Agency

Associate Creative Director Dan Peralta and Senior Designer Manaf Al-Naqeeb have joined Sensis in its quest to help its clients capitalize on these diverse markets.

Entrepreneurship, the willingness to take a risk and start one’s own business, has always been the driving force of the U.S. economy. Research indicates that among American minority groups, Hispanics are the most likely to start their own business. The most recent government data shows Hispanics own the largest number of firms.

More than a quarter of the companies who participated in Next Level SMG’s recent marketing trends study said that their biggest single regret of 2007 was not investing more effort to understand what makes their customers tick. At the same time, they said that new products or line extensions launched this year would have the greatest long-term impact on their business.

Advertising spending in U.S. measured media is expected to show almost a four percent gain in 2008 compared to the previous year, when spending was up about three percent, according to a new study from GroupM.

PR Newswire announced its acquisition of Hispanic PR Wire, LatinClips, and Hispanic Digital Network, recognizing the need for highly targeted marketing tools among those who communicate with the influential, fast-growing Hispanic market.

Planet Earth and global manufacturing issues increasingly figure into consumers’ spending decisions, with a vast majority of holiday shoppers expressing a willingness to pay more for eco-friendly gifts and taking note of the country where items were made, says the 2007 Annual National Shopping Behavior Survey by audit, tax and advisory firm KPMG LLP.

Dieste Harmel & Partners announced their decision to resign the JCPenney account. The Agency informed the retailer last December of their decision. Since 2004, Dieste has been the Hispanic agency of record for the company.

The Dallas Morning News will name the illegal immigrant as its Texan of the Year in the paper’s Sunday, December 30 editions. The newspaper’s Editorial Board recognizes the myriad, profound ways in which this group of people impacts Texas, ranging from the economy to politics to the most basic sense of culture. Lamenting that “there seems to be little middle ground in [the] debate,” the Board notes that “spectacular fights over their presence … broke out across Texas this past year, adding to the national pressure cooker as only Texas can.”

To shed light on how different generations are “consuming” media — and what their future media preferences are likely to be — Deloitte & Touche USA LLP’s Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) practice commissioned an extensive survey on the evolving role of media in America. This State of the Media Democracy survey offers a generational reality check on the usage of current media platforms/devices and what the future may hold.

What will the new year bring?

Nevada returned to the top as the nation’s fastest-growing state, with a population increase of 2.9 percent between July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007, according to estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Arizona, fastest-growing between 2005 and 2006, slipped to second place.

It’s that time of the year again, to look ahead at what the next year might bring. So here are 10 trends that I think will dominate 2008. Seasons Greetings to all and Happy New Year!

JWT released its list of 80 things to watch in 2008.