Add Your Vehicle to Spring Forward Safety Checklist

March 7, 2018

BETHESDA, Md., March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Spring is here and its arrival means warmer weather, more hours of daylight and spring break travel. As you set your clocks forward on March 11, and plan to check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, take a few steps to make sure your vehicle is safe and road-trip ready, says the non-profit Car Care Council.

Check that all interior and exterior lighting is working properly and replace worn wiper blades so you can see clearly when driving at night and during spring showers.
Check the tires, including tire pressure and tread. Underinflated tires reduce a vehicle’s fuel economy and uneven wear indicates a need for wheel alignment. Tires should also be checked for bulges and bald spots.
Check filters and fluids, including engine oil, power steering and brake and transmission, as well as windshield washer solvent and antifreeze/coolant. Dirty air filters can waste gas and cause the engine to lose power.
Check the hoses and belts and replace if they become loose, cracked, brittle, frayed or show signs of excessive wear as they are critical to the proper functioning of the electrical, air conditioning, power steering and cooling systems.
Check the brake system and make sure the battery connection is clean, tight and corrosion-free.
Check if there is a defect in your vehicle on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website at www.nhtsa.gov/recalls by using the VIN look-up too. Watch a step-by-step video on how to locate your VIN and find out more about how recalls work.

“Checking your vehicle thoroughly and taking steps to have auto repairs performed before the spring and summer driving season will not only give you peace of mind, but will also help avoid the inconvenience and potential safety hazards of breaking down when you’re miles from home,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council.

About the Car Care Council:
The Car Care Council is the source of information for the “Be Car Care Aware” consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair to consumers. For the latest car care news, visit the council’s online media room at http://media.carcare.org. To order a free copy of the popular Car Care Guide, visit the council’s consumer education website at www.carcare.org.

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SOURCE Car Care Council

Top Three Ways Scammers Steal Your Tax Refund

March 7, 2018

SACRAMENTO, California, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Did you know tax preparers are not allowed to take a percentage of your tax refund as compensation? Nor can they base their fee on the amount of your tax refund. And you should never trust advertisements that “guarantee” tax refunds before reviewing your paperwork.

“How can anyone know if you’re entitled to a tax refund until they’ve looked at your paperwork? It’s simple. They can’t,” said Lester Crawford, chair of the California Tax Education Council (CTEC), a state-mandated nonprofit organization that manages the registration of more than 40,000 unlicensed tax preparers.

“The key to staying out of trouble with the IRS and getting the so-called ‘biggest refund’ is all about how much the tax preparer knows about tax laws,” Crawford said.

It is one of the reasons why California requires tax preparers to be licensed or registered.

Anyone who prepares tax returns for a fee must be either an attorney, certified public accountant (CPA), CTEC-registered tax preparer (CRTP) or enrolled agent (EA). Each professional must pass an initial test and follow educational requirements.

Yet despite state requirements, there are still rogue tax preparers who are stealing tax refunds from unsuspecting taxpayers.

“They’re the hardest to track down because they don’t sign client tax returns. They just take the money and vanish,” said Esperanza Escobedo, CRTP and CTEC board member.

Below are the top three facts taxpayers should know about tax refunds…

The tax refund should always be deposited or mailed directly to you. Never to the tax preparer.
The fee should be based on the complexity of your tax return, not the amount of your tax refund.
Never trust a tax preparer who promises “bigger” tax refunds than competitors or guarantees a tax refund before reviewing your information.

“If the tax preparer somehow wants a piece of your refund? Walk away,” Escobedo said.

CTEC is a nonprofit organization that was established in 1997 by the California State Legislature to protect taxpayers against fraud and incompetent tax preparers. Visit ctec.org.

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SOURCE California Tax Education Council

(Español) InSinkErator® retira del mercado interruptor para triturador de desperdicios SinkTop™ debido a riesgo de incendio

March 7, 2018

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1973 and charged with protecting the American public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call the CPSC hotline at 1-800-638-2772, or visit http://www.saferproducts.gov. Further recall information is available at http://www.cpsc.gov.

Sorry, this entry is only available in Español.

