During Portada’s recent Media and Advertising Forum presented in Mexico City , we conducted a survey among attendees (clients, agencies, and media) about their forecasts for 2012, the challenges they expect to face, the ad categories that will invest the most in Mexico, and what, in their opinion, Mexico will be able to "export" to Latin America and U.S. Hispanic market. The weighted average of their responses about 2012 ad growth translates into an expected growth rate of 7% in 2012.
What kind of growth do executives forecast in the Mexican market?
All of the media, marketing, and advertising professionals polled believe that the Mexican market will grow during 2012. None of them expect any market decreases. Of the 26 respondents, 42.3% believe that the market will grow between 5% and 10%. Closely following that figure, 38.4% expect the market to grow between 0% and 5%, while 19.2% expect growth above 10%.
| Mexican market growth for 2012 | Total respondents 26 |
-10% – 0 | 0 |
0-5% | 10 |
5-10% | 11 |
10% o + | 5 |
Internet and mobile: stronger media platforms
Most executives are betting that mobile and Internet will post the greatest growth among all media platforms. Still, the Internet garnered a few more votes than mobile platforms, which have increased their presence in Latin American markets but whose growth relies on the development of appropriate technology to begin opening up advertising in this medium. In this sense, the 
technological innovation needed for digital ads is already developed, as evidenced by the exponential growth of Internet users in Latin America. Cable TV was also a medium that stood out among the responses , although to a lesser extent than mobile and Internet platforms. In Latin America today, TV has an important role in advertising budgets, along with print media.
Ad budgets for telcos still on the rise
For Mexican executives, telecommunications will continue to account for a significant share of advertising budgets.
Of those polled, 31.8% are banking on telecommunications being the fastest growing category. Consumer/Retail came in second at 27.2%. Coming in a distant third was the automotive industry at 11%, and ranking fourth with 9% of the votes was political advertising. This last category appeared in the polls given the upcoming Mexican presidential election next year. Sports and technology placed fifth with 6.8% of the vote, and the financial sector took sixth place with only 2%.
Challenges for 2012
Although views were mixed, several executives agreed that the global economic situation could affect advertising budgets in the Mexican market, which would make it a challenge to maintain these budgets or avoid decreases in ad spending.
Several other executives also felt that advertising in the Mexican media will be affected by political propaganda. One respondent stated: "Politics will steal the attention next year. You have to know how to smartly hop on that train. "Another noted that ad campaigns will have to increase their effectiveness in light of the political climate and its overwhelming presence in the media in 2012.”
New technologies and new practices also stood out in the responses of those interviewed. For many executives, digital media has yet to be incorporated into companies’ practices and investment habits, making innovation and change for advertisers another challenge to overcome during 2012.One of the executives summed this up as the biggest challenge: "Companies who continue to invest in traditional ideas, and are still afraid to try new strategies." Innovation, efficiency and cross-media content integration were also cited as other challenges for the coming year.
México for export
Many of the executives also believe that Mexico has great potential for innovation and that this feature can be exported to Latin American markets and the U.S. Hispanic market. They also believe that providing good service on a tight budget is a know-how possessed by most professionals in Mexico and that this in itself is a big plus that can be exploited in other markets.
First-hand knowledge of the U.S. Hispanic market
Most of the executives believe belonging to Latin culture gives them first-hand knowledge of the U.S. Hispanic market that can be put to advantage. Many of them said that sharing the same language, values ??and customs of the Spanish-speaking community ensures greater consumer awareness of the Hispanic market. Other executives also believe that the research tools developed specifically for the Mexican consumer can also be applied to the Hispanic market. One executive summed it up this way: "We have a close link to the feelings of the Hispanic world."
