Agency

The world feels like a very different place to the end of the previous decade. For brands, the volatile times mean a greater need for emotional intelligence; listening and understanding how their consumers feel and helping people navigate the new world through their products, services and actions.

There are positive signs of recovery in the global advertising industry, with the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) reporting rising optimism and a resumption of deferred campaigns. But with actual ad spend still far lower than expected this year, marketers have had to do more with less, which means a greater reliance on effective measurement.

There is arguably no more compelling—or obvious—opportunity in the realm of human capital than the untapped talent of the Hispanic community in the United States.

After a year of unprecedented disaster and turbulence – the Covid-19 pandemic and economic crisis, the global outcry over systemic racism and political instability – the 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer reveals an epidemic of misinformation and widespread mistrust of societal institutions and leaders around the world. Adding to this is a failing trust ecosystem unable to confront the rampant infodemic, leaving the four institutions – business, government, NGOs and media – in an environment of information bankruptcy and a mandate to rebuild trust and chart a new path forward.

To better organize for a postpandemic future, leaders should embrace nine imperatives that collectively explain “who we are” as an organization, “how we operate,” and “how we grow.”

WhatsApp, the Facebook-owned messenger that claims to have privacy coded into its DNA, is giving its 2 billion plus users an ultimatum: agree to share their personal data with the social network or delete their accounts.

Roughly four-in-ten Americans have experienced online harassment, with half of this group citing politics as the reason they think they were targeted. Growing shares face more severe online abuse such as sexual harassment or stalking

The Hispanic audience is diverse and nuanced in their language use, preferences, and media use. As the population grows, so does the importance of advertisers understanding Hispanic media behavior.

The proliferation and rising popularity of a myriad of digital channels over the past decade has made the measurement of media effectiveness increasingly complex.

The acceleration of key disruptive forces in retail is causing the rapid transformation of the industry. KPMG’s new report, “Revive to Survive,” outlines three disruptive forces shaping retail’s future, and makes five bold predictions on the future of the industry.  

The threat of Covid, social distancing and ‘cancel culture’ has prompted reflection, deleting what’s unnecessary, and changing the status quo from consumers shifting values, lifestyle and priorities to companies permanently going to flexible work schedules, more equitable D&I practices, and re-focusing on key growth areas, led by Multicultural and Digital marketing. My prediction for 2021 is that companies finally do Multicultural marketing right, and allocate the commensurate fair share of budget, resources and attention to this business imperative.  By Liz Castells-Heard, CEO & Chief Strategy Officer, INFUSION

NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises announced the appointment of two new executives as it expands its Revenue Strategy and Distribution business unit to develop and grow content monetization opportunities in the U.S. and around the world.

Univision Communications Inc. announced plans to launch PrendeTV, the only streaming service created exclusively for the U.S. Hispanic audience featuring free, premium 100% Spanish-language programming.

2020 didn’t shape up to be the year that experiential marketers expected. The fallout from the pandemic deeply wounded the booming industry, and for those who live and breathe events, the year presented the most significant roadblock they’ve ever faced. But event professionals worldwide have rolled up their sleeves, fervently working to evolve and adapt, and are ultimately paving the way to a brighter 2021.  

GroupM, WPP’s media investment group, released new research that reveals that 1 in 2 (54.3%) of consumers believe it’s important to be equipped with the latest technology. Additionally, almost 82% of respondents believe that either they or a family member should be the only ones with access to health and fitness tracker data.

The ANA introduced new tools and capabilities designed to help marketers navigate the growing complexities posed by the procurement, integration, and activation of advanced marketing technology to optimize their technology investments.

Most of us were happy to turn the page on 2020 and discover what comes next. What that will be is still uncertain, but we know it won’t be a return to our pre-pandemic normal. With that in mind, let’s explore how agencies will win business this year.  By Mark Duval – The Duval Agency

America is often described as a “melting pot” of different nationalities, ethnicities, and cultures. Much to the dismay of Teddy Roosevelt (who in a 1916 speech noted “There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism”), Americans have perfected naming each ethnic group within our borders distinctly, and those names have evolved.

Searchlight III UTD and ForgeLight‘s acquisition of a majority stake of Univision Holdings formally closed. As such, Searchlight, a private investment firm founded by CEO Wade Davis, and associated entity, ForgeLight — an operating and investment company focused on the media and consumer technology sectors — are now the holders of shares in Univision previously held by Madison Dearborn Partners, Providence Equity Partners, TPG, Thomas H. Lee Partners, and Saban Capital Group.  As expected, Davis assumed Univision’s Chief Executive chair from Vince Sadusky.  What wasn’t expected: a major house cleaning in Univision’s C-Suite.  By Adam R Jacobson – Editor-in-Chief, Radio + Television Business Report

Univision announced changes to the executive leadership team that will accelerate its leadership position and drive Univision’s transformation for the future.