Advertiser Partnership as Production Model

“Presented as “Your Colgate Telenovela,” Senda prohibida was a creation of Colgate-Palmolive, a company that was heavily involved in the production of radio and television programs for many years, both in Mexico and in the United States. Following the model of that country’s so-called soap operas, Colgate-Palmolive financed many of TSM’s early telenovelas. Its competitor, Procter & Gamble, soon followed suit, as did advertising agencies, which represented smaller clients and handled the production personally.”

“As for TSM’s interference, Don Emilio had the final say in broadcasting Senda prohibida, and it is likely that De Llano asked Villeli to write several of the roles for certain actors he had in mind and to make some changes to the script. But this one, the most Mexican of the prototypes, was ironically more a product of the U.S. company that backed it. Colgate, in addition to handling hiring, had a literary editing department that drew on the company’s experience producing soap operas in New York. It was they, and not the TSM team, who advised Villeli on issues of pacing and suspense. Colgate also conducted surveys among viewers with questions about tastes and attitudes toward the actors and the themes, in order to modify the course of the soap opera and maximize viewership.”