Alongside Cinq Music Group, GoDigital owns the likes of
Latino Music (a 24-hour linear music channel focusing on US Hispanic audiences), plus
mitú which offers entertainment, news and music programming through a video-led platform. As part of the acquisition, NGL Collective is merging with GoDigital’s mitú, which it acquired in Q1 2020.
According to
Latino Rebels, “The goal is to create a large, digital-first outlet to link a Latino audience with advertising and entertainment that is more inclusive and creates more representation of this growing population”.
GoDigital also claims that NGL will cater to a ‘vast network’ of Latino creative and media partners, reaching US Latino communities “via various social media and editorial sites, in-person and virtual community events, and published research”, according to
MBW.
As part of the move, GoDigital’s brand mitú, which started as a multi-channel YouTube network targeting the Latino consumer in 2012, merged with NGL Collective. As published by MBW, GoDigital says that the combined entity will become “the largest 100% Latino-focused digital-first Latinx media powerhouse” in the US” and the new entity will retain the name of NGL Collective.
“NGL Collective CEO David Chitel said in a press release that the power and influence of U.S. Latinos merits a company exclusively focused on connecting them with entertainment and advertisers that understand their language, culture, and context. Chitel, who co-founded NGL along with actor John Leguizamo, told Latino Rebels that representation of the Latino community in advertising matters because it allows a better portrayal of its variety and richness of backgrounds”.
John Leguizamo, known for voicing Bruno in Disney's animated film, “Encanto” –was inspired by Colombia and Gabriel García Márquez’s book, “Cem anos de Solidão” (One Hundred Years of Solitude) – started NGL with support from MEP Capital, an investment firm focused on opportunities in the media and entertainment industries, financing creators of music, film, television, gaming, live events, and digital media.
In a press release, Leguizamo pointed out the importance of Latin representation for the new entity: “Latinos are the largest ethnic group in the US, accounting for 11% of the buying power, and yet their contribution is consistently excluded in media and entertainment. With NGL Collective and mitú’s shared commitment to amplifying the voices of the Latinx community, our platforms and reach will expand. We will create more opportunities for Latinos in front of and behind the camera to speak directly to our community and influence how America sees us and how we see ourselves”.
“NGL will house a large gathering of Latino influencers, content creators, entrepreneurs, trendsetters, and media and entertainment innovators. Mitú’s brands —wearemitú, somosmitú, FIERCE, crema, and Things That Matter— will combine market presence with NGL brands, consisting of Latina Moms, Hispanic Kitchen, and Hispanicize”, according to Latino Rebels.
