This post was originally published on Portada on October 25, 2013; written by Jorg Nowak, Head of Latin America and US Hispanics at YuMe.

More Hispanics live in the US than Canadians live in Canada – avoiding that reality it is not even an option anymore if you want to maximize the growth of your business. As this market continues to grow, Hispanics purchasing power will continue to influence and impact the economy – their purchasing power growing by 50% from $1 trillion in 2010 to $1.5 trillion by 2015 (Nielsen, State of the Hispanic Report, 2012).

Major brands and agencies are realizing that US Hispanics are where their future is. Don’t find yourself caught on the sidelines.

With one medium in particular, digital video, marketers are already seeing the benefits of targeting general audiences. However, with the current growth of Hispanic consumer’s digital video consumption and purchasing power, it is even more vital to engage with this channel.

As we move into 2014, let me offer four recommendations around Hispanic media buys and online video.

Keys to Successful Online Video Hispanic Media Buying in 2014:

1. Hispanics are rapidly consuming content on mobile; plan for all screens

US Hispanics are leading the market as early adopters of emerging technologies. 60% of Latino households own at least one Internet-enabled cell phone and spend 68% more time watching digital videos than non-Hispanic Whites. Be sure to take advantage of this opportunity to capture Hispanic’s attention on mobile devices in addition to your traditional online buys. (Nielsen, State of the Hispanic Report, 2012).

2. Hispanic content is rare, so make the most of it

As marketers, we face a dilemma – online video for the Hispanic consumer is premium and often scarce. In order to capitalize on this medium, we suggest custom ad units with more interactivity and engagement.

3. Think outside of pre-roll video

There is much more to experience than just pre-roll video, and many consumers are taking notice. Consumers are actively engaging with custom ads via social elements or ‘learn more’ functions, like never before. Why not capitalize on the opportunity to grab a consumer in an interactive and compelling way?

4. Broaden your sights and your network

In the past, ad networks have often gotten a bad rap. That is rapidly changing, especially in the Hispanic space where publishers struggle with unique user numbers that don’t provide the reach and frequency that advertisers desire. Ad networks solve this dilemma with unparalleled reach and the added bonus of allowing interaction with the user vs. exposure only.

I’ll leave you with this:

If you choose to forgot any or all of these 4 points, keep in mind, you may be missing out on a huge opportunity: There are currently 55.5 million (plus 9 million undocumented) Hispanics in the US, 17.4% of the total US population . . . up from 50 million in 2010.(U.S. Census and Geoscape AMDS report 2013). At the same time, online video spend is growing aggressively, outpacing the rest of the market (more than doubling since 2012). (AccuStream Research)

These numbers can no longer be ignored, especially for those looking to win in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Jorg Nowak is Head of Latin America and US Hispanics  at YuMe, Inc, a provider of digital video brand advertising solutions. Nowak was previously Senior Vice President & General Manager at Univision Interactive Media.

More and more, consumers are using tablets to consume video content, and 2013 saw major growth in tablet usage and penetration. With studies showing that tablets are particularly effective in driving brand lift, advertisers are now seeking tablet inventory to deliver engaging brand experiences to these device users.

Despite the massive growth in mobile ad spending, app developers and publishers have yet to fully monetize their tablet inventory.  In our latest whitepaper, Plug, Play, Payday, we explain how easy it is for developers to integrate and run YuMe’s lightweight software development kit (SDK) to quickly monetize their apps.  With our SDK, publishers and app developers are provided with our ad-serving technology and have access to a network of 450+ TV-brand advertisers – ensuring targeted, TV-quality video ads to complement the app users’ experience.

To learn more about the benefits of our SDK, visit www.yumeplugplaypayday.com to download a copy of the whitepaper.

Yesterday was an exciting day for YuMe.  It was a day we went back to our roots. You may not know this, but before we created our advertising technology platform, ACE, YuMe launched in 2004 as an IPTV company. Our first product enabled people to download and watch movies directly on their TV:

YuMe, like online video, has come full circle. It started with television, and then moved to the computer screen, then to mobile phones and tablets. Now seven years after our first IPTV box, we’ve announced the Embedded SDK and established our position as the operating system for TV 2.0. The YuMe Embedded SDK is the only video advertising platform to be built directly into TVs, Blu-Ray Disc™ players, and other connected devices.

For advertisers, this means access to consumers at every stage of interaction with the TV. Even as consumers’ attention continues to fragment, advertisers can maintain a presence on every screen on which video is being watched. For publishers and CTV app developers this means even more access to TV brand dollars, enabling them to maximize revenue and simplify their ad serving and management. And because the Embedded SDK is built into the firmware of the TV, CE manufacturers can easily integrate with ACE for Publishers and the Connected Audience Network, and finally participate in the advertising value chain of television.

What makes this announcement even more exciting is that we’ve secured the support of one of the most innovative automotive advertisers, Toyota. Through their participation in this important launch, they’ve proven the value of this fast-growing channel for video—a channel in which we’ve helped participated and innovated since the beginning.

We’ll be making several exciting announcements about our Connected TV products in the coming months.  Check out our News Page for updates!