Despite Hurricane Harvey, Texas home sales and prices break records again

March 7, 2018

AUSTIN, Texas, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Texas home sales volume and home prices reached all-time highs for the third year in a row, according to the 2017 Texas Real Estate Year in Review report released today by the Texas Association of Realtors.

“Despite the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, the Texas housing market had a very strong fourth quarter, helping solidify 2017 as another record-breaking year in Texas real estate,” said Kaki Lybbert, chairman of the Texas Association of Realtors. “The strong growth in the housing market can be attributed to the sizable influx of residents and job growth across the state in 2017. With more than half a million people moving to the Lone Star State each year, we anticipate the Texas housing market will remain a hotbed for activity.”

Texas home sales jumped 4 percent in 2017, with 336,502 homes sold statewide. Home prices also experienced steady increases in 2017, with the median sales price increasing 6.7 percent from the year prior to $223,990.

Jim Gaines, Ph.D., chief economist with the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, explained, “Across the state, we are projecting sales activity to be even more robust in 2018. One of the big drivers will be from first-time homebuyers finding opportunity in the market with more builders focusing on the entry-level price point and lenders relaxing the requirements for first-time homebuyers. Additionally, the likelihood of more volatile interest rates in 2018 will influence homebuyers to buy now rather than later.”

Housing inventory across the state dipped 0.1 months to 3.1 months of inventory in December 2017. According to the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, a market balanced between supply and demand has between 6.0 and 6.5 months of inventory.

Texas homes continued to spend approximately the same length of time on the market in 2017, an average of 57 days, and active listings increased 5.5 percent from 2016 to 2017.

Chairman Lybbert concluded, “The Texas housing market remains in such high demand that we continue to see low levels of housing inventory and strong increases in home prices. While that continues to be good news for property owners, Texas Realtors will also continue to advocate for affordable options for all Texans.”

About the Texas Real Estate Year in Review Report
Data for the Texas Real Estate Year in Review Report is provided by the Data Relevance Project, a partnership among local REALTOR® associations and their MLSs, the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, and the Texas Association of REALTORS®. The report provides annual real estate sales data from a statewide perspective and for 25 metropolitan statistical areas in Texas. To view the report in its entirety, visit TexasRealEstate.com.

About the Texas Association of REALTORS®
With more than 114,000 members, the Texas Association of REALTORS® is a professional membership organization that represents all aspects of real estate in Texas. We advocate on behalf of Texas REALTORS® and private-property owners to keep homeownership affordable, protect private-property rights, and promote public policies that benefit homeowners. Visit TexasRealEstate.com to learn more.

CONTACT: Hunter Dodson, 512-4484950, [email protected]

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SOURCE Texas Association of Realtors

Unilever Grows U.S. Urban Farming Commitment with New Mission-Based Brand

March 7, 2018

Green City Force Corps Member at Wagner Farm

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, New Jersey, March 6, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Unilever announced today the expansion of its U.S. urban farming efforts with the launch of Growing Roots, a new organic, plant-based food brand that will support urban farming with every purchase. The brand builds on Unilever’s multiyear commitment to urban farming initiatives, which establishes and funds partnerships to unlock access to fresh foods and nutrition education in communities across the country.

“What’s so special about Growing Roots is that it started as a social mission that our employees were passionate about, borne from the belief that everyone should have access to affordable, nutritious food,” said Matthew McCarthy, Vice President of Foods, Unilever North America. “Seeing the transformational impact urban farms have in communities, we created a brand from the ground up to help fulfill and extend that mission.”

In 2015, Unilever joined an innovative, public-private partnership with the city of New York’s Building Healthy Communities initiative and Green City Force to create six urban farms in New York, which together have already generated approximately 32,000 pounds of organic produce. In addition to the company providing funds, Unilever employees volunteer thousands of hours each year to these efforts. Based on the program’s successful community impact in New York, Unilever has extended outreach to Los Angeles, Houston, Miami and Chicago as well. By directing 50 percent of its profits to urban farming initiatives, the Growing Roots brand allows Unilever to build a sustainable model for long-term community impact.

“Green City Force is pleased to be part of a New York City initiative that places young people from public housing communities at the forefront of community engagement and access to fresh produce and vibrant open spaces,” said Lisbeth Shepherd, Founder and Executive Director of Green City Force. “We value Unilever’s partnership in this work in New York and are grateful for their continued support of urban farming.”

