Between January and June 2009, Argentine advertising investment rose to 3.74 billion pesos (just over 978 million dollars), 13.7 % up on the same semester of 2008. According to information reported by the Argentine Media Shop Chamber [Cámara Argentina de Centrales de Medios – CACEM], this slight increase in the first half of the year is due mainly to the investment carried out by the sectors involved in the national legislative elections in June (political and civilian institutions, associations).

(By Jorge Martínez, director of adlatina.com) - Nobody can be unaware of the fact that, particularly in this region, one of the greatest problems in the sector is the agency selection process. Nor can anyone doubt that one of the failings among advertising industry members is the lack of corporate spirit. For the last 2 years, an initiative by the Asociación Argentina de Agencias de Publicidad [Argentine Advertising Agency Association] has become a clear example to be followed: with one exception –the creation by ING for Argentina and Uruguay- fees have been charged for all the contests requiring creativity.

The havoc wrought by the financial crisis has “achieved” something not even the world wars managed on this Japanese network: a revenue fall of between 8 and 9% for Dentsu, the largest giant in the country’s economy. This drawback could alter the very roots of the agency remunerations system, which in Japan is still based on commissions for the purchase of advertising space.

After his time at the Fiap, Jesús Muñoz, one of the Casadevall DMM partners, criticized the response of the Spanish advertising business to the crisis and warned of the possible consequences not only at creative level but also at economic level. He likewise suggested three variables, which, if they materialize, will assure the agencies “the future of the business”.

The British agency has set its cap at the Brazilian market and has just launched its first operation in this country.

Portuguese Carlos Gomes, General Manager of Fiat France –a position he will concurrently retain- has been appointed delegate for Fiat Spain, in replacement of José Antonio Garvía.

For two years Bassat Ogilvy, the advertising agency of the Bassat Ogilvy Group in Spain, has maintained the second position among local agencies in the invoicing ranking kept by Infoadex. Enric Pujadas, president of the group, reflects on the performance of his company and how the business unfolds in Spain.

“The digital era poses many complex and important questions for marketers and media owners,” said MARK Read, world CEO of WPP Digital. That is why the holding formed an alliance with Google to create a program through which to subsidize and conduct research to discover the nature of the influence that online media exercises on consumer behavior.

Yesterday morning, Connie Demuru, chief operating officer of Rapp Collins Argentina, gave a talk at the Buenos Aires Sociedad Rural as part of Expo Management 2008. Its title: “The New ROI: Return of Interaction.”

According to the Brazilian press, WPP global holding is negotiating the acquisition of part of Ibope Inteligência with the Ibope group of Brazilian origin which currently has a multinational presence. It is an area specializing in surveys of products, service, brands, communication, consumption, elections and public policy.

Having just joined the agency headed by María Romero to lead the team in charge of Chevrolet’s communication, Jose E. Pagan-Ortiz’s career always found him very much linked to the automotive industry. After eleven years related to the Ford Motor Company, as brand and marketing manager, he then was in charge of Dodge’s account at GlobalHue, where he supervised multicultural efforts for the brand.

The paid TV company’s revenues increased by 17% during the first quarter of 2008. The 47% increase Latin America amounted to total revenue of 542 million dollars.