You’ve just launched the new streaming platform ViX. What is the feeling you want people to have when they engage with the brand or platform?

When we discussed these considerations as we built the brand, we realized that what we wanted above all was to illuminate our stories. We wanted to convey that this streaming app is built to reflect the lived experiences of the Hispanic and Latino community in the US and Latin America. It’s created for Latinos, by Latinos, and the content is all entirely in Spanish. ViX is the medium with which our audience can connect with culture, engage with stories, and learn from content creators. In that sense, ViX is one of a kind: we are here to service the Hispanic community in the US and the Latin America community by relating the wealth of lived experience we have in our language.

That is why we will feature brilliant stories in Spanish language on ViX+ . We have partnerships with some of the most iconic Spanish-language content creators, including Eugenio Derbez, Selena Gomez and Mario Vargas Llosa, alongside stories from 3PAS Studios, Ventanarosa Productions,The Mediapro Studio, W Studios, Lemon Studios, Marvista Entertainment, El Estudio and Televisa, among many others. We are excited to share all these fantastic stories across different genres.

In that sense, ViX is one of a kind: we are here to service the Hispanic community in the US and the Latin America community by relating the wealth of lived experience we have in our language.”

We’ve identified 4 key capabilities to compete in the Connect Arena, with three of them feeling especially relevant for ViX and Televisa Univision. The first one is Content. Can you talk about the role Content plays for your brand(s)? Then there are the roles for devices and interfaces. What have you learned about the different ways people engage with content, and what are some of the highlights in this area about how you’ve built your plan?

“Content is king” has never been more relevant. This relates intrinsically to our business model as we are focused on bringing this wealth of content to life. We know that there is strong demand for live content which is driven by different factors. For example, we have our 24-hour rolling news channel (Noticias Univision 24/7) for all ViX users, which reflects consumer desire to understand and connect with what is happening in the world; we have our live sports channel, Zona TUDN, where you can find commentary, highlights, and news from different sports. Ultimately people are tuning into these channels for different reasons, which just goes to show that even in the streaming world, there’s that appetite for consuming live content.

With devices, you can consume VIX in a personalized and engaging way. If you are on the go you can connect on your mobile device – and we know that US Hispanics have high usage of mobile – and we’re seeing those trends when we analyze usage of our app. There is further connection with TV, where you can engage with content as a family across devices, reflecting Latino values of collectivism and sharing. In summary, we are multi-disciplined and available at all touchpoints for consumers.

Speaking in terms of consumer engagement, what are the most critical moments you’ve built your brand experience around, and would you share anything you’ve done to deliver the best experience in those moments?

We are always building to critical moments. For example, from now until SVOD launch in the summer, there will be more than 600 live matches streaming on the AVOD App which will be really important for servicing customer demand and providing a preview for ViX+ further down the line.

We recently completed a large, complex customer segmentation study which helped us to understand the range of different content needs and need states. We explored different factors – such as where different groups engage with different content – and we found that there was an appetite for live sports and news, as well as for content that connects with culture.

In summary, the need to connect to culture is extremely important for a customer-facing brand, so we are constantly exploring different ways to do that. People want to see representation, they want authentic stories, they want to connect with their family over a shared interest and enjoy content together; this is the unique offer we have.

What role will the ViX brand play within TelevisaUnivision, and how will it complement all the other brands in the portfolio?

We could not have realized the potential of ViX without the combined brand power of Televisa and Univision. Univision is the #1 media company among US Hispanics, Televisa is the #1 media company in Mexico, and both have over 60+ years of history. We were lucky to launch ViX from that strong foundation of growth and brand visibility, given that many media companies are struggling with declining ratings. ViX naturally complements our entire portfolio by connecting us with a larger audience seeking cultural connection with Spanish content.

Furthermore, our CEO has outwardly shared how committed we are to activating the potential of this brand and we have ensured that there is significant investment and resources behind it.

It is so important to be authentic and stand for who you are.”

If you had to describe a meaningful connection for a brand with a person, or people, how would you describe it?

It is so important to be authentic and stand for who you are. When I think of an ideal brand, I often think about consistency across touch points and authenticity. An authentic brand also has to offer a memorable experience. Different facets of the brand experience have to operate smoothly and deliver expectations.

For example, a brand I love and find meaningful is Lula Mena. It’s a small brand from El Salvador – where I am from – and not only do I love the uniqueness of their designs, I also love that the brand is eco-friendly in production. It uses authentic materials from El Salvador like coffee beans and copper wire, and is focused on social impact. All artisans are women, and the brand is committed to helping them transform their lives. I own a lot of their jewelry and love what the brand stands for. Every time I wear it, I feel as I’m carrying around a small piece of home and helping out fellow Salvadoran women.

If interested, check them out here.