NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NBC Universal-owned Telemundo, a leading producer of high-quality content for Hispanics in the U.S. and audiences around the world, and mun2, part of Telemundo and the first television channel created for young bicultural Hispanics in the U.S., have teamed up with Western Union (NYSE: WU), a leader in global payment services, to offer Hispanic consumers in the U.S. two new co-branded Western Union®, Telemundo and mun2 general purpose reloadable MasterCard® prepaid cards.
The agreement, to be supported with a national integrated campaign, beyond prepaid, to include television, digital, and direct to consumer marketing efforts, was announced today by Western Union, Telemundo and Big Tent Entertainment, the licensing agent of record for the Telemundo brand, on behalf of NBC Universal Television Consumer Products Group. The agreement also paves the way for powerhouse brands such as Telemundo, mun2 and Western Union to leverage their presence to better serve Hispanic consumers, the fastest growing consumer segment in the U.S.
A leader in global payment services with a combined network of over 400,000 Agent locations in 200 countries and territories, Western Union fits in perfectly with the core messages and beliefs at the heart of the Telemundo and Mun2 brands. The agreement brings together strong brands that cater and better serve the financial needs of Hispanic consumers worldwide. Leveraging its understanding of the needs and wants of Hispanic viewers, with the agreement, Telemundo’s relationship with Western Union brings consumers trustworthy and reliable financial services and convenient options to manage their finances.
"We are very pleased to add Western Union to the growing list of partners in Telemundo's consumer products program and also serve the Hispanic community with this key financial service," said Kim Niemi, Senior Vice President NBC Universal Television Consumer Products Group. "The new Telemundo and mun2 reloadable prepaid cards are consumer-friendly and offer Telemundo viewers and fans a convenient way to manage and protect their money with extremely low fees and without the need for a bank account or credit check. We look forward to working with Western Union to offer financial literacy and services to our viewers.”
Victoria López-Negrete, Senior Vice President and General Manager, North America, Western Union, added, “Today’s announcement is one example of how major brands, Telemundo, mun2 and Western Union, can leverage their brand recognition to work successfully together to benefit consumers, including young bicultural Hispanics to meet their diverse lifestyles, throughout the United States.”
“As prepaid cards and services continue to gain momentum, particularly in today’s economy, Western Union sees its prepaid services platform, and relationship with Telemundo and its diverse viewers, as an opportunity to strengthen both its relationship and value proposition with consumers, while helping enhance consumer lifestyles,” concluded Western Union Executive López-Negrete.
Western Union was awarded two 2011 PayBefore Awards in the following prepaid categories, among other winners: Best General Purpose Reloadable Program: In-Person Sales Channel Category and Best Prepaid Program Media Advertising Category.
The new Western Union Telemundo and Western Union mun2 co-branded MasterCard® prepaid cards will offer consumers flexible and convenient options for loading funds, including Western Union Money Transfer® transactions. Consumers will be able to reload money in-person at more than 46,000 participating Western Union Agent locations in the U.S., through direct deposit of employer or government benefits, or through their bank account online. Cardholders have the ability to use the cards anywhere Debit MasterCard® is accepted, including online and at ATMs1. The cards are protected by the MasterCard® Zero Liability policy. No credit check or bank account is required to sign up and cardholders have the ability to manage their card accounts both online and over the phone.
The two new reloadable prepaid cards will be available at select retailers throughout the U.S. as well as online.
The Telemundo lifestyle brand continues to bloom and prides itself on providing high quality, culturally relevant and distinctive products for Hispanic consumers in the U.S. and worldwide. Big Tent Entertainment continues to explore key licensing categories for the Telemundo brand including sports, cosmetics, electronics, room & home décor, and apparel. Licensing deals will be made through the NBC Universal Television Consumer Products Group.
1Common card feeds include: $1.95 ATM Withdrawal Fee (plus applicable ATM operator fees), $0.45 ATM Inquiry/Decline Fee, $2.50 monthly Inactivity Fee after 12 months of non-use and a $4.95 Reload Fee. Additional fees could include Re-issue card fee of $5, Bank to card transfer fee of $1, paper statement fee of $3, and currency conversion gains and fees. See Cardholder Agreement for a complete description of fees.
About NBC Universal Television Consumer Products Group
NBC Universal is a leader in providing entertainment programming to the domestic and international marketplaces. NBC Universal Television Consumer Products Group manages all global ancillary television business endeavors for the NBC Universal Television Group, including third-party home entertainment distribution, consumer products, musical soundtracks, special markets projects and the NBC Universal Online Store.
About Telemundo
Telemundo Communications Group, LLC & Subsidiaries (“Telemundo”), a division of NBC Universal, is a world-class media company, leading the industry in the production and distribution of high-quality Spanish-language content across its multiplatform portfolio to U.S. Hispanics and audiences around the world. Telemundo’s multiple platforms include Telemundo, a Spanish-language television network featuring original productions, theatrical motion pictures, news and first-class sports events, reaching 94% of U.S. Hispanic viewers in 210 markets through its 14 owned stations, 1 independent station (WKAQ in Puerto Rico), 46 broadcast affiliates, and over 1,000 cable affiliates; mun2, the preeminent voice for bicultural Hispanics in the U.S., reaching over 35 million U.S. TV households nationwide on digital and analog cable, and satellite; Telemundo Digital Media, which leverages Telemundo’s original content for distribution across digital and emerging platforms including mobile devices and www.telemundo.com and mun2.tv and Telemundo Internacional, the company’s international distribution arm which has positioned Telemundo as the second largest provider of Spanish-language content worldwide by syndicating content to more than 100 countries in over 35 languages.
About Western Union
The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a leader in global payment services. Together with its Vigo, Orlandi Valuta, Pago Facil and Western Union Business Solutions branded payment services, Western Union provides consumers and businesses with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around the world, to send payments and to purchase money orders. The Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta branded services are offered through a combined network of approximately 455,000 Agent locations in 200 countries and territories. In 2010, The Western Union Company completed 214 million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $76 billion of principal between consumers, and 405 million business payments. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.
About Big Tent Entertainment, LLC
Big Tent Entertainment, LLC (www.bigtent.tv) is an entertainment company specializing in the integrated development and management of media brands. Formed in 2002, the company manages a portfolio across both traditional and new media while focusing on brand strategy, community building, viral marketing, licensing and retail merchandising. Big Tent currently serves as the worldwide (ex Asia) marketing and licensing company for fashion and viral sensation Domo and the North American agency of record for two of Discovery Communications’ most popular brands - Discovery Kids and TLC. Additionally, Big Tent represents Purple Ronnie, one of the U.K.’s most successful social expression brands, and PixFusion, a global leader in personalization products.
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