Advertising in Spanish-Language media is growing, according to a new analysis of multi-cultural ad spending conducted by The Nielsen Company.
Total spending in Spanish-Language media climbed 2.7% to $4.3 billion through the first three quarters of 2008, compared to the same period in 2007. Procter & Gamble spent the most on Spanish-Language advertising through September 2008 with $133 million in expenditures. Of the top-10 advertisers in this category, DirecTV stood out with the most growth, spending almost five times as much as it spent through the first three quarters of 2007. …

When it comes to advertisements in online videos, Web surfers don’t know what to expect. Watch an episode of The Office on Hulu, and you’ll get a couple of 15-second ads from sponsors like Target. View a National Geographic Channel clip about emperor penguins on YouTube, and you might see clickable ads for an Arctic cruise company across the lower portion of the video. Other sites opt for a lowly display ad off to one side of the screen.
Whatever form they take, online video ads are confusing for consumers. Can …

Old-school lessons in marketing
I was reading a Q&A column today in the LATimes by Karen E. Klein on new business marketing. A reader had asked her, how do I as a new small business owner selling designer hats get the word out about my business. The answer from Karen: “promote yourself online as a fashion expert.” As a small business owner myself with forays into social media, I am surprised by how much Karen’s advice did not ring true for me. Surely not all of the answers …

“Century 21, one of the first real-estate companies to advertise on TV, is pulling all national TV advertising in 2009 and redirecting its efforts and ad dollars to the web. With the beleaguered real-estate market showing no signs of a turnaround, the realtor has decided to play the numbers and go where the buyers and sellers are: online. Beverly Thorne, senior VP-marketing, Century 21, said in years past the company has spent up to half of its advertising budget on creative for TV, but a majority of that money will …

Unsure what to cut and what to keep? This smart, 4-point checklist is your guide to recession-era advertising.
When money’s tight, the knee-jerk reaction for many entrepreneurs is to cut back on advertising. Unfortunately, the businesses that stop advertising simply drop out of sight, taking these entrepreneurs from slow sales to no sales–fast. It’s a risky move many may not recover from. Rather than eliminate your advertising in a recession, cut the fat from your campaign, and focus on the right media choices for the highest ROI. To figure out …

THIS time of year, advertising is filled with religious imagery. But typically, little of it is actually sponsored by religious organizations. That is starting to change as churches seek to take advantage of the seasonal opportunity to communicate with prospective members.
The change comes as anecdotal evidence suggests that the worsening economy may be sending more people to churches, synagogues and other houses of worship as financial setbacks bring some to their knees — at least figuratively.
Denominations like the United Church of Christ have tried advertising before, running campaigns that play …

Q: Seven months ago, I opened a small store selling futons, carpeting, and home furnishings located on a busy road with little foot traffic. I’ve advertised in papers and the phone book, but it’s like flushing money down the toilet. How can I get a better response on a shoestring? — Rudy Scott, Oceanside, N.Y.
A: What you need is a strategic marketing plan. Instead of throwing money at random venues—a little here, a little there—craft an advertising campaign to attract the customers you want. You probably can’t afford professional marketing …

With corporate managers under enormous pressure to control costs and maintain liquidity in the current credit crisis, advertising budgets often appear to be a dispensable luxury in the struggle to survive. Executives who succumb to that temptation, however, put the long-term future of their companies at risk, according to Wharton faculty and advertising experts.
“The first reaction is to cut, cut, cut, and advertising is one of the first things to go,” says Wharton marketing professor Peter Fader, adding that as companies slash advertising in a downturn, they leave empty space …

Bankers constantly fret about how to get customers into the branches since face time with a teller or sales rep is the best way to sell products and services and deepen the customer relationship.
Senior leadership at Fifth Third Bank faced this quandary after opening a string of de novos and expanding through acquisitions. What they hit upon to grab the attention of the public is to give away money-a quarter-of-a-million dollars worth.
“This campaign is a little bit different than some of the things that we have tried in the past,” …