Sí TV, which targets young, English-speaking Latinos, has updated the graphics on its television and broadband platforms.
The revamping, which includes tweaks to the network’s logo as well as new, edgy animated on-air IDs, incorporates pop art and iconography drawn from the many Latino cultures that Sí TV serves, according to network officials. For example, one of the IDs features a bejeweled skull, which is a symbol of good luck in Mexican culture, said CEO Michael Schwimmer.
“Our graphics package had been there for about four years, and it had been very innovative at the time that we launched it, but it was time to move on and freshen it up,” he said.
CA Square, an award-winning brand strategy and design company, developed the new Sí TV look under the supervision of executives at the network. CA Square has done work for companies and networks such as The Walt Disney Co., Fox, VH1, IFC, Reuters, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. and Telemundo.
Sí TV has also just nailed down plans for its first major pro-social effort, “Crash the Parties,” a partnership with Voto Latino, a voter registration group founded by actress Rosario Dawson, and CNN.
“Latinos across the country are effectively being invited to upload their videos, where they pitch themselves on why they should win a chance to go to the Republican and Democratic national conventions to report on what’s going on related to the issues that affect their community,” Schwimmer said.
Latinos are playing an especially important role in this presidential election, since the Hispanic vote is considered a crucial swing vote for candidates, according to Schwimmer. Sí TV will conduct grass-roots auditions to pick who attends the conventions, and will run content from the initiative online and in short-form clips on-air.
Sí TV has two community-based Web sites, www.sientertainment.com and www.sitrends.com, as well as SíTV.com. These sites offer standalone entertainment, providing original content tailored to young Latinos, and the network maintains that the sites offer the advertising community a way to reach the high-growth demographic of 18-to-34-year-old Hispanics.
Sí TV has been using its community sites as talent-discovery engines for the second season of Jammin 2, the reality show where up-and-coming bands compete and are mentored by their rock idols; and Model Latina, a new competition series. Sí TV has partnered with Comcast’s Ziddio Web site and Latina magazine on Model Latina, according to Schwimmer.
Sí TV held auditions in Manhattan, Miami and Los Angeles for Model Latina, and the show starts production this week.
In the case of Jammin 2, there were more than 500,000 visits to the show’s micro site, and in that process 15 semi-finalists were chosen, with that list then whittled down to six. Those six are part of the reality series, which will premiere in June, Schwimmer said.
Volkswagen has a sponsorship package that includes product integration in Jammin 2, as well as “A Road to Jammin” digital promotion.
Cover Girl and Payless Shoes are participating in Model Latina, with product integration, customized vignettes and integrated broadband applications.
AOL Latino is also partnering with Model Latina for a cross promotion that will feature the show’s participants in fashion-show segments.
