Agency

The stats still show that women do the majority of shopping in the U.S., but with men facing a higher unemployment rate than women (8.8% compared to 7.9%, according to a February 2011 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report), more men are at home than in the past and in many cases, they are taking a more active role in household duties. While women continue to dominate shopping trips in all retail channels except for convenience stores, men have increased trip shares between 2004 and 2010 in all retail channels but drug stores.

Early results of Horowitz Associates, Inc.’s annual State of Cable and Digital Media – Multicultural Edition 2011 study have just been released and reveal that, at least weekly, almost a third of urban consumers (31%) watch TV content via alternative platforms such as on a computer/laptop, on a mobile device/tablet, or streamed directly from the Internet to the TV through an “OTT” device such as an Apple TV, a Vudu Box, an Xbox, or a Blu-Ray DVD player.

There’s no question that the vast majority of marketers are shifting more spending to digital, and a combination of tried-and-true tactics with newer online options will benefit from increasing budgets. But advertisers and their agencies are not yet on the same page when it comes to the details of many of those changes.

Boomerang consumers are not as impulsive as their parents and marketers may believe, according to this study by Luminosity Marketing. Our findings uncovered that eighty-five percent (85%) of their purchases are preplanned.

Although some may find this post a bit self-serving, I feel that this story is reflective of the massive influence Hispanics are having on the United States. Indulge me while I tell you about the evolution of our company from a Hispanic digital agency to an agency that now executes both Hispanic and general market work.

For the first time since the official end of the Great Recession in June 2009, native-born workers in the second half of 2010 joined foreign-born workers in experiencing the beginnings of a recovery in employment, according to a new Pew Hispanic Center analysis of Census data. These findings were presented in testimony that Rakesh Kochhar, associate director for research, gave to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Enforcement on March 10, 2011.

IBOPE Group announced the formation of IBOPE Zogby International, a non-partisan, premier global public opinion polling and market research firm.

With their renewed optimism about the economy and intention to focus on strategic growth over the next 12 months, US private-company CEOs are making talent management a top priority. The majority (51%) of Trendsetter chief executives say that they need to fill certain skill gaps to meet their business objectives over the next one to two years, while 49% believe they have the right skills in place.

Marketing and advertising executives anticipate increased hiring activity in the second quarter of 2011, according to The Creative Group Hiring Index for Marketing and Advertising Professionals. Twelve percent of executives interviewed said they plan to add full-time staff in the next three months, and 3 percent expect reductions in personnel. The resulting net 9 percent increase in hiring activity is up 5 points from the first-quarter forecast.

When was the last time you stopped to question some of the fundamental truths in digital media? Have you ever challenged common industry practices that may simply be riding the path of least resistance rather than fulfilling strategic imperatives?

In partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health and the White House Council on Women and Girls (March 11, 2011), the White House Office of National AIDS Policy will convene a meeting in recognition of National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day that will bring together community groups, local health organizations, adolescent and teenage girls, national organizations and research experts to discuss the issue of HIV/AIDS and its impact on women, young women and girls.

Amtrak has refreshed and relaunched its popular Acela Express advertising campaign, “My Track to Success.” The print and online campaign features notable African Americans and Hispanics in business, community, stage and screen including The Apprentice: Season Four winner and entrepreneur, Dr. Randal Pinkett, Telemundo affiliate President Julissa Marenco, TheRoot.com Publisher Donna Byrd, Ballet Hispanico Director Eduardo Vilaro and Actor/Activist/Entrepreneur Lamman Rucker.