Hispanics may be driving population growth in the U.S. — but when it comes to appearing on the silver screen, they’re a pretty rare sight. In October, USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism released a study revealing that in the top 100 grossing films of 2012, only 4% of speaking characters were Hispanic. In fact, they are the most under-represented group in movies (76% White, 11% Black, 5% Asian).
The rapid emergence of the everywhere, always-connected consumer places new demands on marketers, according to a new eMarketer report, “Key Digital Trends for 2014.” Specifically, it raises expectations about the speed with which marketers need to respond to expressions of interest across the customer journey, from the consideration phase all the way through to post-sales service. Gone are the days of 24- or 48-hour response times. Consumers expect instant interactions, whether it is a relevant offer or an answer to a customer service query, and the ability for same-day delivery of items purchased through digital channels.
The year’s end is fast approaching. It’s a time when many choose to reflect on the months gone by, and to re-establish their priorities for the new year. When it comes to finding stability between work and leisure time, some Americans are more out of balance than others – none more so (perhaps not surprisingly) than those in households with children, who report the fewest median hours of leisure time per week (15 hours).
Are millennials online video viewing habits substantially different than those of older viewers? Data from a November 2013 survey of online adults in the US conducted by YuMe and IPG Media Lab seems to indicate the answer is “yes.”
Yahoo! Inc. presents “Year in Review 2013”, a retrospective look at 2013 that highlights the interests of millions of Yahoo users; while presenting the most relevant stories, favorite topics and personalities of the year.
Economic gridlock in the U.S. and a persistent financial crisis in the Eurozone have led GroupM to revise its worldwide advertising spending forecast for 2014 downward to 4.6 percent from the 5.1 percent hike predicted earlier this year.
Advertising is set to see the strongest sustained period of growth in ten years, with global ad spend growth forecast to rise from 3.6% in 2013 to 5.3% in 2014. Growth is then set to increase to 5.8% in 2015 and 2016. The principle engine of this growth will be mobile technology, which is expanding the space for media consumption.
The Collaborative Economy is associated with sharing resources to reduce waste, but its primary focus is on the economics of collaboration and the efficiencies of networks. The Collaborative Economy seeks to harness crowds, collectives, communities and co-ops to co-create, co-ideate, co-design, co-fund, co-own, co-build, co-distribute, co-market, co-sell, co-profit and co-prosper.
For those brands still deciding on the merits of Total Market (TM) strategies and whether to make the shift, the panel presenting the preliminary results of AHAA: The Voice of Hispanic Marketing’s Total Market benchmark study at the recent Association of National Advertisers (ANA) Multicultural Conference, made compelling arguments on the need to evolve towards Total Market strategies.
Telemundo Media partnered with Target for the first-ever “Celebremos Juntos” holiday special which aired on Sunday, Dec. 1 on Telemundo. Engaging families to spark conversations and empowering consumers to make this season their own, Telemundo and Target partnered to create a custom photo-based digital campaign for Target asking viewers to submit their most festive holiday photo for a chance to win a $1,000 Target gift card and the opportunity for their photo to be featured in a LIVE commercial.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) opened enrollment just two months ago and, while much has been said about the government’s implementation, little has been said about the consumer’s journey or the role the health insurance companies play-or not play-along the way. A recent assessment of a few State-based Market places1, State-Federal Partnerships2, and Federally Facilitated Marketplaces3, shows that many Hispanics, the greatest source of growth of eligible uninsured in key markets, have great challenges to engage through ACA.
The generation that many groups have characterized as lazy and self-absorbed is suddenly entering the parental space. Millennials are starting to become moms and dads. As a matter of fact, 10.8 million American households are now headed by Millennial parents, according to a recent study by Barkley, “Millennials as New Parents.” However, according to more than one source, the generation that many marketers thought they had pegged in terms of priorities and values may be very different than originally perceived. It seems that, especially once they become parents, Millennials take a more modest approach to consumer habits, valuing quality over quantity and practicality over status.
Over the past year, the term “native advertising” has evolved from a simple industry buzzword into a complex, frequently debated advertising strategy being heralded as the future of digital. At the same time, content is considered the number one marketing priority this year, according to eMarketer. The two are often mentioned concurrently. So the question often proposed to me is if there is a difference between native advertising and content marketing. I always reply with the same answer: There is no fundamental difference.
Native has become a hot topic in the advertising marketplace, but for the practice to flourish further, it needs consensus on definitions and structure. In response, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and its Native Advertising Task Force has released the “IAB Native Advertising Playbook” to serve as a consistent framework for the discussion surrounding native advertising, identifying it as both an aspiration to seamlessly integrate brand messaging into consumers’ content experiences, as well as a practical suite of ad products that successfully meet that objective.
Social networks like Twitter and Facebook have quickly built significant mobile revenue streams—on the basis of significant mobile user populations.
The GfK Brand Benchmark Study, assessing US consumers’ relationships with hundreds of products and services in 48 categories, found stark disparities in what different generations value in a brand. While both Generations X and Y value a product’s functionality (associated with a Best Friend relationship), Gen Y also cares strongly about a brand’s image and notoriety (epitomized by Star and Guru status).
Macy’s, Inc. announced it has signed a multi-year agreement for an exclusive new women’s fashion brand inspired by Thalía, an internationally recognized actor, recording artist, music producer, author and philanthropist.
I know that Thanksgiving is over, but I wanted to say that I was and am thankful for the advertising industry (of course in addition to my family, health, friends and good fortune). And not just for the ad I saw in a taxi last week that informed me that I could use American Express Rewards Points to pay my fares (which I’m now doing regularly when in cabs with Verifone screens). I am thankful for advertising because it does so much for us, far more than most of us give it credit for.
The 19 winners of the promotion conducted by Coca-Cola Zero in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico are already aboard the ship that will take them to Antarctica to be part of “Música Zero”, a cultural event that will feature Metallica playing its best music for the first time in the White Continent.
In this year’s report, we see how consumers are both welcoming and resisting technology’s growing omnipresence in our lives. For many, technology serves as a gateway to opportunity and an enabler of hyper-efficient lifestyles, but those who are most immersed are starting to question its effect on their lives and their privacy. One result is that more people are trying to find a balance and lead more mindful, in-the-moment lives.
