Advocacy

Advocacy on behalf of the marketing industry is the ANA’s ongoing commitment.

The ANA proactively takes stands on public issues and governmental actions that affect the marketing community's ability to operate in our free-market society. As a leading advocate for all client-side marketers, the ANA publicly underscores the immense economic value that marketing contributes to individuals and society at large. Equally important is our ongoing commitment to continuously seek ways to make the marketing process more efficient and effective, enabling marketers to maximize the return on their investments.

Legislative and Regulatory Issues Tracking

ANA's Washington, DC office works to protect the ability of all marketers to communicate effectively with consumers. The scope of legislation, regulations, and court cases impacting the marketing community continues to be extremely broad, extending to issues as diverse as online privacy, prescription drug advertising, restrictions on the tax deductibility of advertising costs and the regulatory powers of the Federal Trade Commission.

Compendium of Legislative, Regulatory and Legal Issues

ANA's Washington, DC office plays a leading role in protecting the ability of all marketers to communicate effectively with consumers. At the end of each year, we prepare a Compendium which describes our efforts on the broad range of issues we have faced.

The Role of Advertising in America

Advertising occupies a major place in American society. Linked to the bedrock principles that shaped our nation—free speech, competition and individual choice—it has served the public since colonial times as a source of vital information about our open, market-based economy. Protected by the First Amendment, it informs the public, promotes competition, fuels economic growth, creates jobs and fosters a wide array of media choices for consumers.

The Role of Advertising in America (PDF)
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The Basics of Advertising Regulation (PDF)
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Government Relations News

ICANN Rejects Reconsideration Request Regarding “Strawman”

The recent rejection by ICANN of a reconsideration request regarding trademark protections in the "Strawman" proposal is an important development in enhancing the trademark protections in the new top level domain (TLD) program.

ANA Opposes Food Labeling and Advertising Restrictions in Connecticut

ANA has written a letter to the Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives Brendan Sharkey expressing our strong opposition to House Bills 6519 and 6527, both of which are currently pending before the Connecticut House of Representatives.

FTC Rejects Request to Extend Effective Date of Revised COPPA Rule

The FTC has denied a request by ANA and eighteen other trade associations to extend the effective date of the revised Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule to January 1, 2014.

Update on Pending Privacy Bills in California

There are several online privacy bills pending in the California State Legislature that could have serious implications for all marketers.

Senator Schumer Set to Introduce Patent Troll Legislation

Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) has announced that he will introduce legislation to combat so-called “patent trolls,” or entities that purchase patents from inventors solely for the purpose of suing legitimate businesses creating or using products closely related to that covered by the patent.

Chairman Rockefeller Remains Critical of Digital Advertising Alliance Self-Regulatory Efforts

On Wednesday, April 24, 2013, the Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing on the progress of industry self-regulation of online behavioral advertising (OBA)

Vermont Attorney General Targets Food Marketing to Children

The Attorney General of Vermont, Bill Sorrell, plans to target and look for new ways to regulate food marketing to children.

Ohio Governor’s Sales Tax Plan Dropped by House Republicans

The Republican leadership in the Ohio House released a revised budget bill yesterday that completely stripped out Governor John Kasich’s proposal to extend the sales tax to advertising and a broad range of other business services.

Louisiana Governor Backs Away From Sales Tax Proposal

In a short speech yesterday to the Louisiana Legislature on the opening day of their 2013 session, Governor Bobby Jindal announced he was backing away from the tax reform proposal he had offered last month.

FCC Asks For Comment on Indecency Policy

The FCC is asking for comment on the changes in its policy regarding indecency.

FDA Decides Not to Challenge Court Decision Tossing out Tobacco Warning Labels

Last week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced they would not seek Supreme Court review of the decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that invalidated its rulemaking on graphic warning labels for cigarette packaging and advertisements.

IWG Report Still a No-Go Without Cost/Benefit Analysis

The Continuing Resolution passed last week by the Senate and House to fund the government through the end of September continues the prohibition on the FTC issuing a final Interagency Working Group (IWG) report until it performs a cost/benefit analysis.

Good News on Ohio Ad Tax Front

The House Finance Committee in the Ohio Legislature yesterday concluded three days of hearings on Governor Kasich’s budget and sales tax plan.

Louisiana Governor Proposes Tax on Advertising Agency Services; Update on Ohio and Minnesota

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal unveiled his tax reform proposal to members of the legislature yesterday. That plan calls for eliminating the income tax, increasing the sales tax rate from 4% to 5.88% and extending the sales tax to a number of business services, including advertising agency services.

DeFazio and Chaffetz Introduce Legislation to Combat Patent Trolls

Late last week, Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-OR/4) and Jason Chaffetz (R-UT/3) introduced legislation that would deal with so-called “patent trolls,” a growing problem for the advertising industry.

ANA Marketing News

May 15, 2013
ANA and MarketShare Launch New $50,000 Marketing Analytics Leadership Award

Apr 24, 2013
Negotiations Between SAG-AFTRA, ANA and 4A’s Result in Mandate for Ad-ID in All Commercial Production

Apr 1, 2013
2013 ANA Recession Survey Reveals Marketers Continuing to Employ Cost Savings and Reductions

Mar 4, 2013
ANA Survey Reveals ‘Accountability’ is the Top Concern for Senior Marketers

Feb 27, 2013
ANA Opposes Ad Tax Proposal in Minnesota

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OBA Background and Toolkit

Leading marketing and advertising industry associations have established a comprehensive, self-regulatory program and implemented consumer-friendly principles and enforcement standards regarding online behavioral advertising.

SAG/AFTRA

ANA and the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s) conduct broadcast talent negotiations with the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) through the Joint Policy Committee, or JPC.

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Alliance for Family Entertainment

The ANA Alliance for Family Entertainment is a group of major national advertisers, supported by the Association of National Advertisers dedicated to finding, nurturing, developing and supporting family friendly programming.

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