Agency

Global ad spend at rate-card values in the first quarter of 2010 increased 12.5 percent year-on-year totaling USD $110 billion, boosting the hopes of the global advertising industry.

Gerry Czarnecki, a published author and the former CEO of Bank of America, has been pioneering branded entertainment since 1992, working with companies including Wal-Mart, Microsoft and P&G and producing series for U.S. television including The Balancing Act on Lifetime and Designing Spaces on WE. In this paper, Gerry discusses the challenges presented by deferred viewing and time-shifting, and how branded entertainment creates an opportunity to put a human face on a brand and engage the consumer.

Hispanics go online to socialize, research new products and find good deals—more so than many other groups. In 2010, Hispanics will spend $125 billion on consumer packaged goods products, accounting for 11.8% of all CPG spending, according to Nielsen. These factors create a lucrative opportunity for CPG suppliers that want a closer connection with this dynamic demographic.

Consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies will need to employ different tactics than those used during the recession — divesting non-core brands, conserving cash, and cutting costs – to preserve shareholder value as the economy recovers. To grow revenues in this new climate, companies will have to focus on innovation to encourage household spending, especially for products in mature segments and to offset reduced spending by Baby Boomers who are nearing retirement, according to the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) 2010 Financial Performance Report, titled Forging ahead in the new economy.

In September 1968, Congress authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to proclaim National Hispanic Heritage Week, which was observed during the week that included Sept. 15 and Sept. 16. The observance was expanded in 1988 by Congress to a monthlong celebration (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15), effective the following year. America celebrates the culture and traditions of those who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

Tr3’s: MTV, Música y Más, which celebrates the bilingual/bicultural music and lifestyle of Latinos in the U.S., and Yahoo! en Español , are launching the Dame un Break contest sponsored by Verizon – giving up-and-coming artists and bands the opportunity to experience the music industry and get a shot at stardom.

This week the Center for American Progress published results of a new study they conducted in conjunction with A Woman’s Nation, the

Rockefeller Foundation and TIME magazine regarding public attitudes about women, society and the work place. The research was fielded (via telephone) in the Summer of 2009 and included a 10% “oversample of Latinos,” which were allowed to answer the survey in either English or Spanish. (They have yet to confirm how many surveys were actually conducted in Spanish).

What is perplexing to me, however, were the results. The study found that Latino attitudes were “basically in line with those of other groups” but that on some issues – like the rise of women in the workplace and balancing work and life issue, Latinos were actually more open-minded that their General Market counterparts – honestly, I started spitting my coffee out and asking myself, ¿qué, qué?

By Chiqui Cartagena

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Already creating major buzz with television coverage on CBS and Telemundo47, bellezabandida [aka “beauty bandits’] has the beauty industry, media and blogosphere chatting and buzzing about “the bandida’s” arrival.

MagnaGlobal , a division of IPG’s Mediabrands, releases an updated US Media Advertising Revenue Forecast.

We expect media suppliers to generate $169.9 billion dollars of advertising revenues during 2010. On the back of continued improvements in the economy and the absence of a “double dip” return to recessionary conditions, MagnaGlobal forecasts that the US advertising economy will grow by 2.1% during 2010, excluding Political and Olympic advertising on TV. This is marginally higher than our prior forecast of 1.6% year-to-year growth.

Holding a press event is a tricky thing. It can generate great media coverage and public exposure, but you also run the risk of throwing a party where no one shows up.If the key to your event is getting press to come, then you need to be able to get their interest and participation. That’s why I’ve jotted down the following tips to help you get the word out to the press in a way that will give you a high percentage shot at having them attend. By Marsha Friedman

Available on HispanicPRpro.com

Wendy’s Restaurants has reduced the list of agencies to two US Hispanic agencies potential handle their Hispanic advertising and marketing assignment. The winner is expect to be announced this week.

According to our sources, the two agencies still in the hunt are the Miami office of The Bravo Group and San Antonio based Bromley Communications.