A new report from ZenithOptimedia calculates that print, broadcast, cinema, out-of-home and Internet advertising expenditure make up 0.99% of economic output in 57 countries around the globe, and projects that ratio to remain stable in 2005 and 2006.

According to a Xerox Corporation researcher, when it comes to conveying meaning, how a document looks can be as critical as the words it carries, says new research investigating document "intents" and the impact of cross-media design as a document moves between paper and digital displays.

Last week's Brief on the Holidays was the "whys" of expectations. Here's the latest "whats" from the current comScore Networks release of its forecast of online consumer spending for the 2004 holiday season. comScore reports that consumer spending on non-travel goods at U.S. Web sites will exceed $15 billion during the November through December holiday season, representing growth of approximately 23% to 26% over the 2003 season.

A detailed look at current events and global news sites with demographics, ad styles, sizes and technologies.

A deep drill-down into demographics, ad types, advertisers, sizes and delivery technologies reaching online Home and Garden shopper.

According to The Media Audit in a recent report, Radio listeners are more inclined than television viewers to visit the Internet and buy on the Internet. Bob Jordan, president of International Demographics, Inc producing The Media Audit, said "Radio listeners are substantially more active on the web than are television viewers."

Archstone Consulting, anticipating the start of the 2004 holiday shopping season, forecasts that retailers will see a 3-5% overall increase in retail sales. Archstone Consulting defines the "holiday shopping season" as sales in November and December. Michael Unger, Director with Archstone Consulting, said "Barring any catastrophic events, retailers will have reason to celebrate this Holiday Season. However consumers... don't like uncertainty, and regardless of who is elected in November, a large veil of uncertainty will be lifted, further fueling holiday sales."

According to new research by Burson-Marsteller, the number of executives who don't want to be CEO has doubled since 2001, to 60% percent today versus 27% in 2001. Most executives have solidified their opinion about being CEO or not - only five percent are unsure compared to 26 percent in 2001.

The 2004 Response Rate Report, recently released by the Direct Marketing Association, concludes that telephone marketing has the highest ROI index, with 18.2, for marketers driving direct-order purchases. It is followed by e-mail, dimensional mail, and direct mail. In terms of response rates, telephone is the leader this year as it was last year at 5.73 percent.