KERV.ai partners Canela Media in Spanish-language deal

KERV.ai has partnered with Canela Media in its first deal with a Spanish-language media company.

Under the agreement, Canela Media will add KERV.ai's interactive video and shoppable creative tools across its media ecosystem, expanding the advertising formats available to brands targeting Spanish-language audiences.

The partnership brings together an ad tech supplier focused on video analysis and commerce-led formats with a US Hispanic media group that operates the Canela.TV streaming service, audience data products, a rewards programme and an in-house production arm.

For KERV.ai, the deal extends its reach among media owners and platforms. For Canela Media, it adds to its advertising offering as streaming consumption among Hispanic viewers continues to draw marketers' attention.

The companies cited Nielsen data showing that streaming accounts for 55.8% of total TV time for Hispanic audiences, compared with 46% for the general population. That gap has made Spanish-language streaming environments a growing focus for brands seeking more direct and measurable forms of engagement.

Streaming growth

Interactive advertising has become a closely watched segment of the streaming market as publishers look beyond standard video spots. Shoppable formats, overlays and other on-screen features are designed to let viewers respond to adverts without leaving the content environment.

The integration is intended to support more immersive ad experiences for viewers and create new commercial options for advertisers. Canela Media has built its business around reaching US Hispanic audiences through free streaming content, audience targeting tools and branded content services.

Canela.TV offers video on demand and live channels spanning music, children's content, sport, novelas and Mexican classic films. The broader group also includes Canela Studios, which develops branded content and original programming, and Club Canela, a rewards programme tied to viewing activity within the app.

Commerce formats

KERV.ai's tools analyse video frames and identify objects that can be matched with contextually relevant advertising experiences. In practice, that allows media companies and brands to build formats in which viewers can click, explore products or move towards a transaction within a video-led advert.

The partnership reflects a wider push across media and advertising to connect brand campaigns more directly with measurable outcomes. Retail media groups, streaming platforms and ad tech suppliers have all expanded into commerce-linked formats as advertisers seek clearer evidence of how campaigns translate into consumer action.

Spanish-language media groups have also been investing in more tailored products for marketers, particularly as competition for advertising budgets has intensified across connected TV, digital video and social platforms. Against that backdrop, media owners have been under pressure to demonstrate both audience scale and more specific forms of engagement.

Strategy focus

Marika Roque, Chief Strategy Officer, KERV.ai, described the agreement as a milestone for the company's media strategy.

"We're excited to partner with Canela Media as our first Spanish-language media company," said Marika Roque, Chief Strategy Officer, KERV.ai. "As Hispanic audiences continue to lead the nation in streaming adoption, with streaming accounting for 55.8% of total TV time versus 46% for the general population, according to Nielsen, this partnership creates new opportunities for brands to engage viewers through more relevant, interactive and shoppable ad experiences."

Chechu Lasheras, Chief Strategy Officer, Canela Media, said the agreement forms part of the company's broader product development for advertisers and audiences.

"This partnership reflects our continued focus on innovation and creating engaging experiences for our audiences," said Chechu Lasheras, Chief Strategy Officer, Canela Media. "By integrating KERV.ai's technology into our ecosystem, we're able to introduce additional interactive capabilities that feel seamless for viewers while creating new opportunities for advertisers to connect with consumers."