Where is Rob and Friends?

The Rob I’m referring to is Rob Schneider and his friends are the cast of his show on CBS. The TV series with a cast of leading Latino entertainers was canceled by the network.

There is something wrong with the Latino community and interest groups when they cry for more representation in the media but then fail to support shows that got to air on national television. This show had a cast that was over 90% Latino and in English language. What happened?

My take, it’s not about the cast only, it is about stories and concepts that resonate among the largest possible audiences. Nielsen and the rating system have a saying. Then there is also the issue of the power that TV network’s czars have to cancel a show that may not resonate with their realities.

Read this article from the Huff Post for more information. http://huff.to/Ke2u6Y

Video and Social Marketing Drive Content Marketing

I read an article on Forbers that pointed out that the technologies currently dominating the media landscape may not be the dominant payers in 5 to 10 years as new platforms take their place on an ongoing evolution. It seems that Darwin’s theory of evolution not only applies to living creatures but also to technology.

Take a look at technologies that were leaders in a field 10 years ago and try to place them in the current ecosystem. You will find that many are no longer around and others are fighting for survival. When was the last time you used a fax machine, a VCR or a camera with film?

If evolution in technology is crucial for survival, another key element is synergy among technologies. That synergy enables evolution. Ten years ago everyone was talking about convergence. At that time it was between television and the emerging internet. That convergence has become a reality in the last couple of years and will continue to dramatically alter many industries including media, advertising and content creation.

An emerging trend is the convergence of content and social media. This can be seen on the current contract terms for film and television celebrities. It requires celebrities to promote the content via social elements.

I’m currently working with a variation of the above. It is the convergence of online video and social media. The BeeYoo platform provides a medium for socially connected celebrities to monetize content they create or own. Research shows that we tend to gravitate to content that features celebrities. This is a new model where advertisers can reach large audiences that tune in to view exclusive content from celebrities. Audiences are built via celebrities’ postings on social media outlets.

We need to stay on top of these trends because they are the base for new strategies in the areas of media, content creation and advertising. This research briefing from The Center for Media Research presents how video and social marketing drive content marketing. Read more.

Hispanic Market Impacts National Landscape Significantly

When close to 20% of your universe is the fastest growing segment, adopts new technologies faster than other groups and its not completely assimilate into the larger majority, you have to pay attention and determine how any initiative that you implement in this group or decide not to include in your overall plans, will affect your bottom line.

If you are like me, you will do some research and get the facts. Well, Nielsen has done that for us and here are the key findings.

The Executive Summary of the report shows that:

• Latinos are a fundamental component to business success, and not a passing niche on the sidelines
• Rapid Latino population growth will persist, even if immigration is completely halted
• Latinos have amassed significant buying power, despite perceptions to the contrary
• Hispanics are the largest immigrant group to exhibit significant culture sustainability and are not disappearing into the American melting pot
• Technology and media use do not mirror the general market but have distinct patterns due to language, culture, and ownership dynamics
• Latinos exhibit distinct product consumption patterns and are not buying in ways that are the same as the total market

Read more: http://bit.ly/K8UTaw

Hispanics to Spend $500 Million on Mobile Apps in 2012

Via eMarketer

Hispanics are early technology adopters, with high spending expected on devices and content

Hispanics are early adopters of both tablets and smartphones, and also more likely than whites to go online using mobile devices. All of that activity will add up to a sizeable pile of cash for device retailers and app stores in 2012. According to December 2011 research by advisory firm Zpryme, adult US Hispanics will spend $17.6 billion on mobile tech devices in 2012, a 30% increase over the previous year. It also estimates that Hispanics will spend $501.1 million on mobile apps by the end of the year.  Read more http://bit.ly/JDZErg

Think Like a Man Displaced Hunger Games From Top Spot at Box Office

Several experts provide reasons to explain why the book adaptation of Steve Harvey’s self-help book was the number one movie at the box office this weekend, displacing Hunger Games from the top spot. There are two that stand out in my opinion and that are part of the tool box that producers and film makers can use to promote their movies.

The first one is a no brainer: targeted marketing that focuses on the intended audience. The cast is mostly African American and screenings at historically black universities combined with promotions on BET and cast appearances on radio stations at top urban markets paid off.

The second is the use of social media. Comedian Kevin Hart has raised his profile and popularity in the last year via social media. His rise to popularity started last year when his independent concert film went on to gross a “surprisingly high” $7.7 million according to Richard Corliss of Time Entertainment. Read more here http://bit.ly/JGdaNd

Cinco the Mayo and Marketing to Hispanics

Its refreshing to see brands evolving on their campaigns targeting U.S. Hispanics. The market itself has evolved around integration, technology, etc. This article by Lisa Arthur in Forbes provides you with valuable Hispanic research sources and builds a case for a Hispanic marketing strategy that runs the entire year and not only on Cinco de Mayo. Read more http://onforb.es/Jok9Ic

Are Clicks the Best Online Metric?

This press release from comScore provides a strong case for the use of additional metrics when measuring results for an online campaign. They joined forces with Pretarget and used information from 18 advertisers to determine what metrics should be considered and their contribution to conversions. Their recommendation is to look beyond just a click. Read more  http://bit.ly/HZeeXG

U.S. Latino Community Among the World’s top 20 Economies.

This story comes to us via Businessweek and reviews a recent report from Nielsen that focuses on the U.S. Hispanic market. The report points out the importance of this market for brands looking for growth and even though it recognizes that there is assimilation, it mentions that it is  more sustainable. “The culture may evolve, but it will not go away.” (Monica Gil, Nielsen). Read the entire article http://buswk.co/HYyOrB

Hispanics Use Social Media More – But Share Less

We have seen many reports that highlight the fact that Hispanics over index the general population on the consumption of digital media including mobile platforms. However, this research by uSamp  that sampled 650 adults points out that they don’t share online as much as they consume.  I look forward to research that explains the why’s. In the interim, I have a couple of hunches.

One looks at what we saw a few years back with television commercials that were translated versions of the English spots. Results were not in the range of what advertisers expected. Savvy marketers invested on the production of spots that used cultural elements as well as Hispanic actors. The results improved so dramatically that now most advertisers invest on the the production of TV spots that are in culture and mirror the Hispanic population.

The second focuses on the size of the total internet population and the portion that corresponds to Hispanic users. Hispanics are a fraction of that total population therefore, they only contribute a smaller portion of the total. In the future, as we combine one and two, we will see more culturally relevant content being uploaded as well as more Hispanics using the internet not just as passive viewers but as active participants, sharing content, reviews and other information. Read the report here http://bit.ly/HU48c5

46% of online video viewers search new product or brand mentioned on video.

YouTube is the second search engine right behind Google. It makes tremendous sense that users get more information on products they discover on videos. Humans are visual creatures, we learn by using our sight more than other senses. As more and more videos are uploaded to the different hosting sites, including branded content and videos with product placement, video will become a new frontier on the discovery of new products and services. Read the article from VidBlog here http://bit.ly/HD9AyK