Online video content provider mitú is leveraging its popularity with younger Latino viewers to encourage them to vote as the 2016 election approaches -- and teaming with a nonpartisan organization, Voto Latino, to build the message through a social media campaign launched at the SXSW trade show in Austin, Texas.
"Latinos will play a pivotal role in electing the next president, and we must exercise our constitutional right to vote and let our voices be heard," said Beatriz Acevedo, president and co-founder of mitú, in a press release.
Adding mitú's roster of creators to the Voto Latino message could have a telling effect on younger U.S. Hispanics. Of the 27 million-strong Latino electorate, almost half are in the millennial age range of about 18 to 33 years old.
In addition to its social media aspect, the partnership will generate co-branded video content that promotes voter registration and activation.
Teaming up with Voto Latino is part of a larger nonpartisan, multiplatform initiative by mitú, #WeAreAMERICA, that includes partnerships with organizations like the National Council of La Raza, Rock the Vote and others.
Maria Teresa Kumar, president and CEO of Voto Latino, noted the importance of the online video space in reaching this voter segment. "We're thrilled to announce this partnership with mitú that will allow us to continue meeting the growing demographic of Latino millennials exactly where they are: online," she said.
Hispanic organizations have heavily mobilized for this year's elections to encourage not just voter registration, but to ensure U.S. Hispanics have access to coverage and candidate debates. Last week, in the midst of a retransmission dispute with AT&T (NYSE: T) -- a completely different but perhaps equally heated issue between pay-TV and content owners -- Univision temporarily lifted a blackout of its channel on the U-verse service so that its Spanish-speaking viewers would be able to watch the Democratic debate. The move drew kudos from the National Hispanic Media Coalition.
For more:
- see this mitu release
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