Marking Unilever’s entry to the U.S. organic snack category, the Growing Roots product line includes snack bites and clusters made from organic ingredients like coconut, corn and seeds. Growing Roots snacks feature simple, plant-based ingredients with delicious, bold flavors in uniquely sweet and savory combinations:

Cocoa Chipotle: The richness of cocoa gets a kick from chipotle peppers for a deeply flavorful snack experience.
Pineapple Coconut Rum: Real pineapple, a splash of rum and a dash of cinnamon come together to bring you a sweet and tangy tropical taste.
Maple Bourbon: Blended with a touch of real maple syrup and a dash of nutmeg for a lightly sweet and warming crunchy snack.
Coconut Curry: A balance of coconut with turmeric and lemongrass to create a savory, spicy flavor.

Growing Roots snack bites and clusters are available in ShopRite stores in the Northeast beginning March 2018, retailing for $3.99 per 4-oz. pack. Unilever will be expanding to nationwide distribution with more retailers throughout 2018, including Amazon Fresh and Amazon.com.

The new line is USDA-certified organic, certified gluten-free, certified vegan and an excellent source of ALA Omega-3 (contains 480-640mg of ALA per 28g serving which is 30-40 percent of the 1.6g Daily Value for ALA).

Growing Roots will make its trade show debut this month at Natural Products Expo West, Booth N134, March 7-11. For more information, visit www.growingrootsfoods.com. Growing Roots is on Instagram and Facebook @growingrootsfoods.

About Unilever United States, Inc.

Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of Personal Care, Food & Refreshment and Home Care products with sales in over 190 countries and reaching 2.5 billion consumers a day. In the United States, the portfolio includes brand icons such as Axe, Ben & Jerry’s, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dollar Shave Club, Dove, Good Humor, Hellmann’s, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!, Klondike, Knorr, Lever 2000, Lipton, Love Beauty and Planet, Magnum, Nexxus, Noxzema, Pond’s, Popsicle, Promise, Pure Leaf, Q-tips, Schmidt’s Naturals, Seventh Generation, Simple, Sir Kensington’s, St. Ives, Suave, Sundial Brands, Talenti Gelato & Sorbetto, TAZO, TIGI, TONI&GUY, TRESemmé and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies.

Unilever employs approximately 8,000 people in the United States – generating more than $9 billion in sales in 2017.

Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan underpins the company’s strategy and commits to:

Helping more than a billion people take action to improve their health and well-being by 2020.
Halving the environmental impact of our products by 2030.
Enhancing the livelihoods of millions of people by 2020.

The USLP creates value by driving growth and trust, eliminating costs and reducing risks. Globally, the company’s sustainable living brands are growing 50% faster than the rest of the business and delivered more than 60% of the company’s growth in 2016.

For more information on Unilever U.S., its brands visit and the USLP visit: www.unileverusa.com

Contact:
Mallory Zuckerman, Edible
[email protected]
202-300-2908

Partnership at Howard Farm (Photo Credit: Unilever)

Growing Roots Snack Bites and Clusters (Photo Credit: Unilever)

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SOURCE Unilever United States, Inc.

milk life Lo Que Nos Hace Fuertes Celebrates National Nutrition Month With World Renowned Chef Lorena Garcia

March 7, 2018

MIAMI, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — milk life Lo Que Nos Hace Fuertes campaign springs into March Nutrition Month with their latest milk advocate, chef, entrepreneur, cookbook author, media personality, cookware designer, restaurateur and mom, Chef Lorena Garcia. March Nutrition Month is the perfect time to re-focus not only on our health needs, but those of our children as well. milk life and Chef Lorena are educating families on milk’s nutritional benefits and the importance of starting your day right with a nutritious breakfast that includes milk and its 9 essential nutrients!

