The Latin Grammys: Music and Marketing

The big winner at last week’s Latin Grammys was Juan Luis Guerra, who walked away with five trophies, the most of any performer.  But he wasn’t the only one who walked away triumphant.  The show itself has grown bigger each year, making it a top prize event for performers, sponsors, viewers and Latino music alike.

Arguably the largest Hispanic entertainment awards program (a record 12.6 million viewers tuned in this year), the Latin Grammys were broadcast for the first time from Las Vegas, the perfect match for the show’s celebrity sizzle factor and unforgettable performances.

With the show’s popularity growing each year, everyone from the Latin Recording Academy to Univision to corporate sponsors, were eager to ride its wave.

To build consumer excitement for the show, Univision hosted Latin Grammys street parties in key markets and also heavily promoted the show online many weeks leading up the show. 

Last week, Latin Grammy viewing parties thrown by enterprising bars and restaurants popped up around the country, as did a special “Welcome Bleacher” near the green carpet where fans could watch their favorite stars arrive.

Corporate sponsors got into the act too, by promoting their connection to the event in unique ways, and airing their best creative.

From a marketing standpoint, the Latin Grammys provide many opportunities, both onstage and off, for companies that wish to connect with the young, influential Latinos the show – and the Latin music industry – attracts.  And much like any other big event, opportunities include VIP gift bags and all the machinery behind having the best and most popular celebs take the stage for a night.

A lot has been written this year about how the Latin Grammys have finally hit their stride (the show stumbled in its first few years on CBS, unsuccessfully trying to capture general market viewers before moving to Univision to focus solely on the Hispanic audience); its evolution into one of the biggest Hispanic marketing events of the year is proof of that.

Comments

[robert]

It was mentioned today in New York that the 2007 Latin Grammy Awards are tainted.By mid-September it was already news in the inner circle of Mexico's music industry, that the pop duo Jesse & Joy were the winners in one of the general categories.There is believe this is due to the family relationship there is between Mr. Alejandro Abaroa (Jesse & Joy's record label A&R) and his brother, Mr. Gabriel Abaroa, president of the Latin Grammys. Is this a coincidence?