Agency

The recession had a more profound effect on the marketing industry than predicted just six months ago, a new survey from the ANA (Association of National Advertisers) shows. Following up on a survey conducted in August, the second survey conducted on this topic reveals that more companies are identifying cost savings and reductions (93 percent as opposed to 87 percent six months ago) and that 37 percent of respondents today plan to reduce budgets by more than 20 percent, up substantially from the 21 percent of respondents in the first survey.

Setting aside for the moment the fact that no company can succeed by cutting expenses alone, let’s dwell for a moment on the practical necessity of today’s world: cut, cut, and cut some more.

Without clear visibility on performance, following the severe economic downturn, event industry CEOs provided a mixed outlook for 2009, according to the 2009 Exhibition and Conference Industry Outlook.

A team of talented graduate students from famed Miami Ad School are cutting their agency teeth on the job while pursuing internships at Dieste—the first Hispanic ad agency to partner in the school’s Greenhouse program.

We’re bombarded by it every day of the week. The news media is shoveling a constant stream of bad news to us in the form of economic reports, surveys of plummeting consumer confidence levels, company layoffs, negative earnings announcements and decimated marketing budgets.

Despite its looming demise, the American auto industry dismissed demands for brand reduction in December 2008. Forced by the federal government into a mea culpa that was supposed to include plans for drastic cost-cutting and other reformative measures, GM was expected to agree to eliminate a handful of its brands.

The Western Union Company announced it has appointed product management and consumer loyalty leaders in support of The Americas region.

Rick Marroquin has been named by Nick Brien; CEO, Mediabrands, Interpublic Group of Cos (ICG). the new created position of EVP Managing Director of Media Brands’ Hispanic Center of Excellence. The new unit that will be created and managed by Mr. Marroquin will offer strategic thinking and leadership for clients interested in marketing to Hispanics for ICG’s agencies Universal McCann and Initiative.

The settlement in the drawn out Televisa vs. Univision litigation means more than meets the eye as Televisa, as a public company is interested in maximizing its growth opportunities in the US, has now adopted a rational business strategy with a greater chance of success vs the previously in place legal strategy which had a more remote chance of prevailing to gain greater benefits in the US market.

How a sponsor’s investments perform through this economic downturn is going to be all about sophistication, and the gap between sponsors who get it and those who don’t is going to grow. This white paper offers advice on the power that executive-led change can bring to sponsorship performance.