Branded Entertainment Network (BEN) Expands Multicultural Programming Offerings for Brands

BEN hires Maria Teresa Hernandez as Vice President of Client Development to lead multicultural business development

Multicultural audiences aren’t just among the fastest growing in the United States – adding 2.3 million people every year, according to Forbes – they are also among the most connected. According to Statista, 73% of U.S. Hispanics and 65% of African Americans subscribe to Netflix, and 56% of U.S. Hispanics use their Netflix account at least once per day. In addition, according to Marketing Land, U.S. Hispanic millennials spend 25% more of their time consuming content on mobile devices than their peers in the general population.

As multicultural audiences make the transition to ad-free programming, marketers are increasingly turning to brand integration as the must-have strategy to effectively reach them. BEN has enhanced its industry-leading technology platform, allowing brands to identify programming opportunities that over-index with multicultural audiences. Brands can easily search streaming, TV, film and influencer programming by ethnic demographics and language, helping them execute the entertainment integrations that will be most effective with their target audiences.

In her new role, Maria Teresa will be responsible for driving new business efforts with multicultural clients. Prior to BEN, Maria Teresa served as the Vice President of Client Strategy at Orion. She has served on the board of Interpublic Group’s Hispanic Resource Group and currently serves on the She Runs It National Multicultural Alliance Committee. She will report to Kristin Glushon, BEN’s Executive Vice President of Client Development.

“Advertising is undergoing a paradigm shift away from traditional ad-supported media that has been years in the making, and I’m thrilled to join BEN, which is at the forefront of entertainment marketing,” says Hernandez. “Multicultural consumers are hungry for authentic brand connections providing inclusivity and representation. I look forward to working with brands to build strong, authentic connections with multicultural audiences.”

“Cultural and Hispanic audiences are not only the fastest-growing audiences, but have much different viewing behaviors than the general population. Targeting and getting inside the entertainment these viewers are watching provides brands with a unique opportunity to reach multicultural audiences through the content, stories, characters and talent they know and love,” says Gary Shenk, CEO of BEN. “Maria Teresa has an incredible track record building authentic connections between brands and multicultural consumers, and having her spearhead this initiative is another step forward in BEN’s commitment to helping brands reach audiences where traditional advertising cannot.”

BEN has a strong legacy of working with brands in the multicultural space including integrations from Chevy (GM) in Netflix’s “Club de Cuervos,” Dunkin’ Donuts in “Orange is The New Black,” Jose Cuervo (Proximo) in “Narcos,” and Electronic Arts (EA) in its influencer campaign supporting the release of “FIFA 18.”