Agency

What people want most from their smartphones, tablets, home theater and home appliances is simplicity, according to the new Ketchum Digital Living Index, conducted by global communications firm Ketchum. The study showed that 76% of consumers said they are not very satisfied with technology’s ability to make their life simpler. Responses from 6,000 consumers in six countries revealed more prefer technology to be easy to use (54%) and simplify their life (46%) than entertain them (35%) or signal who they are to the world (11%).

The ANA (Association of National Advertisers) today released the first-ever Global Agency Compensation Survey, revealing new insights about how global marketers structure and manage compensation practices with their advertising agency partners. Results of this benchmark study, which polled marketers operating in nearly 40 countries across all continents, in many cases mirror U.S. practices.

USH Idea Awards with more than 300 entries received from creative talent in the U.S. Hispanic market, 22 winners were selected representing the best of the field following a rigorous review. In addition, five entries were selected as the best in show in the Top Five Idea awards.

U.S. television ad spend was up 4.5 percent in 2011, according to the third and final part of Nielsen’s Advertising & Audiences Report. The report took an in-depth look at media consumption by platform and found that American advertisers and consumers have a huge appetite for television, as TV holds the lion’s share of ad dollars and consumers’ media time. Ad spend for TV reach $72 billion, more than all other ad platforms combined.

Marketers are starting to use the second screen (smartphones, tablets, PCs) to complement the first screen (TV). While it’s still early days—with tactics so far ranging from basic to innovative—this report highlights the potential here for brands, with examples to illustrate.

Florida International University’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) announced its plans to launch the Hispanics and the Media: The Emerging Power Conference to be held on October 18, 2012 at the university’s Biscayne Bay Campus.

In March, the number of blogs Tumblr hosted passed the 50-million mark. Last month, Google released search results forecasting that the search term “Tumblr” would overtake “blog” by the end of the year, meaning the platform could become the brand name stand-in for the generic web term. Needless to say, Tumblr is experiencing a healthy growth spurt—and now brands may be able to capitalize on it.

2011 was the first year that global consumer spending on media content, apps and services for mobile phones broke through the $100 billion barrier. According to the latest Global Mobile Media Forecast from Strategy Analytics, consumers are expected to increase this spend on mobile media by a further 13.4 percent from $121.8 billion in 2011 to $138.2 billion in 2012.

The average American watches nearly five hours of video each day, 98 percent of which they watch on a traditional TV set, according to the Nielsen Cross-Platform Report, released today. Although this ratio is less than it was just a few years ago, and continues to change, the fact remains that Americans are not turning off. They are shifting to new technologies and devices that make it easier for them to watch the video they want, whenever and wherever they want.

In a survey of 799 teens conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project between April 19 and July 14, 2011, the teens were asked about a number of online behaviors. The results for video-oriented activities are reported here.

MARCA was hired after a formal agency review process, and will be expected to help retain the network’s Latino customer base.