Retailer anticipate +3.1% increase on Black Friday Sales

Despite some early season promotions, retailers still expect consumers to be active for the official start of this year’s holiday shopping season. According to a survey of top retail chief marketing officers by BDO USA, LLP, retailers anticipate a 3.1 percent increase in sales on Black Friday this year, mirroring their projections from last year. However, retailers have moderated their expectations for growth in Cyber Monday sales, predicting that sales will grow by 3.7 percent this year, down slightly from last year’s sunnier 4.3 percent growth projection.

Are Blogger Moms ‘Measuring’ Up?

We started working with mom bloggers nearly eight  years ago, at a time when hardly anyone knew who or what they were and persuading brands to trust this new and mysterious form of media was a lengthy, painful and, for a long time, unsuccessful experience.

Speed’s Hot, Apps not, Price Matters – Sometimes

United States consumers, who are “addicted to speed” and often willing to pay more to get it, toggle between Wi-Fi and fourth-generation (4G) wireless technologies to get the fastest possible connection for their mobile devices.  Deloitte’s third edition “Global Mobile Consumer Survey” (GMCS) offers insight into consumer purchasing habits, wants and trends in the U.S., with a focus on mobile devices, technologies and services.

US Telecom Industry nears $5 Billion in Ad Spending

As the market for broadband connectivity, wireline and wireless services becomes saturated, US telecom carriers, cable TV operators and internet service providers are using online and mobile channels to promote new technology, faster networks, superior video quality and more profitable “bundled” services and data pricing plans, according to a new eMarketer report, “The US Telecom Industry 2013: Digital Ad Spending Forecast and Key Trends.”

Marketers should Focus more on Media Performance, Not Just Price

Virtually every week, there is another story about major marketers putting their media agency in review. Most of the reviews these days are driven by price, not performance. Marketers — through their procurement officers — want lower media prices, and they want to pay lower media agency fees. Certainly, marketers and their media agencies also spend a lot of time on media performance, but it seems that the pendulum has swung a bit too far to the cost control side lately.

DraftFCB shutting down Puerto Rico operation

Advertising agency DraftFCB is shutting down its Puerto Rico operation next month, leaving its 33 local employees out of work.  Employees were informed by a stateside executive who was sent down to deliver the bad news to the team of nearly three dozen in Puerto Rico.  Courtesy of Caribbean Business

Five Trends For 2014 (And Beyond) [INSIGHT]

Teens are the gatekeepers of cool, always willing to try new things and setting the standard for what’s hot and what’s not. They are early adopters and an important barometer for brands. Following are a few trends we’re seeing take off with teens, pointing to what will be hot or not on the horizon. While some present challenges for youth marketers, some also offer opportunities for us to better understand and reach today’s teens.

Univision brings Fans access to Latin Grammys via Social TV & Digital Integrations

Univision Communications Inc. unveiled plans to connect and deliver fans with direct access to the 14th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards® through first-of-its kind digital and social television integrations offered on any awards show to-date. Fans had the unique opportunity to interact with their favorite celebrities and ask questions as they participate virtually in an exclusive Google+ Hangout featured on a video wall during a green carpet broadcast.

The Long Road to Streaming Sports Content

Like other forms of entertainment, sports programming is shifting to the digital space. US sports leagues and broadcasters are streaming increasing amounts of content on their broadband and mobile channels, and consumers are responding by tuning in on multiple screens, according to a new eMarketer report, “Sports Video Streaming: More Like a Marathon than a Sprint.”

Music: A Key Element in Young Latinos’ Lives [INSIGHT]

Music is one of the most important elements of life for Latinos. Along with family and food, it’s part of the cultural trinity of things they say make them feel most “Latino.” Music’s appeal crosses generations, with the ability to touch the hearts of recent immigrants, US-born children of foreign-born parents, as well as those whose grandparents made the original journey here. It also plays a key role in day-to-day life, as something they believe keeps them sane, safe, and happy.

Brand loyalty not always a benefit [INSIGHT]

Brand commitment might not always be a good thing, and in the case of high-severity recalls, consumers with a high level of brand commitment may actually respond more negatively than those with less loyalty, according to researchers.

#StateofNativeAdvertising2014 [REPORT]

Native advertising exchange Hexagram, in collaboration with specialist research and public relations consultancy, Spada, have published the results of the most comprehensive survey conducted on native advertising to date. In September 2013, a questionnaire was distributed to a cross-section of professionals working in publishing, advertising and PR agencies.

Multi-Platform Majority [REPORT]

The paper, available to the public as a complimentary download, provides companies with important context for understanding the changing dynamics of today’s multi-platform digital marketplace.

Are Marketers’ Campaigns misaligned with Consumer Expectations?

With an ever-growing list of channels for brands to connect with their audiences, it seems rational to expect that advertising and marketing campaigns are in a constant state of improvement. But what if these campaigns are fundamentally misaligned with consumer expectations?

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