In a new survey of more than 4,000 people, 69 percent expect a brand's online store, mobile app and physical store to offer the same pricing, discounts and sales. These results are from a survey by SDL that looked at the mobile and social media habits of consumers in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Singapore. The survey also found 62 percent of respondents use a mobile device at a brand's physical location to compare products and prices. And, nearly one third of respondents in all locales use a brand's mobile app or website when looking to learn more about a brand from their mobile device. SDL also found the "showrooming" trend is still very much relevant …

The world's first ongoing global study of public relations and communication management practice was recently announced following the signing of a partnership agreement between the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management and the Strategic Communication and Public Relations Center at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. "The public relations profession is growing and changing, and the Global Alliance believes that we must understand this evolution in order to promote high standards and be effective advocates for the value of PR to organizations—and to society. This ambitious survey will provide global benchmark data that can help us chart our profession's development in the years to come …"

Sunbathers headed to the beach this summer will find new sunscreen labels on store shelves that are designed to make the products more effective and easier to use. But despite those long-awaited changes, many sunscreens continue to carry SPF ratings that some experts consider misleading and potentially dangerous, according to a consumer watchdog group. A survey of 1,400 sunscreen products by the Environmental Working Group finds that most products meet new federal requirements put in place last December. The rules from the Food and Drug Administration ban terms like "waterproof," which regulators consider misleading. Also, one in seven products reviewed by the watchdog group boasted SPF ratings above 50, which have long been viewed with skepticism …

More than two thirds of Americans prefer to shop in traditional, brick and mortar stores than online commerce sites, according to a survey conducted by Instant.ly on behalf of Synqera, a global technology startup that uses big data to bring personalized digital experiences to the physical retail store. The survey found that shoppers gravitate towards retail locations that offer customized shopping experiences but that checkout remains the number one pain point for 73 percent of U.S. consumers. "We discovered that coupon usage increases if they were immediately accessible and personalized to each shopper that walks into the retailer's store. If the consumer is actively engaged the entire time they are in a store, the better they feel …"

Over the next three years, global organizations will make understanding and interacting with the customer their top priority. So says a new study from the Economist Intelligence Unit, Voice of the customer: Whose job is it, anyway? Yet only 56 percent of respondents to the survey, sponsored by SAS, believe their companies clearly understand the customer today. Worryingly, many companies find it challenging to restructure their businesses around the customer, having been organized traditionally around products or geographies. Only six in ten viewed their companies as customer-centric and just over half report a clear understanding of customers' tastes and needs. "A growing shift to digital marketing also provides a rich foundation for data-driven customer insight …"

Results of Socialbakers' latest Socially Devoted Brand survey for Twitter (Q1 2013) reveal Nike to be the U.S. brand to beat, dominating the top ten U.S. list with four different Nike handles. While JetBlue Airways and Nokia take the #2 and #4 spots, respectively, they are surrounded by brands in banking, sporting goods, food, cloud computing and, a Q1 favorite, tax prep. On Facebook, the most Socially Devoted U.S. brands in Q1 2013 were uniformly telecoms and airlines, industries where online customer service has become critically important to their business. "Twitter enables a certain open conversation, and allows brands to address their customers' needs immediately and directly. More and more brands are appreciating the value …"

Traditional reputation management practices dictate that corporations avoid public controversy if at all possible, but new research by WrightIMC shows that brands that have strong public points of view can actually build customer loyalty and generate additional sales for brands. WrightIMC conducted a survey on a diverse range of consumers, and research was also conducted on controversial positions or viewpoints from five major U.S. brands in the recent past and how it affected business: Chick-fil-A and same-sex marriage; Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Planned Parenthood; Hobby Lobby and contraceptives in employee medical plans; J.C. Penney and Ellen DeGeneres as spokesperson; and Starbucks' support of same-sex marriage …

In the span of just one week, the U.S. government is suffering the PR fallout from two separate covert episodes of arguably unwarranted intrusions of organizational privacy. First came the revelation that the Internal Revenue Service had secretly but purposely targeted certain Republican groups, and now it has been revealed that the Justice Department secretly obtained two months of telephone records of reporters and editors for the Associated Press in what the news cooperative's top executive called a "massive and unprecedented intrusion" into how news organizations gather the news. And all of this while the administration continues to reel from allegations—and a subsequent investigation—of a suspected cover up in Benghazi …

