Agency

The holidays have come and gone, and unfortunately, there’s one gift that few of us received—job security. That’s right. With jobless claims at a 26-year high and the unemployment rate relentlessly climbing, many Americans will enter 2009 with jobs that may not exist two, four, or six months down the line. What’s worse, no matter how many hours you log at the office, you can’t shake that feeling that you’re working on borrowed time. That’s the bad news. But according to Dr. Richard Bayer, the good news is there are things you can do right now to help you keep your job and prepare for the worst in case your fate ends in a layoff.

Deloitte released a report examining the top issues facing U.S. executives across more than a dozen industries in 2009. In addition, the report includes suggestions to help executives weather the current economic recession and position their organizations for recovery and future growth.

As Americans buy products, seek information, plan their social lives, and make personal and business decisions, the lines between media channels in the 21st century have become increasingly blurred, according to the third annual U.S. Media Myths & Realities survey.

What do beer, gum, candy, snacks, and fragrances have in common? All are categories that under-spend on media against a Boomer demographic that accounts for the bulk of consumer packaged goods sales.

Today’s marketing reality is shrinking budgets, tighter wallets, intense scrutiny and increased accountability. Clear ROI for your marketing programs is more important than ever. To fully optimize your online business, you need to understand the impact of every marketing dollar so you can spend for maximum results.

Like many other Americans I was inspired by the “We are One” concert in Washington, D.C. on the eve of Barack Obama’s presidential inauguration. The setting, with the Washington and Lincoln monuments as backdrop, was impressive in a down to earth sort of way that only our nation can be. It was an entertaining occasion as stars like Tom Hanks, Tiger Woods, and Denzel Washington enriched the evening with great American stories of past presidents as well as of everyday heroes. All those watching could feel their chests swell with pride in being part of this ambitious civic experiment called America

The most significant part of the evening, and rightfully so given the historic proportion of Obama’s election, was the overwhelming reign of African American culture throughout the concert. The soulful veil of R&B and gospel that imbued most of the evening’s musical performances affirmed something many already know, that African American culture has been one of the strongest defining element

Ask people to name their favorite brand of peanut butter, and you’ll likely get a few different answers. The top three peanut butter brands in the United States, however, are clear-cut: Skippy, Jif and Peter Pan. Of course there are also the devotees of all-natural private-label brands, gourmet varieties and even other legume butters (the peanut is more closely related to the lentil bean and the pea than to members of the nut family). Let’s be honest, though: how often do you find yourself hankering for a sunflower-seed-butter sandwich?

Dieste Inc., an Omnicom agency, has been named the 2008 Multicultural Agency of the Year by leading industry trade publication Advertising Age. This selection marks the third time Dieste has received the prestigious award, and the only time a Hispanic ad agency has been honored more than twice.