Business

Ralph Guild, who created what is largely considered the standard operating structure for television and radio ad representation companies, has died.  By Adam Jacobson – Radio TV Business Report

Just in time for “Día de los Muertos” when we celebrate the lives of those who have left us and beyond all the terrible deaths caused by Covid19, 2021 has marked the passing of three great advertising leaders for whom I worked for.  By Luis Miguel Messianu, Founder-Creative Chairman-CEO Alma

Edelman announced the release of a comprehensive global study revealing a dramatic shift in the importance placed on Corporate Communications by CEOs, Boards of Directors and other C-suite executives at the world’s leading companies. The “Future of Corporate Communications” research finds that the role of Corporate Communications has forever changed – shifting away from what has traditionally been viewed as a support function towards one increasingly recognized as an enabler of enterprise value.

Our annual holiday survey revealed that nearly two-thirds of U.S. consumers expect their 2021 holiday season will be more like it was in 2020, during the pandemic, than it was in 2019.

Consumers plan to spend $997.73 on gifts, holiday items and other non-gift purchases for themselves and their families this year, according to the annual survey released by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. Despite the continued supply chain disruption, this is on par with consumer spending last year.

Companies are disclosing the racial and ethnic composition of their boards at a record rate.

Univision Communications Inc. announced 87 new open positions at Univision News, the company’s  news division. The new job openings are centered in the production of news, and include reporters, anchors, and correspondents, as well as producers, editors, operators, and technicians, and will accelerate Univision’s evolution to become the largest Spanish-language media company in the world.

Consumer companies are being confronted with inflationary cost pressures on many sides.

Toward a “new and improved” understanding of corporate innovation programs

Philanthropy’s role in advancing gender equality and promoting racial justice

A new study commissioned by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and led by a researcher from Harvard Business School, found that the internet economy grew seven times faster than the total U.S. economy during the past four years, and now accounts for 12 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP).

TikTok, in partnership with Publicis Groupe and WARC, have released a new study exploring the role social communities play in influencing purchase decisions, outlining the huge potential for brands to engage with audiences and increase unplanned purchases by narrowing the funnel between product discovery and purchase through “community commerce.”

Initial results from the first-ever Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Census of the global marketing industry have identified key challenges around family status, age and gender as well as ethnicity and disability.

Nielsen unveiled a new brand campaign, including a new identity, reflecting the company’s transformation of its culture and a redefined strategy focused solely on the global future of media. Nielsen’s new look and feel represents a commitment to innovation and the company’s role and purpose of powering a better media future for all people.

This time last year, we had a lot more time on our hands. We filled it with activities and hobbies we had long set aside or picked up new ones, like baking sweets. This year it’s a different story with kids returning to school and extracurricular activities and some parents returning to the workplace. Suddenly we have less time, and saving it becomes our goal. Saving time and convenience will be a key motivator in how consumers approach their home product purchases. This need presents a significant opportunity for the home industry to invigorate continued growth.

In this fresh InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, Ana Ceppi, a senior advisor on the U.S. Hispanic market at Edelman, shares how one can easily distinguish DEI from multicultural marketing and what broadcast TV and radio station management and ownership may wish to consider if the goal is connecting brands with all consumers — including key multicultural segments.

Most brands would be hard-pressed to think of a more disruptive time for business than what they’ve experienced over the past 18+ months. From shifts to digital to advertising cutbacks to supply chain challenges to rising privacy and data security needs—all amid a global pandemic—the landscape for advertisers has been anything but smooth sailing.

Customers are interacting with companies every day and, in many ways, user experience comes down to the good, the bad and the ugly.

If you want to get a top job these days then it helps to be a woman. Even better if you’re a woman of colour! Tick a couple of other ‘diversity’ boxes and recruiters trip over themselves to give you a fancy title and a fat salary. Meanwhile, straight white men just can’t seem to catch a break these days.

The imperative for brands to take a stand, embrace societal issues, and put accountability at the core presents a significant shift for B2B marketers. As demand for action rises, the trust and vision brands must have to survive and thrive are elevated by collaboration over competition, customer-centricity over dominance, and big-picture solutions over functional benefits.