As a mom she is concerned with these celebrity websites and diet books suggesting it’s trendy to drop dairy. The nutrients in many non-dairy milk alternatives, like almond milk, soy milk and coconut milk, are not the same as cow’s milk. In fact, few can match the full nutrient package found naturally in milk, that contains protein, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and B vitamins. Unfortunately, too many kids today are growing up without drinking enough milk, and experts are alarmed because 68 percent of boys and 84 percent of girls ages 9-13 do not meet the recommended intakes of milk and milk products during this critical time.ⁱ

As a chef, and a mom, Chef Lorena knows the benefits of serving her son a nutritious breakfast with milk. Milk is the top food source for calcium, potassium and vitamin D, three of the four “nutrients of public health concern” — nutrients that many Americans, including children, are most lacking in their diets. The best part is that kids already love milk and it’s a naturally nutrient-rich, wholesome food that moms can feel good about pairing with breakfast. “Moms want what’s best for their kids and breakfast is the perfect opportunity to set the tone for the rest of their day. A breakfast rich in protein is a great way to energize the morning, and adding it to your family’s routine doesn’t have to be complicated,” said Chef Lorena. “Simply add an 8-ounce glass of milk with 8 grams of natural protein plus other essential nutrients to your favorite breakfast foods for an easy, delicious start to the morning.”

As part of the campaign, Chef Lorena has shared some of her and her family’s favorite milk recipes including Arepas de Leche y Queso. milk life Lo Que Nos Hace Fuertes will roll out the recipe videos throughout the year with step-by-step instructions on how to make them on www.FuertesconLeche.com. Each recipe prepared by the Chef herself is both, delicious and nutritious and easy to make at home. All the recipes include Lorena’s personal specialty, mixing her Venezuelan roots with international flavors and techniques she’s picked up while working in some of the world’s finest restaurants, all with her biggest critique in mind, her son, Leo .

Chef Lorena Garcia celebrates her passion for food and milk by sharing her take on Latin Cuisine whether on television or at her world-famous restaurants. And as if cooking wasn’t enough, she always finds time to give back with her “Big Chef, Little Chef” non-profit program which helps children and their families take control of their eating habits and ultimately, their lives.

For more information, please visit www.FuertesconLeche.com. There, you’ll also find more videos from all of our milk advocates, recipes, nutritional tips, and much more on the importance of starting each and every day with a breakfast that includes milk for a good source of natural high-quality protein with no added sugar.

About the milk life campaign
The Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP), Washington, D.C., is funded by the nation’s milk companies, who are committed to increasing fluid milk consumption. The MilkPEP Board runs the milk life campaign, a multi-faceted campaign designed to educate consumers about the powerful nutritional benefits of milk – with 9 essential nutrients, including high-quality protein, in each 8-ounce glass. For more information, go to www.MilkLife.com. Lowe Campbell Ewald is creative agency for the milk life campaign – from America’s milk companies. sociedAD is the agency for the milk life Lo Que Nos Hace Fuertes campaign.

ⁱ Krebs-Smith SM, Guenther PM, Subar AF, Kirkpatrick SI, Dodd KW. Americans do not meet federal dietary recommendations. Journal of Nutrition. 2010;140:1832-1838.

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SOURCE milk life

March of Dimes and Ferring Announce New Prematurity Research Center at Imperial College London

March 7, 2018

WHITE PLAINS, New York and SAINT-PREX, Switzerland, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — March of Dimes and Ferring Pharmaceuticals today announced that March of Dimes has selected Imperial College London as the first European partner to join its network of Prematurity Research Centers working to find the unknown causes of preterm birth and new ways to prevent it.

This March of Dimes Prematurity Research Center at Imperial College London is supported by a grant from Ferring Pharmaceuticals. Both Ferring and March of Dimes are committed to advancing research to help prevent the 15 million preterm births each year worldwide. Preterm birth is responsible for 1.1 million infant deaths each year.¹

“We’re delighted that the talented scientists at Imperial College London will join as the sixth March of Dimes Prematurity Research Center to help us get closer to a world in which all babies are born healthy,” said Stacey D. Stewart, president of March of Dimes. “It’s vital that our team is able to share information and findings with colleagues outside of the U.S., in order to accelerate the discovery of solutions to the serious problem of premature birth.”

