainment that the company says helps it remain the No. 1 Spanish-language network on TV, outperforming Telemundo by double-digit margins in primetime among both total viewers and adults aged 18-49.

“At the heart of Univision’s strategy remains its big, live-event programming,” the Spanish-language media group says, with the network introducing both the “UniVisionarios” gala and “TUDN Mega-Fest” music-soccer hybrid event next year to join its existing slate of tentpoles that includes the Latin Grammys and youth-oriented “Premios Juventud.”

Several series with what Univision calls “cross-generation appeal” are returning this season to bolster Univision’s Family Sundays programming block, with reality competitions including “Nuestra Belleza Latina,” “Pequeños Gigantes,” “Mira Quién Baila” and “Masked Singer” adaption “¿Quien es la Máscara?” all anchoring the suite of Sunday content that often registers as the most-watched reality shows on TV among all U.S. Hispanic adults 18-49. 

Those reality series that cover everything from dancing to singing to beauty will work in tandem with a line-up of scripted novelas such as "S.O.S. Me Estoy Enamorando,” “La Desalmada” and “Génesis” to support its primetime block. “Additionally, this season marks the return of Univision’s beloved franchise, ‘The Collection,’ with the modern remake of classic telenovela ‘Los Ricos Tambien Lloran,’” or “The Rich Also Cry” in English, the network says.

“We are focused on bringing Hispanics together by delivering programming that promotes live viewership and ignites passion for community, family and culture. It is why we are adding more tentpole events, more sports programming, and expanding our news hours,” says Luis Silberwasser, president of Univision Television Networks Group, adding that Univison is continuing its mission of “authentically serving U.S. Hispanics” with their content of choice.

Such offerings are poised to maintain Univision’s upward momentum, which got a boost earlier this year when the network launched its Spanish-language AVOD service PrendeTV. 

Touted as the widest selection of popular Spanish-language programming available to U.S. Hispanics, the platform features 50 streaming channels and upwards of 30,000 hours of content with roughly 1 million active users spending an average of two hours a week on the streaming hub. PrendeTV is on track for 5 million users by end-of-year 2021, Univision adds.

PrendeTV will factor into Univision’s increased emphasis on being a leader in Spanish-language news—a title it can already lay some claim to with “Despierta América,” the top-ranked morning show among U.S. Hispanics, irrespective of language. From the fourth quarter of this year, the show’s broadcast will be extended to Sunday mornings ahead of the company’s Q1 2022 launch of a 24/7 streaming news channel on PrendeTV.

And in the sports world, Univision’s TUDN is slated to deliver a load of soccer broadcasts throughout the 2021-22 season, with top matches from Mexico’s La Liga, the Mexican and U.S. national teams’ World Cup qualifying matches, UEFA Champions League games, Major League Soccer and more.

In addition to soccer, TUDN recently relaunched its coverage of physical combat sports with “Combate Global,” the premier Hispanic MMA sports franchise, inking a deal to host 30 events annually over the course of the next five years in a bid to increase the sport’s popularity among Hispanics. Advertisers can expect additional news regarding upcoming partnerships with lucha libre wrestling and boxing in the near future, the company adds.

Univision’s upfront will be taking place virtually this afternoon at 1:30 p.m. EDT.

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