Countrywide Sponsors Spanish Reality Show

Countrywide Home Loans Inc., Calabasas, Calif., is using a nontraditional marketing tool to reach out to Hispanic borrowers: it has become the official sponsor of a home makeover reality television show on Telemundo, one of the nation's largest Spanish-language networks.The new show -- titled "Lo Dejo en Tus Manos," meaning "I'm leaving it in your hands" -- aims to spur viewers to follow up with Countrywide on homeownership opportunities and education. As a sponsor, Countrywide will offer special gifts of $10,000 to deserving families and a $10,000 prize for the winner of a customer promotion contest, and will offer practical buyer tips on the show. "The reality platform is ideal for seamlessly promoting the Countrywide brand, highlighting our broad range of customized home loan products, and demystifying the homebuying process to help viewers feel hopeful and confident about securing financing for a new home," said Countrywide's executive vice president of multicultural markets, Rodolfo Saenz. Using a reality show to educate Spanish-speaking viewers, he said, is a next step in informing customers about affordable housing options. Telemundo said Countrywide is the first mortgage company to participate in its home improvement programming.