Marketing

The private brand dynamic is a topic we’ve written about extensively over the past few years. Private brand is gaining dollar share in key general merchandise industries, representing nearly one-third of U.S. sales in some industries. In industries like office supplies, retailers have moved entire departments to their own private labels. But our research indicates that more private brands aren’t necessarily the answer across apparel, food, technology, and other industries we track; retail may have reached an inflection point. How can retailers determine the right mix of private and national brands for the categories they play in, and what can brands do to ensure they remain part of the mix?

With a spending power of $1.2 trillion, the African American audience is one of the most essential markets for advertisers to reach. This group of consumers is at the forefront of innovation—full of trendsetters, tastemakers, and cultural expression.

After a stellar PR career spanning three decades in the corporate world working for blue chip companies in Senior positions in public relations, such as her most recent past role of Vice President of Consumer and Entertainment Public Relations at Univision Communications, Rosemary Ravinal decided to leave the corporate world to pursue her lifelong passion to launch RMR Communications Consulting LLC (RMR), to address gaps in presentation skills, public speaking and media readiness among C-suite executives in both English and Spanish.

Some influencers accept free products as payment for endorsements, others charge thousands of dollars for a single post. While the compensation scale varies by following and content type, some marketers are concerned that teaming up with social media influencers is getting expensive.

Marketers with in-house agencies say they are having difficulty keeping their creative teams energized, and are also concerned about their ability to attract top-tier creative talent, according to a new study.

The IAB, the national trade association for the digital media and marketing industries, released “Disrupting Brand Preference,” a study that shows that disruptor brand shoppers comprise 48 percent of all U.S consumers. They are younger than incumbent brand-only shoppers, with 84 percent under 54 years old, and are likelier to have a household income of more than $75,000. In addition, direct-to-consumer (DTC) buyers use their favorite brands as vehicles for self-promotion, with twice as many compared to incumbent brand-only shoppers saying that they choose brands to express “who I am.”

As a growing population Hispanics are a vital audience for more brands than ever before. Our quarter-year data set provides the very latest view on how to reach them with impact.

In an a WARC newsletter item Keith Weed, then chief marketing and communications officer at Unilever, talks about the need for his company to play two games: support global brands based on universal truths and manage a portfolio of targeted, niche brands. But I would suggest that brands actually need to play three games at once.  by Nigel Hollis

After last year’s Cannes Lions, I opined that there was not enough talk about what we were there to celebrate: great creativity. I’m pleased to report that this year there was much more talk of how to create winning content. But I was shocked – and maybe I shouldn’t have been – to learn that creative award-winning ads have never been less effective.  by Daren Poole – Global Head of Creative / Kantar

Internet advertising will account for 52% of global advertising expenditure in 2021, exceeding the 50% mark for the first time, according to Zenith’s Advertising Expenditure Forecasts. That’s up from the 47% of global adspend that internet advertising will account for this year, and 44% in 2018.

Agency senior executives are coming to terms with changes in client needs.  “More growth” rather than “more creativity” is what they are hearing.  The agency of the future is starting to sound more like a consulting firm with media and creative capabilities than a traditional service-oriented agency that wins awards.

Marketing and media have become complex and messy. Chief marketing officers have to contend with fragmentation, an increasing number of different players providing technology platforms and solutions, and a whole new lexicon of marketing technology terms.

Despite current global economic growth, expansion and opportunity, millennials and Generation Z are expressing uneasiness and pessimism—about their careers, their lives and the world around them, according to Deloitte’s eighth annual Millennial Survey.

Stories have the power to transfer information and knowledge and create ideological frameworks that determine how we see and relate to the world around us.  Using stories to sell products and services is as old as advertising itself.  Who is telling the story and what stories are being told are a constant battle for resources and attention.  In this new frontier, brands and marketers are facing a challenging environment in which to connect with consumers. 

Women are actually the fastest growing segment of gamers (and 55 percent of League of Legends fans are women, according to MasterCard) — illustrating the opportunity in this space to empower and segment women, especially as gaming is also a gateway to sports and tech.

The U.S. Hispanic population has grown by 83% since 2000, making it the second-fastest growth segment according to a Claritas Report, The Hispanic American Market Report. That means that almost one in five Americans are Hispanic.  By Karla Fernandez Parker – Senior Marketing Executive, Branding and Advertising

In recent years, Mexico has been decidedly progressive in its efforts to combat discrimination and hate crimes on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.  A recent study by political scientist Caroline Beer concludes that Mexico is more progressive than the U.S. when it comes to LGBT rights, especially in the recognition of same-sex relationships.  By David R. Morse, CEO & President of New American Dimensions, Susanna Fránek, Cultural Anthropologist, Ethnologix, and Gerardo Gallart, CEO of La Fábrica de BTL

If you’re one of those marketers who’s always relied on the 80/20 rule as a benchmark for sales success, you might want to adjust your strategy. That’s because today, more people than ever are interested in trying something they’ve never tried before.

Marketers need to keep their skills sharp and relevant in the ever-evolving digital age

Casanova//McCann announced that it was the most awarded Hispanic advertising agency at the 2019 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. This is the second consecutive year that Casanova//McCann has earned this recognition.