Countrywide Taps Reality TV to Cement Its Lead Position With Hispanic Homebuyers

Countrywide Taps Reality TV to Cement Its Lead Position With Hispanic Homebuyers

CALABASAS, Calif., Feb. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Countrywide Home Loans, Inc., a member of the Countrywide family: America's #1 residential lender,* has capitalized on the television marketing trends of reality TV, product placement and brand integration to strategically raise awareness within the Spanish-speaking community of homeownership opportunities. By becoming a sponsor of the new home makeover reality show "Lo Dejo en Tus Manos" ("I'm Leaving It in Your Hands") on Telemundo, a major U.S. Spanish-language television network, Countrywide adds another dimension to its multi-faceted campaign to reach Hispanics across the country and strengthen its longstanding position as the #1 mortgage lender to multicultural markets.**

Countrywide intends to reach prospective customers on an emotional, as well as educational, level. "Lo Dejo en Tus Manos" features real-life homeowners receiving home makeovers. The company hopes viewers are inspired by the home makeovers featured in episodes of the show and that they seek out the homeownership education opportunities that Countrywide offers.

"We are committed to assisting prospective home buyers with their homeownership aspirations, and using the reality show concept to educate Spanish-speaking viewers is an exciting next step in our initiative to inform consumers a`out options for making the dream of homeownership affordable and viable," said Rodolfo Saenz, executive vice president of multicultural markets for Countrywide. "The reality platform is ideal for seamlessly promoting the Countrywide brand, highlighting our broad range of customized home loan products and demystifying the home-buying process to help viewers feel hopeful and confident about securing financing for a new home and attaining the American dream."

As part of its sponsorship, Countrywide presented a $10,000 special gift to one deserving family, will provide a $10,000 prize for the winner of a separate consumer promotion and offers practical home buyer tips on the show.

"Countrywide Home Loans has wisely recognized the great potential of product integration in Spanish-language reality-type programming and is the first mortgage company to be involved in Telemundo's home improvement programming," said Steve Mandala, executive vice president of sales for Telemundo. Telemundo has historically offered product placement opportunities through its original programming, including novelas and reality shows.

The arrangement with Telemundo is an extension of the "Facilitando Suenos" television and radio advertising campaign Countrywide launched in June 2004, which depicts Hispanic buyers taking advantage of home financing solutions like the company's innovative Optimum Loan(SM) (featuring low down payment options, relaxed credit guidelines and multiple income sources for those who do not fit the traditional buyer profile).

To support this outreach effort, Countrywide has more than 250 bilingual loan experts in 100 branch offices nationwide and offers an array of Spanish-language materials to educate buyers and help them feel at ease.

The Countrywide-sponsored "Lo Dejo en Tus Manos" is scheduled to air on Sundays from January 2nd through March 25th, 2005 at 11:30 AM/10:30 AM Central on Telemundo.

* Countrywide Home Loans, Inc., -- a member of the Countrywide family: America's #1 residential lender as ranked by Inside Mortgage Finance (Oct. 29, 2004), Copyright 2004 -- originates, purchases, securitizes, sells and services home loans and is the primary subsidiary of Countrywide Financial Corporation (NYSE:CFC). Countrywide Financial Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides mortgage banking and diversified financial services in domestic and international markets. Founded in 1969 and a member of the S&P 500 and Fortune 500, Countrywide Financial Corporation is headquartered in Calabasas, California and its family of companies has a workforce of more than 40,000 in over 600 offices across the country.

** Based on a comparison of annual Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data for 2003 released by the Federal Financial Institutions Examinations Council, which compiles the mortgage lending results of loans to African American, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian/Alaska Native homeowners originated and purchased as reported by lenders nationwide to federal regulators.


Source: Countrywide Home Loans, Inc.

CONTACT: Kris Yamamoto or Janet Quan, both of Countrywide Home Loans,
Inc., +1-800-796-8448, pressroom@countrywide.com


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