Agency

Despite some early season promotions, retailers still expect consumers to be active for the official start of this year’s holiday shopping season. According to a survey of top retail chief marketing officers by BDO USA, LLP, retailers anticipate a 3.1 percent increase in sales on Black Friday this year, mirroring their projections from last year. However, retailers have moderated their expectations for growth in Cyber Monday sales, predicting that sales will grow by 3.7 percent this year, down slightly from last year’s sunnier 4.3 percent growth projection.

United States consumers, who are “addicted to speed” and often willing to pay more to get it, toggle between Wi-Fi and fourth-generation (4G) wireless technologies to get the fastest possible connection for their mobile devices.  Deloitte’s third edition “Global Mobile Consumer Survey” (GMCS) offers insight into consumer purchasing habits, wants and trends in the U.S., with a focus on mobile devices, technologies and services.

As the market for broadband connectivity, wireline and wireless services becomes saturated, US telecom carriers, cable TV operators and internet service providers are using online and mobile channels to promote new technology, faster networks, superior video quality and more profitable “bundled” services and data pricing plans, according to a new eMarketer report, “The US Telecom Industry 2013: Digital Ad Spending Forecast and Key Trends.”

Brands are using music as a way to connect with their consumers now more than ever. In fact, U.S. music fans actually feel more favorable toward brands that engage them through their favorite tunes, according to Nielsen’s Music 360 report.

Virtually every week, there is another story about major marketers putting their media agency in review. Most of the reviews these days are driven by price, not performance. Marketers — through their procurement officers — want lower media prices, and they want to pay lower media agency fees. Certainly, marketers and their media agencies also spend a lot of time on media performance, but it seems that the pendulum has swung a bit too far to the cost control side lately.

Advertising agency DraftFCB is shutting down its Puerto Rico operation next month, leaving its 33 local employees out of work.  Employees were informed by a stateside executive who was sent down to deliver the bad news to the team of nearly three dozen in Puerto Rico.  Courtesy of Caribbean Business

Teens are the gatekeepers of cool, always willing to try new things and setting the standard for what’s hot and what’s not. They are early adopters and an important barometer for brands. Following are a few trends we’re seeing take off with teens, pointing to what will be hot or not on the horizon. While some present challenges for youth marketers, some also offer opportunities for us to better understand and reach today’s teens.

As the most anticipated week in Latin music unfolds, the city of Las Vegas fills up with celebrities, international media crews and hundreds of marketers from around the country who gather for the 14th edition of the Latin GRAMMY Awards.  By Lili Gil Valletta, Cofounder XL Alliance, Business & Politics Media Contributor

Univision Communications Inc. unveiled plans to connect and deliver fans with direct access to the 14th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards® through first-of-its kind digital and social television integrations offered on any awards show to-date. Fans had the unique opportunity to interact with their favorite celebrities and ask questions as they participate virtually in an exclusive Google+ Hangout featured on a video wall during a green carpet broadcast.

Like other forms of entertainment, sports programming is shifting to the digital space. US sports leagues and broadcasters are streaming increasing amounts of content on their broadband and mobile channels, and consumers are responding by tuning in on multiple screens, according to a new eMarketer report, “Sports Video Streaming: More Like a Marathon than a Sprint.”

A new study from Expedia Media Solutions, the advertising sales division of global online travel leader Expedia, Inc., provides an in-depth look at the content journey of today’s traveler including platform and device usage patterns, purchase trends, and how content influences the decision-making process.

HATUEY beer launched a new marketing campaign based on HATUEY and the Arts winning design, “Beer Me,” staying true to the brand’s commitment to the community and the arts.

You know what bothers me?  All talk and no action.

HispanicAd.com had the opportunity to interview Frank Flores / VP Hispanic Marketing & Sales, SiriusXM.

Music is one of the most important elements of life for Latinos. Along with family and food, it’s part of the cultural trinity of things they say make them feel most “Latino.” Music’s appeal crosses generations, with the ability to touch the hearts of recent immigrants, US-born children of foreign-born parents, as well as those whose grandparents made the original journey here. It also plays a key role in day-to-day life, as something they believe keeps them sane, safe, and happy.

Brand commitment might not always be a good thing, and in the case of high-severity recalls, consumers with a high level of brand commitment may actually respond more negatively than those with less loyalty, according to researchers.

Word of mouth marketing is more effective than “traditional” marketing, according to 64% of marketing professionals interviewed in a new survey sponsored by the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) and the American Marketing Association (AMA).

Native advertising exchange Hexagram, in collaboration with specialist research and public relations consultancy, Spada, have published the results of the most comprehensive survey conducted on native advertising to date. In September 2013, a questionnaire was distributed to a cross-section of professionals working in publishing, advertising and PR agencies.

Dallas based Richards/Lerma, who currently are responsible for the Ram Truck brand for both Mexico and the US Hispanic markets, will be adding the Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep brands in Mexico to their portfolio effective immediately.

República announced that its employees have selected Triumph Crisis Recovery Center (TCRC) as the second recipient of the agency’s pro bono initiative, Repúblicares.