Marketers Think They’re Marrying Short- and Long-Term Goals, but Measurement Is Out of WhackYounger marketers are the least confident that they've found the right mix.October 17, 2018

Some three-quarters of advertisers, agencies and media companies are confident that their organization has achieved the optimal media mix, representing an uptick in confidence from last year, according to Kantar Millward Brown’s 5th Annual Getting... READ MORE

Brands Can Be An Important Expression of Belief Systems, Say 1 in 3 ConsumersA "belief-driven" approach to purchase decisions is now common across markets, generations, and income levels.

Did you choose to buy Nike after it featured Colin Kaepernick in its new campaign? Perhaps you chose to boycott the brand for the same reason. As it stands, almost 1 in 3 consumers have strongly held, passionate beliefs and feel that the brands they buy are... READ MORE

US Internet and Social Media Usage PlateauSome 69% of US adults say they use social media, unchanged from 2016 following years of growth.October 16, 2018

Internet usage, as well as social media adoption and device ownership, have seemingly reached a plateau after several years of growth, reports the Pew Research Center. For example, the percentage of US adults using social media rests at 69% this year,... READ MORE

The Pros and Cons of E-Commerce, According to B2B Decision-MakersE-commerce can help B2B firms reach new buyers, but it also can present issues with competitive pricing.

One in every 5 decision-makers at B2B companies across the world is getting a majority of sales from e-commerce, according to a survey from PROS [download page]. But fast-forward 5 years and triple that number – 3 in 5 – expect to be seeing most... READ MORE

B2B Marketers Struggle to Engage Targeted ProspectsFinding leads that convert is also a challenge. Which types of content help move prospects through the funnel?October 15, 2018

B2B marketers are still struggling to get targeted prospects to engage, according to Chief Marketers’ 2019 B2B Marketing Outlook [download page]. Almost 6 in 10 respondents said this is a challenge for them in generating new leads, on par with last... READ MORE

The World’s 10 Most Valuable Brands in 2018Apple continues to be the most valuable brand, while Amazon has posted a large gain to move into the third spot.

Apple continues to set the pace as the most valuable brand in the world, keeping its hold on the top spot for the sixth consecutive year and extending its lead over Google, according to Interbrand’s latest annual rankings. Nine of last year’s top... READ MORE

TV Ads, W-O-M Sway Purchases for Gen XersWatching TV is the leading media activity for Gen Xers, who report frequently being exposed to TV ads.October 12, 2018

TV ads edge recommendations from friends and family as the top influencer of purchases for Gen Xers (born 1965-1981), according to MarketingCharts’ US Purchase Influencers Report 2018. In so doing, Gen Xers display more similarities with Boomers than... READ MORE

Instagram Continues to Grow in Popularity With the Fortune 500Blogging is also enjoying a resurgence, as a majority have a public-facing blog for the first time.

Almost two-thirds (63%) of Fortune 500 companies are now actively using Instagram, marking the 6th consecutive year of increases in the platform’s use by these companies, according to the latest annual analysis of Fortune 500 corporate social media... READ MORE

US Display Ad Viewability Rates Improve in H1: Here Are BenchmarksDisplay ad viewability rates are higher than comparable rates on mobile.October 11, 2018

Desktop display viewability rates have improved in the US, particularly for programmatic display, according to Integral Ad Science’s US Media Quality Report H1 2018 [download page]. The overall desktop display ad viewability rate across buy types was... READ MORE

Retailers, Polish Up Those Subject LinesOnline shoppers have plenty of emails in their inbox, and will scan subject lines to decide which to read.

Half of US consumers prefer hearing from retailers by email than via social media, text, display ads or mobile apps, according to a survey report from Yes Lifecycle Marketing [download page]. However, the study indicates that the vast majority ignore at... READ MORE

Do Brands Have Enough MarTech Now?Some have all the tools they need. But they may not yet have the talent to leverage the tech.October 10, 2018

Brands in the UK and North America are expected to devote somewhere around one-quarter of their budgets this year to marketing technology. Are they getting what they need with that spend? A study from Moore Stephens and WARC [download page] suggests that... READ MORE

Business Video Views, Though Limited, Grow Quickly on Facebook and YouTubeThe Business genre grew faster than any other on Facebook and YouTube, but is also much smaller than others.

