The telenovela gets webified
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Written by Atila on July 16, 2008 – 10:00 am
Spanish-language TV company Univision announced this week that it will develop webisodic TV for global personal care products maker Unilever.
The plan calls for a six-episode “web-a-novela” with Unilever’s Caress brand as a featured player. It has commercial tie-ins all over the place. For example, a shortened 90-second version of Episode 1 is premiering during Univision’s top-rated “Destilando Amor.”
The web-a-novela, “My Beloved Malena,” stars former Miss Puerto Rico and Miss Universe 2005 first runner-up Cynthia Olavarria (see video above) as a spokesmodel for Caress Exotic Oil Infusions body wash. The brand’s marketing messages are integrated throughout the four- to six-minute episodes, with characters speaking about the brand’s ad slogans “unleashing your exotic side” and “unleashing your mysterious side.”
Besides the bite-sized pieces (actually 4-6 minutes can be long for the web video form), in a corporate form of interactivity, viewers will be able to choose from one of two endings for the series at Univision.com.
The show will get heavy promotion in all media: on the Univision TV and radio networks, Univision.com and other female-oriented Latino websites and in print ads in People en Espanol, Mira! and TV Y Novelas. But wait, there’s more. There will also be a special advertorial partnership with TVNotas to provide weekly story-line updates. And there is even an online sweepstakes.
The show is following in the footsteps of the slightly less commercial but similarly corporate-backed (and apparently successful) webisodic mystery/soap opera series “Prom Queen.”
I have nothing against commercial tie-ins, product placements and corporate sponsorship per se. Such short-form video programming may even educate viewers about webisodic online programming and turn to quality indie online series such as “Something to Be Desired,” and “The Burg” (BTW, make sure your Flash player is up to date, or The Burg won’t show), which have their own appeal.
The big question is whether viewers – and the show is going after an interesting demographic – young Latina women – will get caught up in the show and pay attention. Will cross-platform promotion bring people to the Web? Will it create buzz and spin-off social networking conversations? Univision and Unilever are leaving nothing to chance, it seems. Are they? Will these shows get downloaded, passed around and (TVMama hopes) get watched on the big screen? To quote someone from TV, “Stay tuned.”