“Globally, too many babies are being born too soon, and too many families are suffering the consequences,” said Per Falk, Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer, Ferring Pharmaceuticals. “Ferring is committed to addressing unmet patient needs in reproductive medicine and women’s health, including the growing rates of preterm birth worldwide. We believe that this new center will accelerate the development of new healthcare solutions that are urgently needed to help babies that are born earlier than expected.”

Phillip Bennett, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Imperial College London, and the principal investigator of the new Centre, said, “We are proud to have been selected to join the March of Dimes Prematurity Research Center family. Imperial College London and its partner hospitals have renowned clinics for supporting women who deliver preterm, as well as a long tradition of ground-breaking research in this area. As London is a truly global city, we are also fortunate to encompass a large and diverse patient population.

“Our teams of world-class scientists will be using the latest technologies, some unique to Imperial, to study how the body recognises and interacts with bacteria and other microbes in the birth canal. This will enable us to develop methods for predicting — and ultimately preventing — preterm birth.”

The March of Dimes Prematurity Research Center at Imperial College London will be a partnership between the College and three major London hospitals: Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea, St. Mary’s Hospital, and Chelsea and Westminster. Each of these hospitals deliver around 5,000 babies a year.

The network of March of Dimes Prematurity Research Centers encompasses approximately 200 scientists in numerous fields, including obstetrics, neonatology, genetics and genomics, immunology, engineering, informatics, and social sciences. (NOTE: See below for a complete list of the Prematurity Research Centers).

Each March of Dimes Prematurity Research Center is assigned a theme or research target. The theme selected for Imperial College London is entitled, “Microbe-Host Interactions.” This team of scientists will identify and characterize these complex processes in order to obtain insight into why some women are at higher risk for preterm birth.

About Preterm Birth
Preterm birth (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) and its consequences are the leading cause of death among children under age five worldwide. Babies who survive an early birth often face serious and lifelong health problems, including chronic lung disease, vision and hearing impairment, cerebral palsy, and learning disabilities. The preterm birth rate is on the rise in the United States, climbing for a second year in a row in 2016.

About Ferring Pharmaceuticals
Ferring Pharmaceuticals is a research-driven, specialty biopharmaceutical group committed to helping people around the world build families and live better lives. Headquartered in Saint-Prex, Switzerland, Ferring is a leader in reproductive medicine and women’s health, and in specialty areas within gastroenterology and urology. Ferring has been developing treatments for mothers and babies for over 50 years. Today, over one-third of the company’s research and development investment goes towards finding innovative and personalised healthcare solutions to help mothers and babies, from conception to birth. Founded in 1950, Ferring now employs approximately 6,500 people worldwide, has its own operating subsidiaries in nearly 60 countries and markets its products in 110 countries.

Learn more at www.ferring.com and @Ferring, or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

About Imperial College London
Imperial College London is one of the world’s leading universities. The College’s 17,000 students and 8,000 staff are expanding the frontiers of knowledge in science, medicine, engineering and business, and translating their discoveries into benefits for our society.

Imperial is the UK’s most international university, according to Times Higher Education, with academic ties to more than 150 countries. Reuters named the College as the UK’s most innovative university because of its exceptional entrepreneurial culture and ties to industry.

About March of Dimes
March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. We support research, lead programs and provide education and advocacy so that every family can have the best possible start. Building on a successful 80-year legacy of impact and innovation, we stand up for every mom and every baby. Visit marchofdimes.org or nacersano.org for more information. Visit shareyourstory.org for comfort and support. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

Because premature birth is such a complex problem, with multiple causes, March of Dimes has chosen Prematurity Research Centers and partners who can use different tools and methods to examine the factors involved in different ways. Each center’s work informs and amplifies the work the other centers are pursuing.

The other five March of Dimes Prematurity Research Centers are located at (with date of launch):

Stanford University School of Medicine (2011);
Ohio Collaborative (2013);
Washington University in St. Louis (2014);
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine (2014);
University of Chicago–Northwestern University–Duke University (2015).

Reference:
¹ Born Too Soon: The Global Action Report on Preterm Birth. (WHO, March of Dimes) 2012.

