Quiet Time

By Helen Vollmer, President

It was still dark outside. I was halfway to the airport last week when I realized that my cellphone (which I’d used as an alarm clock) was still on my nightstand and not in my purse. RATS!!!!!!! The good news was that I had both my laptop and my iPad and I figured I could handle anything for three days.

I survived. In fact, I thrived. I found I actually had a bit more time to think deep thoughts without an compulsive pull to an electronic device to check texts, voicemails and emails every three minutes or so. Surprisingly, while I sat in the airport reading an actual newspaper that morning, what did I find? Trend stories citing that 2012 would be the year we realize that enslaving ourselves to devices 24-7 inhibits productivity, creativity and problem solving.

Pico Iyer, author of “The Man Within My Head,” wrote a New York Times piece, The Joy of Quiet, where he cites cases where folks are paying big bucks to retreat to expensive locales without internet or televisions. As he noted, “We have more and more ways to communicate, as Thoreau noted, but less and less to say. Partly because we’re so busy communicating.”

Researchers say the average office worker today spends no more than three minutes at a time at his or her desk without interruption. Sound familiar?

This is not an anti- technology rant. On the contrary, technology will continue to occupy our lives, mostly for the better, as we stay in touch in new ways with the world around us. In fact, marketers are predicting that in 2012 we will see new downloadable apps, personalized product kiosks in stores, and more effective use by Fortune 500 companies of social networks, among other things.

All of which makes the value of quiet time even more important. Put the devices away periodically. Exercise without ear buds. Eat without the television blaring. Enjoy one-on-one conversations without email. And periodically remember to listen to yourself – it just may be the best conversation you’ve had in a long while.

Mojo's Sporting World

By Morris Denton, Executive Vice President, General Manager

Another New Year. And another opportunity to bathe in a rich compilation of experts predicting what we should expect in the coming year. I’m always intrigued by these pieces, mostly because I’m curious what the experts see in their crystal balls. And, admittedly, I like to poke holes in their stories or theories.

Now I find myself in the position of actually writing a trend story, and encourage you to poke your own holes in my analysis, but be warned, I don’t take myself too seriously. Here’s a view of the top five trends associated with sports, according to me, a self-proclaimed and somewhat jaded expert.

Trend One: there will be fewer people exercising in 60 days. Look, I love New Year’s resolutions. But if there is one thing I know, they fade quickly. Each day during my morning commute I drive alongside a section of Austin’s beautiful hike and bike trail on Lady Bird Lake, and while Austin is an active city, I’ve never seen this many runners in the morning. I expect to see a decreasing number until it levels out around Spring Break, when only the serious remain.

Trend Two: the London Olympics this summer will bring even more awful TV commercials than the Christmas season. I’m not sure what it is about TV advertising, but there are way too many bad commercials over the holidays. Maybe it’s because the advertisers know they have a captive audience and choose that time for relentless repetition of annoyance. Anyone besides me want to forget the December to Remember?

Oh, and while I’m on the subject of the Olympics, I think the sport of Badminton is due for a huge revival. HUGE. I’m currently evaluating, for investment purposes, companies that sell shuttlecocks.

Trend Three: in the world of college football, there are fewer things more controversial than the Bowl Championship Series. The BCS is the biggest farce of fair and open competition as anything I’ve seen. There are a gazillion reasons why the BCS should be abolished and a playoff system put in place, but I’ll give you five reasons why it won’t happen anytime soon: ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox and ESPN. Some of you may think those are the names of major television networks. Others will properly recognize them as the names of new super conferences.

Trend Four: there will be a Motorsports resurgence. On the heels of an exciting NASCAR season, coupled with the highly anticipated return of Formula One, fans can expect more from the Motorsports scene. Consider this – NASCAR big wigs think that one of the best ways to increase their fan base is by increasing the star power of drivers through the use of social media. Get ready, fans! You will soon be inundated with the stylistic musings of NASCAR drivers in 140 characters or less. Most of the drivers are smart and articulate and take a thoughtful approach to how they communicate. And then there’s Kurt Busch.

