Research

WPP’s Millward Brown and Ogilvy & Mather released a syndicated tool for understanding a brand’s value across racial or ethnic segments. The Brand Cross-Cultural Index (BCCI) is a brand equity database, assesses and ranks brands based on their appeal to non-Hispanic White, Hispanic, Black and Asian consumers.

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 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).

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).

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.

Asian Americans are the fastest-growing multicultural group in the U.S. and are 54 percent more likely than overall U.S. households to have incomes of $100,000.00 or more according to a new report released today by Nielsen.

The following are a few key findings about who NGLs are and how they’re encountering the world in these recessionary times.

Experian Marketing Services released a new Hispanic shopping analysis that shows Hispanic adults are more frequently visiting retailer Websites than the average online population.

The report examines the Hispanic auto insurance purchasing decisions and how mobile and tablets play an important role on their choice.

In last week’s blog post, we highlighted the importance of music in Latino young adults’ lives. This week, we turn to the listeners themselves. Which artists and genres are their favorites? And what are the demographics of this audience overall?

The line between Black Friday and Cyber Monday is blurring, as many U.S. consumers are going online for holiday deals on the biggest shopping day of the year for brick-and-mortar retailers. While shopping tendencies among all consumers didn’t shift dramatically between 2011 and 2012, there were some significant changes among multicultural consumers.

Harris Interactive Inc. announced that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement to be acquired by Nielsen Holdings N.V.

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.

A new study from Expedia Media Solutions, the advertising sales division of global online travel leader Expedia, Inc., provides an in-depth look at the content journey of today’s traveler including platform and device usage patterns, purchase trends, and how content influences the decision-making process.

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.

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that 35.9 million U.S. residents, or 11.7 percent of all Americans, moved between 2012 and 2013.

Latino influence in the US keeps growing one cultural example at a time. The Wall Street Journal published on Friday November 1, 2013 an article entitled “No Bones About It, Day of the Dead Is Finding New Life.” The article talks about a trend among non-Hispanics, particularly in areas of heavy Latino presence like California and Texas, who now set up altars to their dead relatives in different locations. An interesting example is that of a woman in Oceanside, California, who created an altar to her father in the trunk of his car.  By Felipe Korzenny, Ph.D.

Total Remittances Received in Latin America and Mexico, 2000-2013Remittances to Spanish-speaking Latin American countries overall have recovered from a decline during the recent recession, with the notable exception of Mexico, according to World Bank data analyzed by the Pew Research Center.

Evolve Media’s CraveOnline Media announced results from a comScore study titled, “The Male Millennial Influencer Study.” According to the study, one in seven millennial men self-identify as an influencer.

Cinema spending is the latest victim of the ongoing declines in traditional media, according to figures from the Advertising Association and Warc. Cinema spend is expected to reduce by 15% in 2013, on the back of a 9% decline in the first half of the year. TV spend is robust, while all other media show declines, with the exception of direct mail, which is static.