HOLA! USA Shifts Strategy To Focus On Digital & Social Platforms And Maximize Its Reach

NEW YORK, Jan. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- HOLA! USA is ceasing print operations effective immediately to pivot its efforts, expertise and resources entirely on reaching affluent U.S. Latinas where they are ? in the digital and social media spaces. As a formidable media player, the Brand will continue anchoring its first-rate marketing success to serve the needs of its blue-chip client base. While still producing original, culturally relevant editorial in English and Spanish, HOLA! USA will further expand its platforms by launching a YouTube channel and dedicated podcast later in the year. And, as the Brand ramps up resources, it will make additional hires in digital, e-commerce, video production and social.

"It's an exciting time for HOLA! USA as we continue building our Brand, delivering premium content to our loyal readership, and evolving into new mediums," said Sylvia Banderas Coffinet, Publisher/Chief Brand & Revenue Officer, HOLA! + HOLA.com USA. "2020 is equally exciting as it marks the year of clear Latinx influence ? as a growing electoral force and as one of the nation's leading economic growth engines with buying power set to reach well over $2.3 trillion."

With an understanding of its thriving, tech-savvy audience's behaviors and preferences ? HOLA! USA connects with their readers' passion for unique, culturally relevant, digital-first content. Reaching almost 2.5M unique visitors across HOLA.com sites, and over 3.4M followers across HOLA! USA's owned and operated social media channels, the Brand captures the attention of and inspires its sophisticated online audience: 80% female, with an average age of 32 and HHI of $85k.

"Inclusivity, an accurate representation of Latinas in media, and creating a deeper connection with a Latina audience requires creating spaces ? like HOLA! USA ? to have authentic, in-culture conversations," added Alex Traverzo, Marketing Director, HOLA! + HOLA.com USA. "Cultural relevance also improves ad effectiveness. Our Brand's distinct equity, insights and unique voice positively impacts the branded content we create for our clients." 

Evolving is paramount:
As the online and mobile needs of HOLA! USA's audience grows, so does the Brand's attention and investment in this space ? as well as its top-tier marketing opportunities. HOLA! USA will further expand its platforms by launching a YouTube channel and dedicated podcast later in the year.

• Podcasts continue to rise in popularity and grow in listenership over the last decade, and YouTube is a broadcast powerhouse reaching this hyper-connected audience.
• U.S. Hispanics account for 9% of monthly podcast listeners. In general, monthly podcast listeners comprise of 46% are women, and 41% of all monthly podcast listeners earn over $75K/year. (2019, Edison Research, The Podcast Consumer 2019)
• Some of the strongest platforms for U.S. Hispanics are those that include video content, with 58% saying they used YouTube (over-indexing by 16%) in the past 30 days. (2018, Nielsen, Descubrimento digital: The online lives of Latinx consumers)

The Brand already breaks with industry norms by producing original, culturally relevant editorial in both English and Spanish ? catering to the reader's preferred language of choice ? across content pillars that resonate with Latina content passion points (celebrities, royal families, travel, fashion, beauty, health, food).

In addition, HOLA! USA has brokered influencer relationships for its clients as brand ambassadors and as talent in custom white-label content. Leading companies tapping into its coveted audience include top digital spenders Estée Lauder Companies, Ulta Beauty, Sephora, MARS, Unilever, Target, Toyota, Porcelanosa, and Childrensalon.

About the U.S. Hispanic Market:
U.S. Hispanics are the prime driving force in the nation's economy, leading the way in population growth, workforce participation rates, and purchasing power ? accounting for nearly 30% of America's growth in real income.

Consider the following:
(2018, Nielsen, Descubrimento digital: The online lives of Latinx consumers)

• ­­­They are culturally connected, digitally empowered, socially savvy, super-cyber shopping consumers whose primary source for relevant, authentic content is digital.
• 60% of U.S. Hispanics were born or grew up in the Internet age, versus only 40% of general market, reflected in their early and avid consumption of digital entertainment.
• Time spent by U.S. Hispanics on social media far outpaces that of their general market counterparts, 52% of U.S. Hispanics 18+ spend one or more hours per day (vs. 38%) and 24% spend three or more hours per day (vs. 13%).
• In comparison to the general market, U.S. Hispanics are 38% more likely to stream music, 37% more likely to watch or download movies, 11% more likely to watch video clips on their mobile devices.

About ¡HOLA!:
Founded in 1944, ¡HOLA! Magazine has become one of the world's leaders in its field. Its long history publishing the best celebrity and royalty photographs has made it an international icon for glamour, informative accuracy and good quality. The Spanish company HELLO! & ¡HOLA! Media, Inc. publishes 29 international editions in 10 languages across five continents. ¡HOLA! reaches 20 million readers worldwide, engages with 22 million unique monthly visitors, has over 12 million social media followers, and is seen by 14 million on its broadcast channel, ¡HOLA! TV.

SOURCE HOLA! USA