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SOURCE March of Dimes

Eight Honda Models Earn “Editors’ Choice” Awards from Car & Driver Magazine

March 6, 2018

TORRANCE, California, March 6, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The editors at Car & Driver magazine have awarded eight Honda models with 2018 “Editors’ Choice” awards, indicating the chosen vehicles are the best in their respective categories and wholeheartedly recommend to buyers. Honda models were recognized across a multitude of segments with the 2018 Honda Ridgeline being the only vehicle of any brand chosen in the mid-size pickup truck category.

The following Honda models are 2018 Car & Driver “Editors’ Choice” award winners:

Mid-Size Sedans: 2018 Honda Accord
Compact Sedans: 2018 Honda Civic
Compact Sedans: 2018 Honda Civic Si
Compact Coupes and Convertibles: 2018 Honda Civic Si
Compact Hatchbacks: 2018 Honda Civic Type R
Compact Hatchbacks: 2018 Honda Civic Hatchback
Compact Crossovers/SUVs: 2018 Honda CR-V
Subcompact Hatchbacks: 2018 Honda Fit
Minivans/Vans: 2018 Honda Odyssey
Mid-Size Pickup Trucks: 2018 Honda Ridgeline

More information about the Car & Driver “Editors’ Choice” awards and the winning Honda vehicles can be found at: http://caranddriver.com/2018editorschoice

For More Information

Consumer information is available at automobiles.honda.com. To join the Honda community on Facebook, visit facebook.com/honda. Additional media information including detailed pricing features and high-resolution photography of all 2018 Honda models is available at hondanews.com.

About Honda

Honda offers a full line of reliable, fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive vehicles with advanced safety technologies sold through over 1,000 independent U.S. Honda dealers. The Honda lineup includes the Fit, Civic, Accord and Clarity series passenger cars, along with the HR-V, CR-V and Pilot sport/utility vehicles, the Ridgeline pickup and the Odyssey minivan.

Honda has been producing automobiles in America for more than 35 years and currently operates 19 major manufacturing facilities in North America. In 2017, nearly 93% of all Honda and Acura vehicles sold in the U.S. were made in North America, using domestic and globally sourced parts.

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SOURCE American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

Telemundo Deportes Kicks Off 100-Day Countdown To 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ Unveiling Sponsors, Consumer Insights And Digital Partners

March 6, 2018

MIAMI, March 6, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — To kick off the 100-day countdown to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia^™, Telemundo Deportes revealed a series of key updates for its coverage plans as the exclusive Spanish-language home of the largest sporting event in the world. In addition to multiplatform coverage and production updates, Telemundo Deportes announced a line-up of top-tier advertising partners, digital partnerships, more legendary and groundbreaking commentators, and insights of its latest consumer focused study around the FIFA World Cup^™.

“We are kicking off the 100-day countdown in a big way to celebrate this historic moment for Telemundo Deportes,” said Ray Warren, President of Telemundo Deportes. “This will be the most consumed and most widely distributed digital event in Spanish-language television history. All of the initiatives announced today support our mission to bring our viewers the most authentic and complete coverage in the history of the tournament.”

Initiatives and updates announced today include:

SPONSORSHIPS

Telemundo Deportes teams up with Coca-Cola®, Sprint and Volkswagen for 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ Coverage

Telemundo teams up with Coca-Cola®, Sprint and Volkswagen for the network’s exclusive Spanish-language coverage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia^™. Match halftimes and post-games will be presented exclusively by Sprint and Coca-Cola, respectively, and Volkswagen will present the network’s primetime show.

As an official FIFA partner, Coca-Cola will be the presenting sponsor of the Telemundo Deportes Post-Game, “El Resumen del Partido,” for all 64 World Cup matches as well as the in-game match clocks. Powerade, also a part of The Coca-Cola Company family of brands, will have brand exposure during the tournament window with socially-led activations.

Sprint will work with Telemundo Deportes as the official halftime sponsor of all 64 matches. Additionally, Sprint will offer their customers an exclusive portal in the Telemundo Deportes En Vivo app that will be home to various content all in one place, inclusive of FIFA content that no one else can provide in Spanish-language.

Volkswagen will bring audiences the best action, highlights and commentary from the tournament as presenting sponsor of the network’s primetime show exclusively dedicated to the FIFA World Cup, airing nightly from 7-8 p.m. ET. Additionally, Volkswagen will have brand presence within each of the 64 matches as well as within Telemundo Deportes livestream coverage. All Volkswagen content will feature the new Jetta and Tiguan models.