Trend Five: as long as the National Hockey League can get through its collective bargaining agreement negotiations with its players later this year, we’ll be in for a multi-year stretch of uninterrupted harmony on the business side of our favorite stick and ball sports. The NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL will have relatively new long-term agreements in place between owners and athletes. This is good news, especially during these tough economic times. Not only do we get to watch our favorite professional sports, but we also get to watch as the owners and athletes get richer while we foot the bill. Quick fact – the average cost to take a family of four to a Major League Baseball game is $197.35. Expect that cost to increase.

While I’ve got you, here are some quick predictions for 2012:
 

• The New Orleans Saints will beat the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau and go on to win the Super Bowl.

• March Madness will still be the greatest collegiate sporting event, with Baylor making a deep run in a tournament that has North Carolina winning it all.

• Tiger Woods will win a major. But not the Master’s.

• Lebron will go another year without a ring.

• The Texas Rangers won’t make the playoffs. Unfortunately. I like seeing Li’l Ron Washington.

• A newcomer wins the Big 12 Football title and the Mack Brown era comes to an end. Sorry Horns’ fans.

• Sebastian Vettel won’t win the F1 Driver’s Championship, but Jimmy Johnson will return to his winning ways in NASCAR.

• Danica Patrick will still be a GoDaddy.com girl, but that will be the most significant airtime she’ll receive.

• Sports TV and Radio will become even more troubling and annoying, although Mike and Mike in the Morning and Pardon the Interruption will remain the best programs on the air.

• Tebow-mania will continue in Denver, ultimately forcing Denver fans to choose between John Elway and Tim Tebow as favorite football son of the city.

The Power of Connection

By Rupa Patel, Senior Account Executive

It turns out that the fiery demise many predicted for the exhibitions and events industry was an exaggerated forecast, to say the least. According to data from the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) Index released in December, despite hitting a dip at the start of the recession, the trade show industry has bounced back fairly well, enjoying its fifth – yes, fifth – consecutive quarter of growth to close out 2011.

Surprised to hear that tradeshows and conferences are still alive and kicking? Well, you shouldn’t be.

Tradeshows and exhibitions have been around for a very long time, yes, but the industry’s age shouldn’t be used as a reason to label it outdated or ineffective The history and longevity of this space indicate how effective exhibitions and events are for businesses small and large.

Consider the findings of another study by CEIR which found that 82 percent of exhibition attendees are corporate decision-makers with true buying power. Of these buying audiences, 65 percent attend multiple exhibitions annually. When you have buying power, YOU are the person that every vendor and marketing or sales rep from here to Timbuktu is wooing. And yet 82 percent of these “hot commodities” opt to attend tradeshows and conferences for education and product research versus letting the many options come directly to them.

Proof points like these are precisely the type of ammunition being used by the “Click Here First” campaign, an initiative that aims to educate the masses about exactly what makes face-to-face marketing events like tradeshows and exhibitions so powerful. Members from every aspect of the tradeshow industry have come together for this campaign, which Edelman is proud to represent, to help spread the word that the exhibitions industry is alive and well – not to mention pretty darn effective.

So, what is it about these events that set them apart from some of the other business and networking alternatives, like virtual events or webinars? Well, would you buy a car after only watching a video about it online? No. You would see the car in person - kick the tires, test the features, and most importantly, meet the person selling you the car. Why wouldn’t the same rules apply to buyers who spend millions on products and services that their companies rely on to stay in business?

Exhibitions allow buyers to actually see the products they’re interested in. They’re not looking at online images or pictures of a product in a catalog. They’re picking it up, they’re testing it out, and they’re comparing it side-by-side with competing products. These events also allow attendees to connect in-person with their current and potential business partners and hear from experts who can share trends and insights for greater business success. No matter how you look at it, relationships matter in business and the ability to shake someone’s hand, look them in the eye and have a one-on-one conversation with them is unmatched, particularly when major business deals are at stake.

Despite the struggling economy, approximately 1.5 million companies exhibited in 2011 and roughly 60 million people attended these events. While the web drives more chatter and activity than any other communications channel, it’s the greater quality of interaction and the consistency of opportunities and education produced by live industry events that keep decision-makers coming back for more.

