Agency

The Nielsen Company reported that advertising spending for the first half of 2007 was down 0.5% over the same period last year, with Internet spending showing the strongest performance (plus 23.2%) of any category.

According to preliminary figures from Nielsen Monitor-Plus, the leading provider of competitive advertising information, advertising spending was mixed across media with gains in some categories and declines in others. In addition to Internet advertising, other categories that showed an increase during the first half of this year were: National Magazines (8.4%), National Sunday Supplements (6.5%), Outdoor (5.1%) and Spot TV Markets 101-210 (3.2%).

As you know, I was one of the Hispanic marketing executives featured on Brown is the New Green. I appreciate your commentary, and can attest to the fact that the documentarian, Phillip Rodriguez, has a skeptical, if not jaundiced view of the Hispanic marketing paradigm. I agree with you that Mr. Rodriguez should have made a more interesting commentary on the nature, benefits, and yes, controversies that are all part of our industry (or any industry, for that matter). While the film does not treat this topic with appropriate depth and consideration, I am not sure that Brown is the New Green indicts contemporary Hispanic marketing in a serious manner. I believe this for a number of reasons. By Stephen Palacios – EVP, Cheskin.

We have received an incredible amount of responses to our opinion piece we ran last week on George Lopez’ “Brown is the new Green”.

Interesting the majority of the responses seem to encourage the views that Phillip Rodriguez (filmmaker), Mr. Lopez and the documentary brings forth.

I have been reading articles on my so called “retirement”. I don’t know how this got somewhat distorted. The reality is that I am not retiring at all so whomever is disseminating that notion is misinformed.

The actual fact is that I am leaving dRMDDB but will continue in the industry.

The Nielsen Company will be expanding its on-going outreach to the Hispanic community in television markets throughout the United States. With new, electronic Local People Meter (LPM) Technology deployed in the top 13 media markets, Nielsen is engaging Latino communities to explain who Nielsen is, and how the TV ratings service assures the most accurate measure of TV viewing behavior so that “every view counts.”

Culture is a baggage that human groups carry with themselves over history, according to Korzenny & Korzenny, authors of Hispanic Marketing Communication; A Cultural Perspective. Culture is indeed what unites Hispanics in the United States. Family values, language and shared social issues tend to be among the most pressing concerns for Hispanics, no matter where they go. But, as the authors stated, because most people share basic needs and values, many marketers tend to minimize cultural differences. Even though Hispanics from the Caribbean, North, Central and South America share a common religion, the Spanish language, a deep passion for their individual heritage and most importantly, their family values, they do have cultural differences.

Is there a better pill?

After 10 years of direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising and growth of the US Internet population, the question is not who is searching for health information online but rather who isn’t.

A McKinsey global survey of marketers shows that companies are using digital tools—from Web sites to wikis—most extensively for customer service, least in pricing. Two-thirds are using digital tools for product development, almost as many as are advertising online.

Have you watched the PBS program “Brown is the New Green: George Lopez and the American Dream”?

Well you better. It is an open attack on what we do … Marketing to US Hispanics.

A majority of teens learn about new television shows from TV ads and promos, according to an OTX-eCRUSH study.

Word of mouth, video sharing Web sites and blogs were far less influential, the study said.