Once upon a time, digital was viewed a complement to TV, but today the amount of time people spend online is beginning to mirror the amount of TV viewing time.

Mobile is the new first screen. On average, people check their phones 150 times per day. More than one-third of consumers are "mobile-only."

Compared to organizations in the retail, communications and financial services sectors that are gaining noteworthy value from advanced analytics, it is arguable whether consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies have yet to achieve the same results. Often they are still using outdated approaches to sales and marketing, and many are also not using social and mobile data to their full potential.

At this point on the calendar, marketers tend to reflect on the best marketing of the year and consider how to apply others' successful strategies to their own brands and categories. Think of it as sideways inspiration.

The holiday season is in full swing, which means office parties, time with family, and food -- lots of it. Traditionally, consumers have spent much of their time in December in the kitchen, transforming fresh ingredients into delicious, homemade food. But 46% of consumers today eat out when they want better food that is healthier and tastier, according to a recent study from The Hartman Group. In other words, almost half of consumers believe that restaurant food is healthier than food made at home. This is astonishing, considering that restaurant-goers have little knowledge or control over what goes into their …

In a meeting last month, the brand manager from a CPG brand at a Fortune 100 company said he did not think his customers would talk eagerly about his brand because it is not a "lifestyle brand." This is a common concern and hurdle for CPG marketers. The brands they envy are part of the consumer's everyday life, and, therefore, consumers reference the brands in daily conversations.

Consumers are voting at an accelerated rate for brands that enable customization.

It seems like December is the time of the year that many people make predictions about the year to come. While I have my opinions, I'll leave the prognostications to the analysts and pundits ... my only prediction: some of them will be right, and most of them will be wrong. In lieu of fortune telling, however, I've pulled together a roundup of five must-read reports from 2014 that I believe provide 1) good research; 2) good insight and guidance; or 3) a good mix of both.

CPG brands are typically known for their price wars and mass messaging, but the rise of and increasing desire for more intimate one-to-one messaging and anonymous platforms provides these brands with new opportunities to get personal.