Disney Channels Latin America: Looking Locally for Transformative Stories

03.14.2016

Disney Channels Latin America is heading into spring with three new series airing throughout the region: , which premiered Feb. 13; , debuting on March 14; and Morko y Mali, scheduled to open later this year on .

Cecilia Mendonça, vice president and general manager at Disney Channels Latin America, says the company's mission in Latin America is to bring "Disney's highly-relevant and top-quality brand experiences to the largest number of homes in the region."

The company also is working with local producers to create series that complements those imported from other markets, optimizing "the emotional connection of our content," she says.

The Walt Disney Company Latin America oversees Disney's brand in the region. Its main channels include Disney Channel, targeting children ages 6 to 12, and their families; Disney XD, focusing on boys ages 6 to 12; and Disney Junior , for children ages 2 to 7. The channels are made available via cable and satellite, reaching 19 countries across the region. Disney Channels' new local shows in the 2016 schedule include three original productions. Soy Luna - a new teen soap opera produced in collaboration with Disney Channel Europe, Middle East and Africa - will premiere March 14 on Disney Channel. Soy Luna will hopefully be the successor to Violetta, a joint production between Disney Channel Latin America, Disney Channel EMEA and Argentinian production company Pol-ka.

RELATED: Soy Luna Shines in Disney Channels Latin America's Socially-Influenced Campaign

Disney Channels' campaign for Soy Luna included more than 150 on-air and digital promos, revolving around the spontaneous and determined personality of a precocious pre-teen named Luna.

Jungle Nest is this year's second original production, as well as the second original production of Disney XD Latinoamérica. Released on February 13, the series is set in an eco-hotel located in the middle of the jungle.

All the content can be found in Jungle Nest's virtual destination, which includes behind-the-scenes videos, photo galleries and a 360º virtual tour of the hotel, all set to an authentic jungle soundtrack of animal sounds.

3-D player for Disney Channels Latin America's 'Jungle Nest'

The third locally-produced series under development is math-based series , which "will promote young children's overall development, through exciting stories set in the rainforest," says Mendonça.

Morko y Mali will be launched throughout this year on Disney Junior. At this stage, it can be seen as part of the clip (at the top of this story), in which the channel presents this year's new series.

Meanwhile, Disney Channels Latin America is still betting on its established shows, such as Pijama Party, Disney Channel's game show, hosted by Dany Martins, that launched at the end of 2015; Playground, the fourth season of which will air on Disney Junior in the second half of 2016; and , which helps children discover their artistic talents.

Disney Channels Latin America also is promoting all of these series via social media. In many cases, these social promos come with a call to action inviting users to dance, in the case of Pijama Party, or to sing and play, in the case of Playground.

Disney Channels Latin America's original productions line up with the rest of Disney's content airing across the region, says Mendonça, noting that these shows are "regionally relevant" and demonstrate "diversity in the representation of different cultural backgrounds, so that the Latin American public as a whole feels acknowledged."

Nora Tela, vice president of marketing, girls and boys, at Latin America, sees local productions as an "excellent opportunity to gain greater access to promotional content."

Each production "has its own DNA that renders it unique, so each campaign is positioned differently," she says.

To produce these local series, Disney Channels teams up with specialized production companies, such as Metrovision and Non Stop. This way, "Disney's quality standard worldwide is ensured," says Mendonça.

Disney Channels Latin America also is working with Disney-owned digital producer Maker Studios on a multi-platform strategy that it plans to roll out across the region at a later date.

According to Mendonça, Disney is "the world's leading entertainment brand, with set values and innovative content … of the highest quality and planned to the last detail." Disney-produced stories "reflect optimism and inclusive values, and are designed for the whole family."

To read this story in Spanish, go here.