Marketing Forecast from Ad-ology

For the past several years, large and small contractors have been bidding on an expanding pool of projects awarded by the federal government. But all that may be about to change. Industry watchers say that government contracts are expected to shrink by 5% next year. Ashley Bergander, manager of federal programs at FedSources, says “The government is doing everything possible to consolidate and spend as little money as possible in this upcoming year.”

Ad-ology Research recently updated their Industry Marketing Insights report for Public Relations Agencies. The following are the predicted Top 3 Opportunities/Challenges from the report for this industry for the upcoming 12 months:

Ad-ology Research recently updated their Industry Marketing Insights report for Nail Salons. The following are the predicted Top 3 Opportunities/Challenges from the report for this industry for the upcoming 12 months:

* More salons are offering semi-permanent color options. Salons expect demand for these services to grow, as the colored acrylics and gels extend time needed between appointments.
* Events, such as “cocktail nights,” are becoming more common at salons as a way to boost interest in the business and establish relationships with customers.
* San Francisco is now the first state to adopt green standards for its nail salons, and it may cause more states to follow suit in hopes of creating greener and healthier salon environments for both employees and customers.

Ad-ology Research recently updated their Industry Marketing Insights report for Casinos. The following are the predicted Top 3 Opportunities/Challenges from the report for this industry for the upcoming 12 months:

* One of the strongest growth areas for casinos in 2009 was racing: Gross gaming revenues for racetracks increased 17.2% over 2007.
* More casinos are embracing technology: Some are allowing guests to make sports wagers through their mobile phone and keep up on casino news via mobile applications.
* An emerging marketing trend among casinos is including celebrities in television commercials and events. Casinos report success from these appearances and that fees for celebrities are more than met by increased revenues.

The quest for “the good life” continues to drive Baby Boomers to sacrifice today, so that they can enjoy the finer things tomorrow. According to MainStay Investments’ Boomer Retirement Lifestyle Study, 76% of the Baby Boomers surveyed (age 45-65 that are not yet retired) say they are willing to spend less now to invest for a more comfortable lifestyle in the future. Forty percent of the Boomers surveyed said they will have to delay retirement in order to afford the lifestyle they want to live. Besides working longer, Boomers are saving more, adjusting their portfolio allocations, and seeking help from financial advisors–in that order. In addition, the majority of Baby Boomers believe that healthcare coverage, internet connection, shopping for birthdays and special occasions, and pet care are basic needs. And about half of those surveyed consider annual family vacation or weekend getaways, having eldercare/home aid, professional hair cut/color and funding children/grandchildren’s education to be basic needs as well.

Ad-ology Research recently updated their Industry Marketing Insights report for Bail Bond Agents. The following are the predicted Top 3 Opportunities/Challenges from the report for this industry for the upcoming 12 months:

* Looking to expand services, agencies are adding immigration bonds, which are federal bonds that must be posted when individuals are held after arrest by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
* More states are passing the Citizen’s Right To Know Act, which requires reformatting and increased reporting of pretrial release information and encourages the use of commercial bail bondsmen.
* The industry is competitive, as the number of bond agents has grown 50% in the past five years.