Agency

A new nationwide survey issued today by Citi revealed that consumers across all socioeconomic levels and ethnic groups have made permanent spending and savings adjustments to adapt to the current economic situation. According to the data, 63 percent of Americans surveyed said the way they spend and save has been forever changed as a result of the economic downturn. Only 29 percent said spending and saving would go back to the way it was before the recession.

While marketers and agencies both advocate careful calibration when it comes to balancing brand and demand, the economy clearly has swung the brand/demand pendulum toward demand creation.

How badly has the U.S. economy battered Hispanic families? The answer is not so simple. Two opposing schools of thought contend that, on one hand, Hispanics are less affected since this recession is largely the result of a credit crisis and substantial losses on Wall Street, and Hispanics were under-leveraged in terms of debt and, on average, had less money in equity securities.

Grupo Gallego’s Account Planner Tony Ruiz was bestowed by the 2009 Hispanic Account Planning Excelencia (HAPE) Awards Judges with the recognition as the 2009 Young Account Planner of the Year.

The has been asked to join the 2010 HAPE panel of Judges.

Bromley Communications, LLC’s new creative duo captured Bromley’s fourth consecutive win and first within the coveted film category as part of the 2009 Círculo Creativo (Young Creative Competition). Jon-Erick Jaimes (24) together with Almendra Tijerina (26) developed the top award-winning Ad Council film piece, “Interrupt the Influence.”

Six-in-ten Hispanic adults in the U.S. who are neither citizens nor legal permanent residents lack health insurance. That is more than twice as high as the rate among Hispanic adults who are citizens or legal permanent residents and more than three times the rate for the adult U.S. population. Download study here.

As anyone in Hispanic advertising will tell you, next year’s 2010 Census will have huge implications for Hispanic advertising and media. For those of you around after the 2000 Census, you no doubt remember how facts like “Hispanics have surpassed African Americans” or “Hispanic population grows 58% in 10 years” put our industry on the map. As we prepare for the Census count next year, I keep thinking that the results, which should begin to trickle out in early 2011 (less than 18 months from now), will be a Catch-22 for our industry.

The latest offering from JWTIntelligence examines how the workplace is being upended by the global financial crisis, advancements in technology and a generational shift in workplace attitudes. Trends including the rise of mobile and freelance workers, the growing influence of the Millennial mind-set and the adoption of Enterprise 2.0 tools will translate into an office culture that’s a marked contrast to what we’ve seen before.

Representatives from the Center for American Progress Action Fund and leading organizations advocating on behalf of communities of color testified before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on the experiences and unique challenges communities of color continue to face in this difficult economy.

The Hispanic Division of Leo Burnett USA, won big at the AdAge AHAA Creative Show bringing home Best of Show/Campaign title for P&G’s Pepto-Bismol “Love and Hate” campaign that features two TV spots of food behaving badly with the message “Don’t let the food you love hurt you.” Each spot – “Empanada” and “Cheesecake” – show a woman’s tumultuous love affair with the dangerous delectable she craves.

Mars, Incorporated announced a plan to reorganize the assignments of its current four agency partners to further enhance the Company global brand strategy. The shift will ensure that, across major markets, Mars’ core global brands will be aligned under a single creative agency. This is expected to advance global strategy development and increase efficiency in application of strategy and creative across markets. Under the plan, Mars will refine distribution of brand assignments between existing partners, BBDO, DDB, SapientNitro and TBWA between now and the end of 2011.

The National Association for Multi-ethnicity In Communications (NAMIC)announced the winners of its 2009 Excellence in Multi-cultural Marketing Awards (EMMA) competition. Showcasing top Marketing Tactics and Case Studies/Campaigns targeted to multi-cultural audiences, the awards will be presented at the 23rd Annual NAMIC Conference. Scheduled for October 26-28, 2009, the 23rd Annual NAMIC Conference will be held at the Grand Hyatt in Denver, Colorado.