Agency

Are ad agencies and agency holding companies destined for some significant changes in 2008? I was part of panel discussion earlier this week at the Gridley Conference in New York that addressed that issue, among others facing the media and marketing services industries. The consensus of the panel was yes; structural changes are coming to the industry, and we may very well see some of them start playing out in 2008.

The Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council released the findings of its annual Marketing Outlook survey with an upbeat report on spend levels mostly holding steady or trending upward in 2008. However, many marketers say they are frustrated and stymied by organization cultures, senior management mindset, and insufficient budgets.

You’ve probably heard of the enormous sales growth of the Prius in 2007, which more than a car has become a badge of sophistication. But the environment isn’t a fad- there are many documented examples proving that this particular phenomena has transcended “trendiness” and has become not only a lifestyle choice but also an economic imperative.

According to consumer technology industry analysts from The NPD Group 2008 could be a year of transition for the industry. The impending analog television shut-off, the drive toward connectivity, and the growing penetration of broadband Internet access in American homes will more actively shape the kinds of consumer technology products and services consumers can expect to see and buy in the coming year.

As one of the hottest new products to hit markets in California and Texas cities, followed by tremendous success in Arizona, Colorado and Nebraska, Budweiser & Clamato Chelada and Bud Light & Clamato Chelada will arrive in convenience stores, supermarkets and grocery stores nationwidey.

Cynthia McFarland previously EVP Managing Director of Conill’s US Hispanic operations assumes a new role as she becomes the Chairwoman of Conill and the new President of Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi in Latin America.

Carlos Martinez who was previously the EVP General Manager of the Conill Los Angeles offices, becomes the new EVP Managing Director for Conill for the US Hispanic Market.

Often people may think that conducting marketing research in Latin America is the same as doing research with Hispanics in the U.S., but after experiencing both, I can say that the greatest similarity is the Spanish language that I use to moderate the groups. However, even this is not always true because with English Dominant Hispanics in the U.S. I have to moderate in English, or with Bicultural Hispanics I often have to switch from Spanish to English during the focus group or interview. Nevertheless, it has been interesting to have both experiences and for that reason I decided to share my thoughts, as there is much that can be learned by comparing and contrasting both experiences.

Where should we begin to detail the milestones in a very illustrious career dedicated to helping build awareness about the importance of the US Hispanic Consumer and the media that serve in delivering hope, information and advertising of products and services to this segment.

Approximately 50 percent of U.S. consumers consider at least one sustainability factor in selecting consumer packaged goods (CPG) items and choosing where to shop for those products, according to a recently released survey conducted by Information Resources, Inc. (IRI). The 22,000 U.S. consumers surveyed were asked to determine the impact of four key sustainability features in their product and store selection—organic, eco-friendly products, eco-friendly packaging and fair treatment of employees and suppliers.

Nearly one-half of U.S. media consumers are frequently creating online content for others to see, according to Deloitte & Touche USA LLP. This marks a 12 point escalation from a prior survey commissioned by Deloitte in the spring of 2007, challenging the conventional assumption that online content creation is limited to a niche group of technology-savvy individuals.