Accountability Is Job One for ANA

What do national advertisers want most? A way to measure the effectiveness of their ad dollars in a world where technology is both fragmenting and potentially bypassing their message and at the same time allowing it to be inserted seamlessly almost everywhere.

What is second on their list? Taking better advantage of all the innovation that is making it harder to track those messages.

It is the third year in a row that accountability tops the list.

According to a new study by the Association of National Advertisers, "accountability" tops the list of "top-of-mind" issues among senior marketing executives, followed by "aligning the marketing organization with innovation."

ANA will use the study as a guide for its October conference in Orlando, Fla.

After accountability and innovation came, in order:

• Building strong brands
•  Integrated marketing communications
• Media fragmentation
•  Impact of technology on marketing
•  Growth of multicultural consumer segments
•  Attracting and retaining top talent
• Consumer control over how they view advertising
•  Advertising creative that achieves business results
•  Globalization of marketing efforts.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.