Not convinced? More than 9,000 business-to-business tradeshows and events take place annually in the United States alone. They run the gamut from food and beverage shows to events targeting construction professionals and yes, even software and virtual technology providers. Whatever your area of business, there’s an event for you. Go to an exhibition and experience for yourself the difference a face-to-face connection can make.

Marketing to the Modern Family

The past holiday “face time” with family has reminded several of us at Edelman that the face of kinship and clans is an always changing affair and now more than ever resembles the antics of the popular NBC sitcom. Happily for marketers, our agency has developed a special report on “Marketing to the Modern Family” that offers research with actionable insights on how evolving family dynamics will affect how companies market their brands.

Developed in partnership with research firm StrategyOne, the report focuses on family influences – from the economy to demographic shifts, technology to health & wellness. Findings reveal that the essence of parenting hasn’t changed; but all of these factors have caused a shift and Parenthood today looks very different as a result. Key findings include:

• The Motherload Gets Heavier: Mom is taking on binary roles - in charge at work and in charge in the home. Also, 41% of moms say they are the sole decision maker for their family purchases.

• Universal Parent – The Era of Gender Surrender: Economic pressures and blended family models have redefined individual roles within the family and skill sets have replaced gender. Research shows that 62% of moms and 54% of dads feel that parenting roles will be redefined away from the traditional “mom and dad” roles of the past, while 33% of dads say they currently take on the role of traditional mom.

• Democratization of the Family: The power of the purse is equally divided among its publics. Research shows 68% of parents say that children have influence on family purchasing decisions, while 67% of grandmothers with involvement in taking care of their grandchildren say they have influence on family purchases.

• Dad Demands to be Involved: Dads are demanding work-life balance - and doing much more at home. Dads report their responsibility for taking care of kids has more than doubled since their childhood.

• Traditional Becomes Traditionall: Families headed by multicultural, GLBT and single parents become the new traditional family….and wield a mighty influence. About 20% of moms and dads say their children will not identify with the same ethnic group as they do and 66 % of gay dads are more likely to buy products that have ads reflecting their sexual orientation.

For more information, findings and an analysis of what this means for brands: contact us at modernfamily@edelman.com. Or maybe the findings will just validate what you’ve always known—family dynamics are always in flux and sometimes you gotta go with the flow . . .

 

2012 Economic Outlook

 By Latha Ramchand, Ph.D., Dean of the C. T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston

Time magazine chose The Protestor as its 2011 Man of the Year. From the Arab Spring to Occupy Wall Street, from the Congressional debt impasse to the European financial crisis, 2011 witnessed big changes, some with a happy ending, some without, but most of which have a ‘to be continued’ ness about them. We saw procrastination in our leaders like we have not for a long time. This theme will continue to haunt us for a while and through 2012. As rioter protests remain unresolved, as the super-committee in the U.S. dissolves, as Europe struggles with the survival of the Eurozone, there seems to be no clear end in sight, not at least until certain other questions are resolved.

2012 is a global election year as many countries prepare for changes in leadership. Given that not much happens in an election year, the road ahead will be rocky for sure. What will the French elections bring in May? Will there be a change of power in Russia? Which way will the U.S. sway in placing their November ballots? Will China manage to eke out growth or will inflation rear its ugly head in the first quarter of 2012? Will the change in leadership in China be a smooth transition or will the 180,000 “mass incidents” reported in 2011 be reflected in one major incident of dissatisfaction? Will Greece default when their debts come due in March?

The answers to these questions and more are will be part of the fast changing puzzle driving the global economy in 2012. If there is a theme, it is that uncertainty is the new normal.

At the same time, there are bright spots that suggest cautious optimism. For one thing, the latest ADP numbers in the U.S. suggest improvements in the unemployment situation. Unemployment fell to 8.5% in December, the lowest rate since February 2009 and 200,000 jobs were added in the private sector. Sectors like energy, healthcare, information technology, and teaching are projected to grow and, hence, boost hiring. Developments in energy, will dominate the global landscape as emerging markets’ consumption and production changes. Shale drilling is likely to cause a major regime shift in U.S. energy dependence and is likely to be a major theme for 2012.

