J.Lo, Verizon target Latino market with Viva Móvil-branded stores, online shopping

LAS VEGAS—Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) is teaming with Jennifer Lopez to sell wireless phones and services to the Latino market under Lopez's newly launched brand, Viva Móvil. The goal of the venture is provide a better retail experience for the growing Latino market, which was estimated to have had $1.2 trillion in purchasing power in 2012. 

Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez

Verizon dealer Moorehead Communications and distributor BrightStar are also collaborating in the venture, which will launch its first brick-and-mortar store June 15 in New York City, with plans to launch 15 more stores in cities such as Miami and Los Angeles by year-end. The Viva Móvil online site is already live.

Lopez, who brought her star power to the CTIA Wireless 2013 show to announce the venture, said that she will be Viva Móvil's creative director and will be involved in the design of the stores. In addition, she plans to launch a line of accessories.

Lopez said the stores will have bilingual personnel, and the design will be "culturally relevant." Although content and applications are not currently part of the Viva Móvil offering, Lopez and Marni Walden, EVP and COO of Verizon Wireless, said that was possible in the future.

Walden said that Viva Móvil will not offer special rate plans or devices, like a mobile virtual network operator, but instead will sell from the current Verizon Wireless portfolio. 

Lopez is the majority shareholder of Viva Móvil, and Verizon Wireless has no monetary involvement in the company.

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