NBCUniversal’s Mun2 becomes NBC Universo on February 1, launching a powerful new American cable television brand for Latinos on the country’s biggest day for live broadcast: Super Bowl Sunday.

Offering a free one-day preview at launch across the major cable, satellite and telco providers, Universo is kicking things off with an unbeatable Ace in its deck: the exclusive Spanish-language telecast of Super Bowl XLIX. It’s a definitive statement for a channel poised to shatter the common notion, said Universo president Rubén Mendiola, that “general entertainment television in English has great quality and it’s spectacular and it’s beautiful and impressive, but when you’re going to do television in Spanish that sometimes you need to compromise on the quality.”

From high-octane sporting events to blockbuster movies, steamy telenovelas and gritty unscripted series, Universo’s slate is an intriguing blend of event programming and fare that “pushes the envelope,” said Mendiola. “That is a little edgy and provocative and that is bringing to life this modern cable channel.”


Storytelling on cable television has become increasingly complex and unpredictable, with surprising twists and turns and multi-dimensional characters. Universo will bring that style of programming to its Latino audience, with a distinctly modern point of view that, said Mendiola, mirrors modern life itself: “That’s the premise of everything you’re going to see on the channel. That there can be really big moments or small moments, but we always want to have [programming] that will surprise and make people stop and say wow.”

In addition to an amazing opening-day lineup, Universo’s launch should receive a boost by being directly tied to one of the world’s most recognizable media brands.

“We were very lucky to be able to have so much support from NBC and what better support can you get than to be able to use the iconic peacock and the NBC name?” said Mendiola. “It brings all these positive associations with the brand [and shows] that we’re not only part of the family, we’re taking our place as the rightful Latinos of the family.”

Honoring its namesake’s rich legacy, creative agency loyalkaspar worked with Mendiola’s team to make the Peacock logo an integral part of what would become a highly cinematic look and feel for a cable channel with blockbuster programming. Transposing the logo with light and film techniques, it resonates across the entire on-air package. In the background of promo opens and end pages, the white outline of the feathers bursts into rays of light that pulsate with music over colors that change with the style of programming – yellow for sports, red for music, a light blue for general entertainment and a dark blue for specials.


But while this description sounds grand and explosive, it’s important to qualify that the logo light-play is in fact quite subtle, and may not even be noticed by undiscerning viewers. That’s because, said loyalkaspar creative director Richard Eng, amidst a brand that is “big, bold, emotional and epic,” the look and feel of Universo also needed to feel “human and relatable.” And watching the channel’s anthem spot (seen above), it’s clear that the programming itself is what’s guiding the excitement with the design elements dropping in to pull things back to a place of elegance and nuance. It’s a fascinating departure from other Spanish-speaking networks like Mun2’s companion cable channel Telemundo, and also Univision, where the on-air colors are frequently as bold and forceful as the content.

That aesthetic, said Mendiola, draws from “a very specific look that Latino broadcast channels have, but we are going for that look and feel that says we are first a great modern cable channel and we happen to be Latinos.”

Looking at the future of Latino demographics in America, Universo isn’t simply providing programming for a culture within the nation’s greater cumulative viewership but is in fact “leading the mainstream,” said Eng. And the mainstream requires an approach that people of all different tastes and styles can access.

“It’s not necessarily big, bold vibrant colors,” he continued, “but is much more about leading the way of what’s hip and relevant today. It’s part of the fabric of what’s most current.”

Check out a comprehensive breakdown of the NBC Universo brand identity on loyalkaspar’s website.

REBRAND CREDITS

Network: NBC Universo
President: Rubén Mendiola
VP, Marketing: Alex Alonso
Creative Director: Jose Wolff
Creative Services Director: Rachel Denis

Entertainment Branding Agency: loyalkaspar
President/Partner: David Herbruck
CCO/Partner: Beat Baudenbacher
Chief Development Officer/Partner: Robert Blatchford
Executive Creative Director: Richard Eng
Executive Producer: Cara McKenney
Director of Strategy and Content: Bo Bishop
Art Director: Mark Lee
Writer/Strategist: Mika Saulitis
Producer: Jessica Scharer
Production Coordinator: Anna Heffner

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