The data on U.S. manufacturing costs looks promising. Labor costs are declining in the U.S. compared to other countries and this could mean the start of a new era in manufacturing. Based on a recent report in the Wall Street Journal, U.S. labor costs are 13% lower today compared to their levels a decade ago, while they are higher by 2.3% in Germany and 18% in Canada under the same comparison metrics. The appeal in bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. lies in the technological innovations that go with it. If indeed manufacturing begins to move back to the U.S. from China and India, we could revert to the ‘us’ that we used to be as in Thomas Friedman’s ‘This Used to be us’.

Then there are those predictions based on hard numbers – for the first time, there will be in 2012 more millionaires in Asia (3.5 million millionaires) than in the U.S., that tax rates will go up, that the Chinese economy will be hurt by a real estate bubble given the amount of lending that has occurred in 2011, that GDP growth in India will slow down….

What 2011 taught us was that we have to learn to be nimble and learn how to learn. We need to embrace change and continually adapt. Having the courage to change, will be the currency in demand in 2012.

Latha Ramchand is Dean at the C. T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston. She has previously served as Associate Dean, Programs and Administration and Associate Dean of Graduate and Professional Programs.  She is also a Professor of Finance at the C.T. Bauer College of Business and teaches in the areas of Corporate and International Finance and Risk Management. She received her Ph.D. in finance at Northwestern University where she attended the Kellogg Graduate School of Management.

Health Summit Report

“The future ain’t what it used to be” –Yogi Berra

The term “mobile health,” or mHealth, can be a bit indistinct. It means different things to different people, even to those who attended last month’s mHealth Summit in Washington, D.C. What’s more clear, however, is that with a projected industry worth of between $1.9 billion and $4 billon by 2014, this space is on the precipice of disrupting health care as we know it – and it is worthy of our attention.

On a basic level, the term “mHealth” refers to the idea that mobile technology – from cell phones to tablets, medical devices and new innovations we haven’t even seen yet – is not only revolutionizing the way people gain access to health and wellness information, but also changing the face of acute care and disease treatment in every corner of the world. Technology is shifting the power dynamic from providers to people.

This burgeoning industry, however, is still finding its footing. There is tremendous potential in mHealth, located somewhere between the traditional health care players (hospitals, payors, physicians and pharma), technology’s start-up bonanza, and the needs and expectations of the public. One company that’s on the right track is WellDoc, with its much-admired DiabetesManager® system, a mobile, clinical coaching software with FDA approval. DiabetesManager® recently released data showing the program reduces the ER visits and hospital stays of type 2 diabetes patients by 58 percent.

Even seemingly non-health-related companies are recognizing the business and public health opportunity. At Edelman’s popular mHealth panel, heavy hitters from Ford, AT&T and Lockheed Martin addressed Edelman Health Barometer findings, explaining why they see mHealth as the next frontier in their industries as well. (Click here to watch Edelman’s panel, “Delivering Pan-Industry Disruption: Powering-Up the ‘m’ in Mobile Health,” and here to watch a powerful interview with panelist Richard Boyd from Lockheed Martin.)

More than 3,600 technology gurus, business leaders, health care and industry professionals and patient advocates attended this year’s mHealth Summit, up about 10 times since the year prior, yet another indication of the growth of the mHealth space.

Here are four of our takeaways from the Summit.

1. For mobile health to become “business as usual,” physicians and patients alike must be empowered to use mHealth technology. This revolution is in its early stage—and hinges on the smartphone.
   
   
2. The business of mHealth is complicated, and no unifying successful business model has been identified.
    
3. The U.S. government’s role in mHealth is evolving, serving as a catalyst for innovation in some cases and as a barrier in others. Particularly, issues of regulation and FDA approval are still very problematic for many mHealth start-up companies.
    
4. Undeveloped and emerging countries have a large role to play in mHealth. Mobile technologies have the potential to save millions of lives by allowing health care professionals to leapfrog over traditional development phases. In addition, these markets facilitate low-cost solutions that can be applied in the developed world.