The 2010 Census

As the 2010 Census nears, I think back to the last time new census numbers were released. About 10 years ago, it was the top story of the day; people were shocked that Latinos comprised 10 percent of the population and 1/3 of California's population. This year, the U.S. Census Bureau wants to ensure that the entire population is included. In the past, many undocumented immigrants have been fearful of being included in the Census. In 2010, the Census Bureau will receive help from Univision and Telemundo; the networks will inform Latinos about the Census and encourage them to participate.

Currently, Latinos make up 15 percent of the U.S. population and account for nine percent of the total national buying power, the equivalent to one trillion dollars. However, marketing/PR budgets allocated to this market only represent about four percent of the nationwide overall marketing budgets.

The 2010 World Cup

Many believe that the 2010 World Cup will be the top marketing opportunity of the year for effectively reaching Latinos, especially males 18-44. The World Cup's impact on the Latino market is comparable to the Super Bowl in the general market. Some of the companies that will be developing campaigns with a World Cup theme include Walmart, Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Verizon Wireless and Budweiser. In addition to developing commercial spots that will air during the broadcast of the games on Univision, companies will be developing community outreach and online campaigns. For example, Verizon's V-Cast mobile entertainment platform - will enable its customers to have access to Univision's coverage on their mobile phones, and Walmart is planning on holding official World Cup events at their stores.

More content produced in the USA for U.S. Latinos

In the past, the majority of primetime programming to U.S. Latinos was produced in Mexico. Univision has built a reputable news department and has produced popular entertainment shows, but up until recently, the network has relied on Mexico's Televisa for its primetime programming. In 2010, Univision is preparing to ramp up its own programming produced in the U.S. The company has launched its own production studios in Miami and is set to produce its own reality shows, entertainment specials and telenovelas (of course!).

This means that marketers will have more opportunities for branding, because Univision will have full control over production. Univision plans to acquire additional revenue opportunities, as content will be distributed via multiple platforms including online and mobile.