Warner creates Latino brand
Colección Latina keys on niche growth
By Scott Hettrick -- Video Business, 1/15/2006
JAN. 15 | Following up on Spanish-language success during September's Hispanic Heritage Month, Warner Home Video has created a new brand for Latino videos targeted for U.S. consumers and added a fitness title in a batch of titles set for Feb. 28.
The new Colección Latina will include La Última Noche (The Last Night), the final installment in the theatrical drama trilogy from Mexico that began with La Primera Noche (The First Night); two thriller titles from Spain, Cámara Oscura (Deadly Cargo) and Hormigas en la Boca (Ants in the Mouth); and the first Spanish-language fitness title in the line, Mejorando Tu Vida Con Gabriela Spanic Vol. 1 (Improving Your Life With Gabriela Spanic Vol. 1), the latter produced in the U.S.Eva Davis, WHV VP multicultural marketing, said all four titles in the studio's first wave last year ranked among the top 20% of the 74 Spanish-language releases in the U.S. in terms of revenue per title, and two of them were the top two titles in the category.Even the biggest titles in this category that is dominated by indie suppliers sell only about 25,000 units each, but Warner is developing a market the studio believes can grow significantly, citing an 83% growth in Spanish-language DVD sales since 2000.In the meantime, as the market represents only a tiny percentage of overall revenue, Warner plans to go after the market on a volume basis, releasing a new wave of titles at least every two to three months.Next up on April 11 is a set of three double-feature Spanish-language movies. Warner also will promote Latino-themed catalog titles around Cinco de Mayo. Davis said more and more of the nation's biggest mass merchants and grocery and drug chains in markets with a heavy Spanish-speaking customer base are creating Spanish-language video sections--as many as 20% of the stores for some chains.The decision to release a health and exercise video was based in part on data showing that there are an estimated 18 million overweight U.S. Hispanic adults, who are generally more likely to be overweight than non-Hispanics, with Hispanic households spending about $4 billion per year on weight-loss products and services.The Venezuelan-born Gabriela Spanic, who became an international star playing evil and good twins on Mexico-based Televisa's La Usupadora, which was broadcast to 120 countries, is under exclusive contract with Telemundo NBC (USA), on which she recently starred in the network's top-rated La Prisionera.E-mail Scott Hettrick