While LinkedIn, Facebook and other online accounts provide an opportunity for graduates to impress hiring managers, a new survey shows that many graduates are spending time on their traditional resumes and neglecting a new yet important part of the image they present to prospective employers—their online presence. Sixty percent of graduates are not concerned about their online profiles affecting their ability to secure or keep a job, but experts in the field say researching a job candidate's online presence has become standard practice and many have rejected candidates because of the personal content they find. "Many graduates, and older workers as well, overestimate …"

Despite increased business investment in innovation, only 18 percent of executives believe their company's innovation efforts deliver a competitive advantage, according to a new Accenture study that also revealed a risk averse approach to product and service development. Ninety-three percent of surveyed executives said the long-term success of their organization's strategy depends on their ability to innovate—but the study found a decline in the satisfaction with innovation performance compared to the results of a similar Accenture study conducted in 2009. "Many companies take a low-risk approach to innovation that can jeopardize results because they lack a prudent, disciplined approach for innovation risk management …"

Former Penn State University president Graham Spanier became the highest paid public college president of 2011-12, when he was forced out over his handling of the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal, according to a survey released over the weekend. The Chronicle of Higher Education's annual ranking of public college presidents' earnings said Spanier's $2.9 million pay, which included $1.2 million in severance and $1.2 million in deferred compensation, put him well ahead of his peers when he left Penn State in November 2011. Former Florida A&M University president James Ammons also saw his place on the earning list rise amid scandal. He ranked 11th at $781,000 after collecting $422,000 in severance …

For those wondering if small business owners are actually using mobile technology for their business, the answer is a definitive "yes," according to new survey data from Constant Contact. Of those surveyed in March 2013, 66 percent report currently using a mobile device. While this majority adoption is promising, it's important to note that, of the 34 percent not using any mobile device or solution for their business, a resounding 65 percent have no plans to do so in the future, mainly citing a lack of customer demand. "We received some anecdotal survey responses that said 'It costs too much' and 'I have no idea how this stuff works' …"

Despite the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) milestone decision to approve social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter for news distribution by public companies, most investors aren't paying much heed. According to a new survey by online broker/dealer TradeKing, 61 percent of survey respondents said they use Google Search and Alerts, 59 percent said newspapers (offline and online), 46 percent said company websites, 32 percent said TV/radio, while social channels Twitter and Facebook received only seven and three percent of responses, respectively. Additionally, investors were asked their opinion of the SEC's decision to approve social media sites like Facebook and Twitter for corporate announcements …

Sports gear maker Adidas said this week it is encouraging workers in factories of some of its Asian suppliers to anonymously share possible grievances directly with the company via text message. The new hotline service will help bridge the communication gap between management and workers, enabling employees to "simply send an SMS when they feel their rights are breached," the company said. Adidas' efforts to improve control of labor conditions coincide with a renewed debate on working conditions at the suppliers of Western firms in the wake of deadly incidents in Bangladesh's garment industry. "Problems can be detected early on and be tackled …"

AVG Technologies this week announced the results of a survey of Canadian and U.S. mothers that explores mobile device and Internet use with their children. Based on the results, and just in time for Mother's Day, AVG offers moms five tips on how to provide kids a more secure digital and mobile lifestyle. AVG's survey found that 71% of North American moms frequently share their devices with their children to help keep them occupied, and 41% of moms are educating their kids on mobile threats and scams. "We support allowing children to create and explore their own digital personas. However we also understand the variety of acute dangers …"

EKN recently announced results from its new benchmark study, Navigating the Intersection between Marketing and IT, which reveals significant growth in the relationship between retailers' marketing and IT departments. The study, underwritten by sponsor CrossView and supporting sponsor Tata Consultancy Services, surveyed senior marketing and IT executives from leading retailers in North America. Findings reveal a stronger than expected bond between these two groups, as well as a greater role for marketers in the technology vendor selection process.

