How Do You Say L’Oréal in Spanish?

It took a while for many advertisers to recognize the growing economic power of Hispanic America, but the results of the 2000 census helped to persuade the laggards of their need to address this fast-growing demographic group. The data now being released from the 2010 census are underlining those convictions. Estimates are that the Hispanic population will exceed 50 million and account for 16.3 percent of the total for the country.

“For us, Hispanic consumers are a very, very important target,” says Marc Speichert, chief marketing officer at L’Oréal USA in New York, part of the giant cosmetics, fragrance and beauty-products company L’Oréal. “We see it as a growth opportunity for the future,” he adds, “and are increasing the spending” for ads in Spanish.

The introduction of the Web site clubdenoveleras.com represents the national start of the club, which had previously been active with events in local Telemundo markets that enabled fans to meet the stars of their favorite shows.

The Web site is the result of a collaboration among L’Oréal USA, Telemundo and the New York office of Moxie Interactive, which is the digital agency of record for L’Oréal USA. There is also a mobile version of the Web site. The content of clubdenoveleras.com, most of it entirely in Spanish, includes video clips, photographs, articles and a beauty blog. Visitors can also interact with other ardent admirers of telenovelas as well as join a loyalty program that gives out points for activities like watching videos and clicking on the L’Oréal USA product ads on the site.

The points can be redeemed for prizes like autographed photos of novela stars; “saludos,” or pretaped greetings from stars; Telemundo merchandise; and L’Oréal USA beauty products.

The goal of introducing the Web site is “to go beyond events” in the local markets, says Jacqueline Hernández, chief operating officer at the New York office of the Telemundo Communications Group, and offer telenovela aficionados something that “can go 365 days, 24/7.”