MULTIPLATFORM PROGRAMMING & CONTENT:

Original Content in partnership with VICE

As part of Telemundo’s plans to create compelling storytelling around the tournament, the network is partnering with VICE, the world’s leading global youth media brand, to produce short-form features and stories of the interesting, contagious aspects of the culture and fandom that the FIFA World Cup^™ brings around the world. The content will air exclusively across Telemundo Deportes’ television coverage during the FIFA World Cup^™ and will extend to TelemundoDeportes.com.

“Somos El Mundial” – New Digital Series produced in partnership with the NBCU Digital Lab and BuzzFeed:

As part of Telemundo’s more than 1,000 hours of FIFA World Cup^™ content planned across digital platforms, Telemundo Deportes announced a content partnership with NBCU Digital Lab to create “Somos el Mundial,” a digital docu-series to be featured on TelemundoDeportes.com and Telemundo Deportes’ YouTube page. In addition, BuzzFeed will create short-form content from the series to be integrated across its platforms. The series will debut in May and will continue running during the tournament.

“Somos el Mundial” is an intimate profile chronicling the powerful narratives behind the Hispanic World Cup countries as told through the eyes of key players. Each episode will center on an individual country and their upcoming journey to Russia 2018. The primary fabric of each episode will be comprised of interviews with players representing their country at the World Cup. Their interviews will focus on the history of their country as it relates to the tournament – national pride, what it means to be a citizen of this country, their emotions heading into the games, etc.

Telemundo and COPA90 create first-ever U.S. Hispanic content creator network:

Telemundo recently announced an exclusive partnership with the global soccer media company Copa90 to create the first-ever Hispanic content creator network focused on soccer. The first stage of the campaign kicked off in early February with a call to fans via Telemundo and Telemundo Deportes’ social media platforms and the COPA90 network, encouraging soccer fans across the U.S. to submit content that showcases what fuels their passion for their national team, and demonstrate how they plan to support their team’s efforts during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™.

In two weeks, the program received hundreds of entries from men and women across 19 different states delivering over 5.5 million total impressions across Telemundo Deportes and COPA90 social platforms, reaching 2 million fans. In the next phase, Telemundo and COPA90 will now select 24 finalists who will be tasked to share their stories in real-time during the international friendly matches scheduled to be played across the U.S. late March.

The final selection of influencers will be part of a number of short films that will be created in anticipation of the FIFA World Cup™ and distributed via Telemundo and COPA90’s social media accounts. Influencers and content will be leveraged in Telemundo’s programming and marketing of the FIFA World Cup™ across all platforms.

Telemundo Owned Stations to Deliver Unique Content for On-Air and Digital Platforms Directly from Russia

The Telemundo Station Group is dispatching a team of 11 local station journalists to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia^™, the largest team of local Telemundo journalists to ever report from an international, live sporting event.

The station group team – made up of sports, news anchors and producers from all across the country, representing different U.S. Hispanic constituencies – will round-out Telemundo Deportes’ coverage of the World Cup by delivering the most relevant and compelling coverage about all 32 competing teams, including the teams that are of most importance to local Latino audiences.

With special local shows and segments like “Acceso Rusia,” “Hoy En Rusia,” “Recorriendo Rusia,” and complimented with distinctive local digital content like interactive games, score cards and the ability to watch the games live from the stations’ individual apps through the “Telemundo En Vivo” feature, the Telemundo owned stations will personalize every heart-pumping World Cup moment for local Latino audiences like never before.

PRODUCTION

Additional Soccer Legends and Commentators to Join Telemundo’s Exclusive Coverage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia^™

For the first time ever, Telemundo Deportes will introduce the first woman to provide in-match commentary for a FIFA Men’s World Cup in the U.S., regardless of language.