Findings from the benchmark study, available here, include…

Global clothing brands involved in Bangladesh's troubled garment industry responded in starkly different ways to the building collapse that killed more than 600 people. Some quickly acknowledged their links to the tragedy and promised compensation. Others denied they authorized work at factories in the building even when their labels were found in the rubble. Communications professionals say both are public relations strategies—and neither may be enough to protect companies from the stain of doing business in Bangladesh. They say that possibly the only way retailers and clothing brands can protect their reputations is to work to overhaul safety in Bangladesh's garment factories. "Just public relations is not going to do it …"

The public is evenly split 50-50 on whether today's CEOs should be bold and innovate to drive business forward, or focus on risk management to ensure safe and consistent performance, according to a new study released this week by Gibbs & Soell. "Rather than waiting for the perfect circumstances to drive their business forward, the public expects leaders to know when it is time to be bold and gives them permission to do so," said Gibbs & Soell's said Steve Halsey. "Those CEOs who can be bold and innovate in a way that still ensures solid business performance, and can effectively communicate this 'trifecta' to the general public, will reap tremendous rewards …"

Thanks to Pop-Tarts and Pringles, breakfast and snack giant Kellogg is holding its own, but its trademark cereal lines aren't helping—except for those targeting kids. But now, the company has a plan to get adults to eat more cereal: Pile on the nutrients. Kellogg said this week that it's introducing Raisin Bran with omega-3 and a multigrain version of Special K later this month as it works to boost struggling cereal sales in North America. Kellogg is also trying to redefine its cereal category—this year, the company is rolling out a "Breakfast To Go" dairy drink intended to be sold almost as a liquid cereal …

Four in 10 top marketing executives say they are not well prepared to meet their objectives, citing a lack of funding and inefficient business practices as the main impediments to improved performance, according to global research by Accenture. The research also reveals a growing commitment to digital marketing and analytics capabilities to tackle an increasingly complex customer environment. "Marketing executives are growing increasingly concerned that tight budgets and the lack of a clear strategy for implementing digital technologies are hurting their company's ability to compete in the digital age. There is a clear performance gap between the demands of the marketplace and the ability of marketing organizations to apply the digital technology …"

While events and trade shows are still a vital part of the marketing and customer engagement mix, senior marketers remain challenged to identify effective methods to measure and prove ROI, according to a new CMO Council study. Further complicating this scenario is that events and trade shows have largely remained isolated and disconnected from the overall business strategy. "What this study demonstrates is that marketers' attention is shifting, and now is the time to begin moving down this road of defining and tracking the value of event and experiential marketing …"

In a hyper-connected world where a strong online presence could mean better growth opportunities for business, 2013 looks to be another year of significantly increased online investment for small businesses. A new AT&T study finds that 66 percent of small businesses plan to invest as much or more in digital marketing—websites, social media and online advertisements—as they did last year. The poll also revealed that a vast majority of small businesses will expand their online and digital presence …

The value of a Facebook Fan to major consumer brands has increased an average of 28% to $174 since 2010, according to a new empirical study from Syncapse in partnership with Hotspex. The study, which examined 20 top global consumer brands in terms of their Facebook Fan performance, replicates and enhances the seminal research Syncapse conducted in late 2010 that first measured Facebook Fans value as drivers of shareholder value. In 2010, these brand pages typically had a few million Fans each. Top brands in the 2013 study have well over 15 million Fans, with some like McDonalds and Coca-Cola with 25 million and 60 million, respectively …

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other Silicon Valley leaders have formally launched a political group aimed at revamping immigration policy, boosting education and encouraging investment in scientific research. In a Washington Post op-ed announcing the formation of Fwd.us last week, Zuckerberg said the U.S. needs a new approach to these issues if it is to get ahead economically. This, he wrote, includes offering immigrants a path to citizenship. "We have a strange immigration policy for a nation of immigrants," Zuckerberg wrote. "And it's a policy unfit for today's world." Also backing the group are tech leaders such as LinkedIn CEO Reid Hoffman, venture capitalists John Doerr and Jim Breyer, as well as Ruchi Sanghvi of Dropbox, who was Facebook's first female engineer …