Weaving brands into the storyline of a telenovela is hardly news to those actively marketing to Hispanic consumers.

But the latest company to use brand integration to showcase its services is worth taking notice of.

State Farm - one of the biggest advertisers in Hispanic media - has taken the lead of such automotive brands as Toyota and Ford by signing on as the sponsor of "Vidas Cruzadas" - a mini-novela set to appear on Univision.com that's been in the works for months.

In December 2008, Univision Interactive media and reality television producer Endemol USA created the internet-exclusive mini-novela with the expressed intent of attracting a brand that could blend product placements into the storyline.

Fifteen episodes - each ranging between three and five minutes - were pitched to potential sponsors. Kate del Castillo, a telenovela superstar who recently starred in the Fox Searchlight feature film "La Misma Luna," was cast for "Vidas Cruzadas."

Guy Ecker, a Brazilian telenovela heartthrob who starred opposite del Castillo in the 1998 series "La Mentira," was also signed on. His appearance marks a reunion between Ecker and del Castillo - something Univision is heavily promoting across its multimedia platform.

According to Univision.com, the first installment of "Vidas Cruzadas" is set to debut August 12. A specially themed channel is already up and running on the Univision site.

How will State Farm's brand message of "being there" be delivered to viewers?

One of the mini-novela's characters is a State Farm agent who will lend support and security to the character played by del Castillo.

In addition to the in-episode brand message, State Farm is the lead sponsor of the "Vidas Cruzadas" channel at Univision.com. Content includes character biographies and interactive polls giving viewers the chance to suggest how the mini-novela ends.

Mark Gibson, State Farm's assistant vice president of advertising, is already excited about the "innovative opportunity" that the web-based novela presents for his brand.

"Nothing is more important than being there, and 'Vidas Cruzadas' allows us to share that message in an entertaining way," he says.

Kevin Conroy, president of Univision Interactive Media, adds that "Vidas Cruzadas" is the first of several initiatives that will bring long-form branded entertainment to Univision's audience.

State Farm has been highly active with its marketing to Latinos and invested nearly $69.5 million in the traditional Spanish-language media tracked by Nielsen Monitor-Plus in 2008. It was a lead sponsor of this year's "Premios Juventud," which aired July 16 on Univision. The insurer was also a sponsor of the just-concluded CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer tournament, and is a major advertiser on the Spanish-language portal for the New York Mets baseball club.

State Farm is regularly among the top 10 advertisers at Spanish-language radio, according to Media Monitors. And through the first five months of 2009, the insurer was the second-biggest advertiser in the Spanish-language magazines tracked by HispanicMagazineMonitor, with nearly 70 ad pages and $2.59 in ad dollars. Only Procter & Gamble Co. was bigger.

Univision introduced its first online telenovela – "Mi Adorada Malena" - in July 2007. The lead sponsor for the six-episode series was Unilever's Caress, with its Caress Exotic Oil Infusions body washes integrated into the script (HMW Archives 7/9/2007. Tapping Into The Telenovela).

While Univision is using its heavily trafficked portal to get into the lucrative product placement business, rival Telemundo continues to weave brands into its telenovelas.

In June, Toyota ventured into a product integration deal with Telemundo that puts its newest car model, the Venza, front and center during the novela "Más Sabe el Diablo" (Hispanic Market Weekly archives, 6/15/2009).

Additionally, the Telemundo Station Group and Ford Motor Company have partnered for a sequel to the 2008 mini-novela "Amores de Luna." The new production integrates the 2010 Ford Fusion into the daily lives of the characters.

Produced by Telemundo Studios, "Amores de Luna 2: Nuevos Caminos" debuted last night (July 27) - following the 11PM local newscasts - on network-owned stations KVEA-Channel 52 in Los Angeles, WSCV-Channel 51 in Miami, KTMD-Channel 47 in Houston, KXTX-Channel 39 in Dallas and WSNS-Channel 44 in Chicago.

The new installment of "Amores de Luna" includes 20 three-minute episodes that will air over a period of four weeks. After the episodes appear on-air, they'll become available online via a specially designed microsite.

• L'Oreal has also been signed on as a sponsor of "Vidas Cruzadas," and enjoys front-and-center branding on the Univision.com channel dedicated to the mini-novela.

CMO Essentials Related Read:

The 2009 Spanish-Language Television Upfronts
A Hispanic Market Weekly Special Report
Although there’s no disputing the importance and popularity of a 30-second commercial, advertisers are looking to complement it with more brand-intensive efforts, primarily product integration and other platforms including digital and mobile. "Before,  product integration was nice. Now it’s a necessity," says Adrián Steckel, CEO of Azteca América. “But it’s not about having someone saying ‘buy this or buy that.’ Advertisers want to touch people in different ways and with different media.”
May 18, 2009