Viviana Vila will serve as analyst for select matches during the tournament joining Telemundo Deportes’ renowned team of play-by-play commentators and analysts. The Argentine sports journalist has been covering soccer for radio and television in her native country since 1999. For the last 17 years, she has been working for Radio Continental de Buenos Aires, contributing to the coverage of local and international soccer. She debuted as a soccer analyst in 2004 alongside one of the most legendary sportscasters in Argentina, Victor Hugo Morales, and has since provided commentary for close to one thousand matches, including tournaments like Copa Argentina, Copa Libertadores and the 2016 UEFA European Championship.

Other additions to the team include iconic soccer personalities who will lend a unique
“on-the-pitch” perspective to the commentating team. These names add to the roster of experts announced last year:

Tab Ramos: Former American soccer player who currently serves as head coach of the United States U-20 team and US Soccer Federation’s Youth Technical Director. Over his thirteen-year professional career he played as a midfielder in Spain, Mexico, and the United States. Ramos participated in three FIFA World Cups with the USMNT and was the first player to sign with Major League Soccer where he spent seven years of his career with the MetroStars. He was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2005.

Diego Forlán: Uruguayan professional soccer player who currently plays for Hong Kong Premier League club Kitchee. Regarded as one of the greatest Uruguayan players of all time, Forlán has participated in three FIFA World Cups, including the 2010 tournament where Uruguay came in fourth place and he received the Golden Ball as the best player. Through his career he also played for some of Europe’s top clubs including Manchester United, Villarreal, Atletico de Madrid and Inter Milan.

Jesús “Chucho” Ramírez: Former Mexican soccer player who, following his professional career took on the challenge of coaching. He served as manager of the Mexico National Team and won the U-17 World Cup in 2005, becoming the first coach of a Mexican team to achieve a world soccer championship. Ramírez also served as coach of Club América and currently lends his talent as a motivational speaker.

Teófilo Cubillas: Former soccer star considered one of Peru’s greatest players and the country’s all-time leading scorer with 26 goals in 81 matches. He represented Peru in three FIFA World Cups, including the 1970 and 1978 tournaments where he helped the team reach the quarter finals. Cubillas is one of only three players to score five or more goals in two different World Cups, the other two being Miroslav Klose and Thomas Müller.

FAN INSIGHTS STUDY: LA OLA DE LA FIFA

In an exclusive partnership with Horowitz Research, Telemundo unveiled the first phase of findings from the most in-depth consumer research initiative to ever be conducted around the FIFA World Cup™ in the U.S., focused on fandom, culture, technology and brand building.

Findings from the first phase of insights show that 9 out of 10 Hispanic soccer fans plan to watch the FIFA World Cup™ from beginning to end. Most (77%) Hispanic soccer fans plan to watch World Cup matches live on television, but when they can’t catch the matches live, 46% say they will live stream matches and 31% will stream matches on demand, setting up 2018’s World Cup to be the most cross-platform in history.

Telemundo is the network of choice for Hispanic soccer fans, with 7 in 10 saying they plan to watch the World Cup exclusively or mostly on Telemundo. The research reveals that even 1 in 4 non-Hispanics say they plan to watch the World Cup exclusively or mostly on Telemundo, underscoring the fact that the authentic World Cup experience is better “en español.”

The World Cup is one of the greatest expressions of Hispanic identity and fandom. When asked to rank a series of life events in order of excitement, Hispanics rank seeing their country win the World Cup second only to holding their child for the first time. It even out-ranks winning a new car or getting a promotion at work in terms of exciting life events.

Telemundo’s research emphasizes that Hispanic millennials are leading a shift towards soccer in America’s sports culture, with 2 in 3 Hispanic millennials saying they are soccer fans.

In fact, 61% of Hispanic millennial males would risk getting in trouble at work to stay home to watch an important World Cup match; 68% would rather give up all of the rest of the content on TV than give up soccer; and 52% would rather spend the day hanging out with their favorite soccer team than with their own family.

The World Cup is an inherently social experience. More than 80% of Hispanic soccer fans turn the World Cup into a viewing party, or virtual co-viewing. And for close to 80% of Latinos, the tournament will take over the social conversation as they follow memes, comments, and arguments about a match through social media, or post themselves.

SOURCE Telemundo Deportes

(Español) Rise Up! / ¡Levántate! – El canto lema bilingüe para el Congreso de Educación Religiosa de Los Ángeles 2018

March 6, 2018

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