YouTube and Facebook – the two most popular social media sites in the US – are commonly seen as more consumer-oriented than other, more business-oriented sites such as LinkedIn. But a new report from Tubular Labs [download page] indicates that... READ MORE

Here’s How Listeners Discover New PodcastsSocial media edges word-of-mouth as the top source of podcast discovery.October 9, 2018

The podcast audience is growing, and people are becoming heavier listeners over time. A new study from Westwood One [download page] breaks down the primary ways by which weekly listeners discover new podcasts, revealing that social media is the top source... READ MORE

Ad Time-In-View Benchmarks Suggest Consumer Attention is Shorter on MobileViewable ad impressions stayed in-view for longer on desktops than mobiles in H1.

Maybe it’s where the content is being consumed. Perhaps it’s not a question of attention, but the type of content being consumed that differs by device. Either way, people seem to have shorter attention spans on mobile than on desktop, judging by... READ MORE

How Spending Patterns Differ by GenerationThere are notable differences in spending on entertainment, healthcare, and apparel.October 8, 2018

Gen Xers (born 1965-1980) had the highest average income before taxes last year, of roughly $95k, according to the latest annual Consumer Expenditure Survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and they averaged the most spending, too. But how do different... READ MORE

These Brands Have the Best Word-of-Mouth With Millennials in 2018Netflix works its way into the top spot this year, ahead of 3 social networks. Which ones?

Which brands are Millennials (18-34) not only hearing positive things about, but also talking about with their friends and family? It’s an important point, given that word-of-mouth is the top purchase influencer among this young cohort. New rankings... READ MORE

Time Spent With Podcasts Grows, And So Does Listeners’ Receptiveness to AdsWomen and Gen Xers are upping their listening time.October 5, 2018

More than one-sixth (17%) of the US population listens to podcasts on a weekly basis, and it seems that weekly podcast listeners are tuning in more often than they used to. Indeed, 43% could be classified as heavy listeners (spending at least 6 hours per... READ MORE

Advertising Forecast Calls For 2 Key Milestones This YearWe won't give it away. But it has to do with digital, TV, and mobile...

US media advertising sales are forecast to reach an all-time high of $207 billion this year, forecasts MAGNA, as spending grows by 6.9% (and 5.2% excluding cyclical events). But that may not be the biggest story to come out of the forecast, which sets its... READ MORE

Which Data Sources Are CX Professionals Analyzing?Surveys are the top data source, possibly because customer satisfaction is the top priority.October 4, 2018

Customer experience (CX) professionals are interested in learning about all phases of the customer journey, though they appear to de-prioritize the post-purchase stage, according to a report from NetBase [download page]. The study suggests that CX... READ MORE

Halloween Spending Forecast to Just Miss Last Year’s Record AmountCelebrants expect to spend an average of $87 each, with most of that going to candy, costumes and decorations.

It’s become a recurring forecast this year, true for Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter, and now Halloween. That is, consumers’ retail spending around these events is expected to be high, but just shy of last year’s record pace.... READ MORE

3 Interesting Stats About Teens’ Use of Social MediaSeven in 10 teens (13-17) use social media multiple times a day.October 3, 2018

Teens’ social media preferences have changed drastically in the past few years, and platform choices are shifting as teens increase their use of social. A new report from Common Sense Media [download page] offers some intriguing data about how teens... READ MORE

Do Brands Follow Through on Their Promises? Many Are Skeptical.Half of Millennials in the US believe that brands today rarely live up to the promises they make.

For customers to be satisfied with brands, the marketing message needs to align with the value of the product and service itself, research has shown. The trouble is, many people – especially those prized Millennials – feel that brands today... READ MORE

MarTech Estimated to Occupy Almost One-Quarter of Budgets in the UK and North AmericaHalf of brands and agencies in the UK and North America expect to increase their martech budgets in the next year. At what cost to media spend?October 2, 2018

The global marketing technology industry is estimated to be essentially a $100 billion market ($99.9 billion to be precise), according to a new report [download page] from Moore Stephens and WARC. Slightly more than half of that market value – or $52... READ MORE

Social and Search Forecast to Contribute Two-Thirds of Global Ad Growth Through 2020Global social media ad spending is expected to grow by 16% annually from 2017 through 2020.

The global advertising market is expected to expand by 4.5% this year and then by 4.2% in both 2019 and 2020, according to a forecast from Zenith. Driving growth will be social media advertising, predicted to rise by 16% annually from 2017 through 2020, and... READ MORE

Older, Affluent Adults More Likely to Describe Themselves As Brand-LoyalCustomer service is a bigger loyalty driver for Millennials than for other adults, and also a bigger reason to lose loyalty in a brand.October 1, 2018

Only 1 in 5 American adults say they tend to be loyal to specific brands and largely buy from them repeatedly, while one-third like to try out different products even when they know there’s one they like. So reports Morning Consult in a study entitled... READ MORE

These Metro Areas Have the Youngest – and Oldest ResidentsEleven metro areas had residents with median ages under 30. Nine had residents with median ages over 50. Which were they?

