Marketing

HAVANA: Although the US trade embargo on Cuba still exists, a new report from Kantar Millward Brown advises international brands to take a serious look at the opportunities the country presents.

The death of retail as we now know it is greatly exaggerated. Retail isn’t dying, it’s evolving and doing so out of necessity. The current retail evolution is being driven by a confluence of change. Changing consumer attitudes, behaviors, and demographics; ongoing channel and digital disruptions; and increasing competition for consumer mindshare and dollars are forcing a shift in long-held paradigms – continuing the status quo is no longer an option.  By Marshal Cohen, Chief Industry Analyst – Retail, The NPD Group

Markets are always complex, but there’s a phenomenon that gives them the illusion of predictability. This phenomenon is potential. Potential, in this instance, means the gap between the current market state and a possible future state.  The presence of potential creates market demand. Every time a new product is introduced, a new potential gap is created. Supply and demand are knocked out of balance. Until balance is regained, the market becomes more predictable.

To drive revenue growth in the digital age, new data shows that marketing leaders are upgrading data-collection technology, collaborating closely with IT, and focusing on test-and-learn agility.  By Jason Heller and Kelsey Robinson

The American Association of Advertising Agencies (“4A’s), American Advertising Federation (“AAF”), Association of National Advertisers (“ANA”), Data & Marketing Association (“DMA”), Interactive Advertising Bureau (“IAB”), and Network Advertising Initiative (“NAI”) issued the following statement in support of Senator Jeff Flake and Congressman Marsha Blackburn’s recently introduced Joint Resolutions disapproving of the Federal Communications Commission’s (“FCC”) broadband privacy regulations.

Whether it is a car, bank, candy, phone or soft drink I doubt many people love the brands they buy.  by Nigel Hollis

For those of you wondering what the first three Rs might be according to Mars’ Allison Miazga-Bedrick, they are reach, relevancy and reaction. But I am going to propose a slightly different list that includes receptivity and risk.  by Nigel Hollis

Spending on marketing analytics—quantitative data about customer behavior and marketplace activities—is expected to leap from 4.6 percent to almost 22 percent of marketing budgets in the next three years, representing a 376 percent increase. At the same time, marketers say barely a third of available data are used to drive decision making in their companies.

My discomfort with programmatic is driven by its similarities with the business model of legacy ad networks.  The former was built on the premise of mistruths and arbitraging.  

The island of Puerto Rico as many of our readers know is a territory of the United States governed by United States Federal Law.  It also considered a major US Hispanic Market, but since it resides on an island many place it under the international division.  But it has turned into a petri dish for many of this century’s testing: birth control, mass sterilization, agent orange and more up to the ad industry’s test of transparency.

With responses from nearly 70 food retailers representing more than 4,600 stores across 34 states, the comprehensive study details growing investments in social media, mobile and more relevant promotions by U.S. grocers in response to changing consumer buying behavior.

More than 80% of women claim to distrust the news media, citing “inadequate fact checking” and “political bias” as the primary causes.  When asked about their trust in advertising, the response was similarly distrustful: 80% of women say they don’t trust ads.

Femininity: its definition, role and perceived value within society is rapidly changing. In the wake of such change, the route to equality is being redefined. No longer is equality simply about obtaining the same status as a man (and likely having to fit into a world designed by and for men to do so), women can now aspire to a world designed to suit both genders. One where feminine needs and traits are valued as much as traditionally masculine ones.

At Nielsen, we analyze the return on investment (ROI) across thousands of brands every year through our marketing mix models, and we’ve seen a wide variety of ROI results among Spanish TV advertising efforts. And the good news is that driving strong ROI from Spanish-language advertising is obtainable, and our research points to some key tips that can help advertisers achieve strong outcomes more consistently.

Growing penetration is the main growth driver available to marketers, but unless that growth is achieved at a price point that generates profit it may prove self-defeating. Over-reliance on price promotion to bolster volume sales has led many companies to fall into the price promotion trap.  by Nigel Hollis

Multicultural marketing has created a marketing economy based on segmenting the population by ethnicity. While ethnicity segmentation has worked for the past several decades, as I pointed out in an earlier column, that foundation is starting to crack. Our industry is experiencing a paradigm shift. As we attempt to make sense of this existential crisis of marketing models, we should consider how we segment and why.  by Mario Carrasco – Partner, ThinkNow Research

Latin restaurant chains get lost crossing continents when they lose touch with their brand culture, their true recipe for success. Menus may not translate to new U.S. markets, even heavily Hispanic ones, but authentic brand culture and communications will always transcend time and place.  by Stephen Rosa / (add)ventures

It’s hard enough to hold one person’s attention, let alone an entire generation’s. Millennials—now the largest generational group in the U.S.—have grown alongside advancements in technology and media platforms, placing them in intriguing territory with regard to media habits. When it comes to television, their eyes are glued to the screen. With commercials, they’re still tuned in—but their eyes are on their cell phones.

One central theme running through the content marketing sessions at the Social Media Week conference this week in New York can be summed up with a question: Are brands spending too much money on the wrong content?

The insatiable demand for quality content requires organizations to move beyond traditional advertising and to harness their ability to produce truly authentic, credible and relevant content.