Agency

Advertising spending for the Automotive Industry in 2006 declined 1% to $13.5 billion, with gains in seen in Spot TV (4%), Network TV (3%), and Spot Radio (8%), according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus, the global advertising information service of The Nielsen Company. Nearly 80% ($10.5 billion) of automotive advertising in 2006 was placed on television and 11% ($1.45 billion) was spent in national magazines.

Budgets in Local Newspapers were cut 41% ($243 million); National Magazines lost 10% of automotive advertising, accounting for $165 million; and Cable TV advertising dropped 9% ($151.4 million). These declines contributed to an overall reduction in ad spending of $197 million.

MySpace, a lifestyle portal, announced the launch of a new Spanish-language version for U.S. based Hispanics. MySpace also revealed a new pan-regional site in Spanish for Latin American residents as well as further development plans for localized communities in Mexico and Brazil.

Last week during the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agency conference in Chicago, the finalist of the CVS/Pharmacy contenders of the Hispanic AOR assignment presented their final programs to earn the assignment.

Contenders AccentMarketing, Conill, The Bravo Group and Dieste Harmel & Partners await the decision.

Abece, which handled the account previously was not a finalists.

Mexicana de Aviación, the first airline in Mexico, has more than 70 years of experience flying to the United States and has just announced its new advertising campaign in the US directed at the Hispanic market.

Conill has won the American Association of Advertising Agencies’ 2007 O’Toole Multicultural Award. The honor was presented to Conill EVP, Managing Director Cynthia McFarlane during the 89th annual AAAA management conference, held in Naples, Florida on Friday, April 20.

The Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies yesterday awarded five talented, young Hispanic advertising professionals the title of Hispanic Media Buying and Planning Rising Star. The organization’s new recognition program launched this week at AHAA’s 22nd semi-annual conference in Chicago, was created in appreciation of the emerging skill and creativity in the Hispanic media buying and planning discipline and to promote the fresh approach young professionals are contributing to the profession.

The Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies (AHAA) announced the transition of leadership to new Chairwoman Jackie Bird, president/CEO of winglatino. Jose López-Varela, chief executive officer of ADN Communications assumed the role of chair-elect and Laura Marella, senior vice president/chief growth officer for Casanova Pendrill was elected to the position of vice chair. The AHAA Board of Directors created and approved the new Vice Chair board seat last year to ensure continuity in the association leadership and vision.

Carl Kravetz, chairman/chief strategic officer of cruz/kravetz:IDEAS steps down from his role as AHAA chairman but remains a critical leader on the board of directors responsible for the organization’s research initiatives. AHAA’s new research plans to explore the complexity of Latino identity and benchmark the value that Hispanic advertising agencies provide to advertisers will be announced in the coming weeks.