Earlier this year, a Census Bureau release noted that the median age in the US increased to 38 years in 2017, up almost a full year since 2010 (37.2 years). The release also revealed which states had the largest percentage of people ages 65 and up –... READ MORE

Half of Consumers Expect Technology to Allow Companies to Customize Their ExperienceConsumer expectations are growing. But they're also fearful of the potential drawbacks of brands' use of technology.September 28, 2018

CMOs now own the customer experience, and it seems as though they’ll be dealing with increased customer expectations around customized experiences in the years to come. In a new report, WE Communications finds almost half (47%) of respondents across 8... READ MORE

Amazon to Become #3 in the US by Ad Revenues, Put Small Dent in the DuopolyAmazon will primarily gain digital ad share from Google, per eMarketer's estimates, but the latter will still dominate in 2020.

Amazon is poised to become the third-largest digital advertising platform this year, forecasts eMarketer, with its digital ad revenues doubling to surpass Oath and Microsoft. But while Amazon’s ad business is expected to continue growing at a rapid... READ MORE

How Many Purchases Define Brand Loyalty For Consumers?One or two repeat purchases won't make for a loyal customer, or so they say.September 27, 2018

Most American adults say that once they find a product they like they tend to buy it repeatedly rather than shop around and try other products. But how many purchases does it take for someone to consider themselves loyal to a brand? Survey results from Yotpo... READ MORE

Out-of-Home Ad Spend Growth Sees An Uptick in Q2 2018Out-of-home ad revenues grew by 4.7% in Q2, the fastest rate of growth since Q4 2015.

It’s now been more than 8 years since the last time out-of-home ad revenues declined on a year-over-year basis. In Q2, ad spending grew by 4.7% from the year-earlier period, the fastest rate since Q4 2015, per the latest figures from the Outdoor... READ MORE

2018’s Top Brands Ranked by Customer LoyaltyAmazon, Apple and Google have strong showings yet again.September 26, 2018

Amazon has consolidated its position as the brand loyalty leader in the US, topping 2016’s leader Google for the second consecutive year. That’s according to the latest annual loyalty study [pdf] from Brand Keys, which ranked customer engagement and... READ MORE

How People Learn About – and Judge – Corporate Social Responsibility Efforts3 in 4 adults would be more likely to buy from a company that has earned a positive reputation for operating with environmentally or socially responsible practices.

Companies are increasingly being expected to be forces of positive societal change: more than three-quarters of adults expect companies to go beyond just making money and also positively impact society. But how do people learn about business efforts to... READ MORE

People Aren’t That Interested in Making Purchases Through Social Media or ChatbotsPeople are more interested in using chatbots for customer service than for purchase transactions.September 25, 2018

Fewer than 1 in 5 adults (18%) have ever purchased something directly on a social media site using features such as a social buy button, according to a new survey from SUMO Heavy [download page]. Social media instead has much more of an impact as a vehicle... READ MORE

African-Americans Display Above-Average Device Ownership and UsageAfrican-American adults are tech influencers, too, with most recommending products to their friends.

“African Americans are on the cutting edge of household device ownership.” So says Nielsen in a report, “From Consumers to Creators: The Digital Lives of Black Consumers,” [download page] which does indeed find above-average ownership... READ MORE

The US Purchase Influencers Report 201818 purchase influencers included. 4 activities and responses analyzed. 6 demographic variables compared. All in 1 report. September 24, 2018

It’s back! After a year off, we’re releasing our latest study of ad influencers and how they measure up with earned and owned channels. In our new US Purchase Influencers Report 2018, we delve into the media activities, attention to advertisers,... READ MORE

B2B Marketers: These Are Considered to be the Most Critical Factors Behind ABM SuccessWhile 88% of B2B marketers believe data quality is important to executing an ABM strategy, only 51% are confident in the quality of their data.

B2B marketers’ use of account-based marketing (ABM) is growing, but many see the possibilities of failure owing due to executional flaws. So what’s needed to drive success with ABM programs? A new report from Dun & Bradstreet (DnB) [download... READ MORE

Almost Half of Young Facebook Users Have Taken A Break From the PlatformAlmost half of Facebook users who have downloaded the data about them available on Facebook have deleted the app from their phone.

