Telemundo is a very familiar brand among U.S. Hispanics. But even household names need some "refreshment" from time to time.

With the idea of keeping its image with Latino television viewers as fresh and inviting to both its longtime and potential consumers, the network on November 2 unveiled a new brand identity that executives say is derived purely from consumer feedback.

"Atrévete a Más" - loosely translated as "be more daring" - will be integrated into all promotional messages for Telemundo. Network executives say the tagline reinforces the view of Telemundo among many Latinos as a home for provocative, smart and daring programming.

The tagline was unveiled during the 5PM Eastern airing of Telemundo's newsmagazine "Al Rojo Vivo."

Don Browne, president of Telemundo, says the brand campaign represents his network's "coming of age." Unlike rival Univision, Telemundo has set itself apart by investing in its own facilities, namely Miami-based Telemundo Studios and Colombia-based Radio Television Interamericana (RTI) Productions.

In a deal consummated in early October (Hispanic Market Weekly archives 10/9/2009), Telemundo now owns 40 percent of Producciones RTI, a venture that is designed to not only provide Telemundo with a slate of telenovelas for the U.S. but also programming to sell in the highly lucrative overseas marketplace.

Susan Solano, senior vice president of consumer marketing at Telemundo, adds, "It's a simple yet powerful statement that connects consumers with our brand."

Solano tells CMO Essentials that "Atrévete a Más" is a brand identity that was one of three Telemundo had under consideration. Each evoked focus group studies in which participants singled out the NBC Universal network as being edgier than its top-rated competitor.

"We heard from many that our now-concluded 10PM telenovela, 'Sin Senos no Hay Paraíso,' would have never aired on Univision," says Solano. "The insights we gathered from these focus groups showed that our programming pushes the envelope, and makes viewers think. And again - these are the words of the consumer, not ours."

The timing of the new brand campaign, which saw initial planning in fall 2008 and most of the ramp-up efforts begin in February 2009, comes as Telemundo enters the November sweeps period.

The debut of "Atrévete a Más"-themed promotional efforts also comes as Telemundo is presented its first serious challenge in prime-time from Univision-owned network TeleFutura. According to Nielsen, reruns of popular classic telenovela "Betty la Fea" are drawing a bigger audience on average than Telemundo's 10PM soap, "Victorinos."

Additionally, Telemundo's 9PM telenovela, "Niños Ricos, Padres Pobres," trails TeleFutura's broadcasts of "Vecinos," a 2008 telenovela produced by Caracol TV Internacional, in the Nielsens.

Meanwhile, Univision's 9PM offering - "Sortilegio" - enjoys nearly five times the number of viewers as "Niños Ricos."

Telemundo now hopes that sharing with Latinos what their peers have to say about the network will help generate buzz - and higher ratings for its self-produced programs. Univision relies nearly exclusively on its program licensing agreement with Mexico's Televisa for its top-rated shows.

Meanwhile, the new promotional campaign gives Telemundo a way to rekindle a brand that a good portion of Latinos are passionate about, but others are still unfamiliar with.

In addition to on-air imaging, radio spots featuring a jingle with "Atrévete a Más" will be rolled out on Spanish-language stations across the U.S. Out-of-home efforts and some yet-to-be-finalized use of Hispanic newspapers are also part of the Telemundo promotional effort, Solano says.

"Even though someone may know us, the question remains how to get people to try us out," she notes.

Affiliates owned by ZGS Communications and other non-NBC Universal entities have received promotional materials centered around 'Atrévete a Más.' Like Telemundo's owned-and-operated stations, affiliates will integrate the tagline into much of what each does locally, Solano says.

Can a slogan alone sway Latinos to give Telemundo a try - and possibly lure viewers of other networks?

Solano believes so, and says the brand identity is not meant to be subliminal.

"I think it will be top-of-mind," she says. "We can own this, because no other channel can make this claim."

The success - or failure - of "Atrévete a Más" in bringing more viewers to Telemundo will not take long to gauge. Thanks to Nielsen, Telemundo receives overnight ratings data.

No one at the network expects an instant ratings bump, and Solano believes "Atrévete a Más" is far from a magic pill.

But if November sweeps mirror October's results for Telemundo, perhaps más is needed in a battle that continues to heat up - and gain the attention of Hispanic marketers.

To listen to the 60-second Telemundo spot set to air on Spanish-language radio stations across the U.S., click here.

• Telemundo is now exporting programming to more than 100 countries in 35 different languages, says network spokesperson Michelle Alban.