Agency

An increasingly diverse marketplace is the reality that affects today’s business organizations affording the opportunity for companies to sell their products or services to new customers. The Orange County Public Relations Society of America hosts its inaugural diversity conference, “Diversity in PR: New Challenges, New Opportunities” on Thursday, Feb. 17 at the Doubletree Hotel, Santa Ana/Orange County Airport. The event, offering best practices on how to reach African American, Asian, LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender), Latino, and senior consumers, is presented in partnership with the Hispanic Public Relations Association.

Activity among marketers searching for the credentials and capabilities of prospective ad agencies continued to rise during the opening month of 2004, especially for media services. Searches among marketers specifically seeking out agencies with media buying/planning expertise rose 58 percent over January 2004, making it the fastest growing area of agency search last month, according to data compiled by online advertising resource AdForum.com.

The advertising Industry apparently dodged a bullet when the U.S. Federal Trade Commission Thursday declined to require that television stations disclose all instances of paid product placements to viewers.

Long Beach based Grupo Gallegos has landed the high contested automobile account. The agency will handle all aspects of the account and is expected to break their 2005 ad effort very soon. They have been assigned a three month pilot effort.

The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index, which had improved in December, edged up in January. The Index now stands at 103.4 (1985=100), up from 102.7 in December. The Present Situation Index increased to 110.9 from 105.7. The Expectations Index, however, declined to 98.4 from 100.7.

Dove unveiled a groundbreaking new study that discusses the implications of a global society that narrowly defines beauty by the images seen in entertainment, advertising and fashion runways and the startling impact this has on women. The result: only two percent of thousands of women from 10 countries around the world consider themselves beautiful. Does this mean that we live in a world where women are not beautiful or does it mean that women around the world are calling for a broader definition of beauty?

A free, Rapid HIV test that allows people to get results in 20 minutes rather than two weeks is the focus of a year-long, $2 million advertising and public awareness campaign designed to encourage more people to get tested.

LatinWorks Marketing announced the launch of a Media Services department to help meet the needs of its growing client roster.

John Ross has resigned as the Chief Financial Officer of The Bravo Group as of last Friday February 4th, 2005. Mr. Ross is a Young & Rubicam veteran with major advertising financial background, with his expertise helped the management team at The Bravo Group deliver unprecedented bottom line revenues never seen at any Hispanic advertising agency to date.