Spanish-language TV (SLTV) advertising is a large and growing category, with the number of brands advertising on SLTV jumping 13% from 2020 to 2022.
When you consider how engaged this growing audience is, it’s no wonder so many brands are getting in on the action. According to our recent analysis of SLTV advertising, ads that ran on SLTV in 2023 were 29% more effective at driving ad engagement than 2022, and 34% more effective than 2021.
In order to determine which specific Spanish-language programs offer the best advertising environment, we measured how effective each 2023 Spanish-language program was at generating consumer engagement for advertising brands in the minutes after their ads aired, ranking them based on their performance on a per-person, per-second basis.
The results show the powerful engagement driven by true crime, reality, and other genres among Spanish-speaking viewers.
"The seismic growth of Spanish-speaking audiences has presented a tremendous opportunity for advertisers on Spanish-language networks such as Univision, Telemundo, or Discovery en Español,” said Scott Grunther, Head of Media Partnerships at EDO. “As brands’ ad investment in media tailored to Hispanic audiences increases, we expect to see a continued climb in ad engagement."
Here are the top 10 most effective programs of 2023, as compared to the ad engagement of the year’s average Spanish-language primetime program:
- Día del Juicio Final: Niños Desaparecidos, Discovery en Español, +50%
- La Casa del Mal, Discovery en Español, +37%
- Como dice el Dicho, UniMás, +36%
- Batalla de Vecinos, Discovery en Español, +31%
- Enamorándonos: La Isla, UniMás, +30%
- Supervivencia al Desnudo: Bajo Cero, Discovery en Español, +27%
- Tierra de Esperanza, Univision, +24%
- ¿Es Neta, Eva?, Univision, +20%
- El Amor Invencible, Univision, +19%
- Los 50, Telemundo, +16%
True crime takes pole positions
The popularity of Día del Juicio Final: Niños Desaparecidos — a true crime show about religious fervor and the disappearance of two Idaho teens — and La Casa del Mal — a documentary that follows people who found out that their loved ones were murderers — suggests an increasing audience preference for documentaries that explore real-life issues, crime, and mysteries.
In our research, Día del Juicio Final came in as the top Spanish-language program of the year, and the ads that aired during it boasted 50% more per-person, per-second engagement than the average Spanish-language primetime program. Casa del Mal came in on its heels as the second-most popular program, generating 37% more per-person, per-second engagement than the SLTV primetime average.
Reality and adventure shows deliver strong performance
Shows like Supervivencia al Desnudo: Bajo Cero — a high-stakes reality show where contestants must survive frigid wilderness conditions to claim the sole survivor crown — and Los 50 — a Real World inspired reality show where contestants live together and compete for big cash prizes — indicate a strong viewer interest in reality-based, high-stakes adventure and competition.
These programs offer thrilling experiences and extreme challenges that captivate the audience — and funnel audience attention toward brands that speak to Spanish-speakers. Supervivencia al Desnudo was 27% more likely to drive consumer engagement than the Spanish-language primetime average.
Viewers were engaged with innovative formats in dating and relationship shows
Enamorándonos: La Isla demonstrates an interest in innovative formats in the realm of dating and relationship shows. This program, with its unique setting and approach to matchmaking, reflects a desire for fresh and novel experiences in the genre. The program generated 30% more consumer engagement on a per-second, per-person basis than the Spanish-language primetime average.