Some 42% of Facebook users ages 18 and older report having taken a break from checking the site for several weeks or more at some point in the past year, according to survey results from the Pew Research Center. That includes a high of 47% of users ages... READ MORE

These Are the Types of Events That B2B and B2C Firms Splurge On4 in 10 will spend more hosting events in the coming year, and 3 in 10 sponsoring events.September 21, 2018

Events hog a large portion of marketing budgets for B2B exhibitors, and a new Splash-sponsored survey from Harvard Business Review (HBR) Analytics Services [download page] confirms their budget influence, with B2B respondents allocating 29% of their budgets... READ MORE

One-Third of Adults Report Owning A Smart Speaker, And They’re Comfortable With Voice TechSmart Speaker owners are far more likely than non-owners to use voice assistants on a range of devices.

About 1 in 3 US adults (32%) reports owning a Smart Speaker as of August 2018, marking a 4% point increase from January of this year, according to a new survey from Adobe. The study suggests that up to half of adults could own a Smart Speaker by the time the... READ MORE

Digital Advertisers Hope to Better Dynamically Segment AudiencesAI might prove beneficial in this effort, as well as by dynamically powering creative.September 20, 2018

The vast majority (91%) of advertisers agree to some extent that they put the customer first in all their marketing efforts, according to a survey [download page] conducted by Econsultancy for MediaMath. With that in mind, it’s interesting to look at... READ MORE

Young People Are More Favorable to the Advertising and PR IndustryYoung people also hold more favorable views of media industries than do their older counterparts.

The general public in the US has traditionally had a dim view of advertising practitioners’ honesty and ethical standards. But that doesn’t seem to have fully translated to the advertising and PR industry as a whole, which seems to be met with... READ MORE

Texting is Now Teens’ Favorite Way to Communicate With FriendsTexting is even more ingrained in teens' habits than checking social media.September 19, 2018

There have been numerous news articles in recent years comparing teens’ likelihood to spend time together in person today compared to the past. A new report from Common Sense Media [download page] offers data suggesting that teens are communicating... READ MORE

These Are the Brands Considered Most “Relevant” by Americans in 2018The first trillion-dollar companies make their presences felt.

The first two companies to hit a $1 trillion valuation are also the most relevant brands in the US. So finds Prophet’s latest Brand Relevance Index, which measures brands across 4 characteristics generally shared by the most relevant: customer... READ MORE

CMOs’ Growth Strategies Revolve Around Existing Markets Rather Than New OnesGrowth strategies also focus on existing rather than new products.September 18, 2018

CMOs in the US are budgeting more for market penetration than market development, according to the latest edition of The CMO Survey [pdf]. More than three-quarters of spending in the past year has been devoted to growth strategies designed around new and/or... READ MORE

TV Universe Fairly Steady At 119.9 Million Homes for the Upcoming 2018-2019 SeasonThe number of TV homes in the US is up by less than 0.3% from last year.

After climbing by 1.2 million homes last year, the number of TV homes in the US has grown by just 0.3 million this year, reaching 119.9 million for the upcoming season, according to Nielsen’s latest TV Universe estimates. Some 305.4 million Americans... READ MORE

Most B2B Marketers Report Positive ROI… If They Know What It Is.ROI is growing as a primary metric, but some channels are proving difficult to measure.September 17, 2018

B2B marketers are slightly more likely to say they’re perceived as a “cost center” (53%) than as a “revenue center” (47%) within their organizations, according to Bizible’s State of Pipeline Marketing report. That may be... READ MORE

5 Interesting Points About Amazon Shopping BehaviorTwo-thirds of product clicks come from the first page of Amazon results.

Where is Amazon’s product category dominance highest? And how does Amazon compare with Google in terms of product search share and time from search to purchase? These and several other answers are provided in Jumpshot’s recent Q2 2018 report,... READ MORE

Here’s How People Say Tech Fits Into Their Lives – And Will in the FuturePeople envision a much greater future reliance on tech in commuting, managing the home, and shopping.September 16, 2018

Want to predict which new technologies will have a chance to gain widespread adoption in the coming years? One way might be to look at how people rely on technology today and might in the future, as revealed in a recent report [pdf] from Intel. The survey... READ MORE

Marketers Clearly See Email As The Best Content Distribution ChannelAs for the most effective content type? It's a toss-up, but there's strong support for video, webinars and research.September 14, 2018

Websites, blogs and social media are perceived to be effective channels through which to market content to prospective customers, according to a report from Ascend2 [download page]. But none are quite as popular as email, which can be integral to... READ MORE

Will Parents Be At the Forefront of New Tech Adoption?Parents are more excited about technologies than non-parents, and more likely to own AI technologies.September 13, 2018

Consumers are fairly split on whether emerging technologies will bring improvements to people’s lives or cause just as many new problems as solutions, research from Intel [pdf] has found. Predictably, youth are more enthusiastic about tech than their... READ MORE