News

Sometimes revolutions sneak up on you. For ages, boring bloggers (this one anyway) have been going on about the need for change, the coming of the transparent era, how the media agencies’ future resides with planners, how buying will become increasingly automated and on and on and on. And guess what? Suddenly it all seems to be starting to happen!  By Brian Jacobs / The Cog Blog

I admit that ‘brand health’ is one of those concepts used in marketing that is often ill-defined. Maybe that is why there are so many conflicting beliefs about it. So in this post I thought I would address three of the most frequent myths that I have heard concerning brand health.  by Nigel Hollis

Nielsen data has already shown that multicultural consumers are driving trends across alcoholic beverages, but a recent study found they are also influencing fresh categories in the grocery store.

Influencers are taking an increasingly large chunk of the digital ad market, and many individuals with hefty, engaged social media followings are charging top dollar to work with brands to spread the word about their products and services.

ZEE Mundo has launched the new “Escena del Crimen” (or Crime Scene in English)

Telemundo announced that Claudia Foghini has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Talent Management and Production Services at Telemundo Networks and Studios. 

Westwood One and the NCAA announced it will broadcast the 2017 NCAA® Men’s Final Four in Spanish, the Championship’s first-ever Spanish language broadcast on any platform.

It’s tough being a marketer today. Consumers have a barrage of choices in front of them, leaving marketers scrambling to establish value, stand out and deliver. Marketers need ingenious ways to reach and increase brand appeal, and find their way into consumers’ shopping carts. Add to it a cluttered media landscape and rapid advancements in technology, brands are finding themselves increasingly challenged to capture consumer mind share.

Walmart, The Home Depot and Macy’s fiscal Q4 2016 earnings painted a mixed picture Tuesday, but they all highlight one common theme: Physical stores are still important, and online sales and digital strategies are key to bringing traffic and sales to stores.

I recently read an article in Market Leader by Judie Lannon titled, ‘Lost in translation: is the digital age weakening brand meanings?’ I think her proposition that cultural fragmentation has eroded brand strength is valid, but in part it has to do with how marketers are using digital media.  by Nigel Hollis

Media is viewed as a complex headache by advertisers who are failing to provide leadership in this critical investment area, according to a new report from media change consultants ID Comms.

Seven in 10 US internet users will use social media regularly in 2017, according to eMarketer’s latest forecast. However, the ways in which social media users connect with friends, family members—and, of course, brands—vary greatly depending on the user’s age.

Once upon a time, “stores” were buildings made of bricks and mortar that sold an inventory of a few thousand products during regular business hours. The digital revolution changed all that: e-commerce retailers created web shops that were open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“El Beso del Escorpión”premieres Monday, March 6 at 10 am/ 9 C on Azteca America

The 2017 Marketers Confidence Index rose by 6 points from a year ago to 69 out of 100 possible points. Despite overall confidence in marketing increasing, 30 percent of marketers say they are more concerned that their organization is not investing in the right customers. This is a 13 decrease in confidence compared to how marketers felt one year ago.

In the digital age, consumers are always shopping around. New research shows that hooking them early is the strongest path to growth.  By David Court, Dave Elzinga, Bo Finneman, and Jesko Perrey

News that the Department of Justice is investigating “bid rigging” by ad agencies to favor in-house agency facilities highlights how competitive bidding works in the world of advertising and exposes a problematic industry practice, one that undermines the trust between agencies, clients and vendors.  By Alex Blum

As many of you know, I care deeply about the “how” of marketing: How are budgets allocated? How are results measured and tied back to plans and activities? How are marketing departments set up for maximum success? How are agencies contracted, managed and incentivized for their contributions? How is “new news” still allowed as a phrase in marketing presentations?  I care deeply about figuring out how to do marketing before doing the actual job. And so should all marketers.

If media is to change in 2017 then the way it’s assessed also needs to change. That means better, more relevant metrics, measures that reflect how media can add value to a brand and drive business success.

By Gonzalo López Martí – Creative director, etc. / LMMiami.com

• Absent a steady influx of walled out Mexicans and island bound Cubans, where will growth come from for US-based Spanish-speaking media outlets?