Retailer John Wanamaker famously said, “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half.” If more than $400 billion is now spent each year on advertising worldwide, which advertising really works to engage and motivate consumers?

Meet the mini media moguls who are dictating electronic sales and media utilization patterns in American homes: kids. TV still dominates with children of all ages, but older children gravitate toward the Internet and younger kids hang on to DVDs.

Given the consistent spike in usage among the three screens of television, Internet and mobile, consumers are clearly adding video platforms to their schedule, rather than replacing them.

The latest Nielsen/Oxford University survey finds that Asian and Latin American Countries most concerned about climate change, while climate scientists viewed as most trustworthy source of environmental information.

Knowing consumers’ attitudes toward grocery shopping is critical for retailers to understand how to encourage shoppers to spend more each trip, thereby helping grow their business.

With projected weak holiday sales this season and deal-seeking activities rampant, online retailers have an opportunity to gain share through their own web sites and social media outlets.

When news of the H1N1 flu pandemic hit, concerned consumers turned to the Internet to get educated and raced to the stores to buy preventative, treatment, and sanitizing products at increased rates. The demand is far from over.

The pathway to Internet profitability for marketers will be determined by the ability to integrate mobile, TV, Internet traffic and advertising data into a holistic, effective multi-strand fabric that blankets the consumer in a traceable, measurable way.

Companies can increase advertising effectiveness by 30-40% if they more closely analyze how well each marketing activity performs for each brand. Eight guiding principles help marketers maximize ROI.

Global consumers are increasingly feeling confident about the economy and their finances. While Asia is leading the rebound, signs point to improved consumer behavior in other parts of the world.