ANA Study Finds Efforts to Centralize, Integrate Marketing Organization Fall Short of Marketers' Goals | About the ANA | ANA
Log in Search

ANA Study Finds Efforts to Centralize, Integrate Marketing Organization Fall Short of Marketers' Goals

ANA Study Finds Efforts to Centralize, Integrate Marketing Organization Fall Short of Marketers’ Goals
Only 21 Percent of Marketers Surveyed Report that Marketing Interacts at the C-Level of the Company

New York (March 4, 2008) — Despite a growing trend to centralize the marketing function and integrate its disciplines, only 13 percent of senior marketers are very satisfied with their company’s marketing structure, according to new research by the ANA (Association of National Advertisers). The study also found that while 37 percent of executives surveyed report that their marketing department interacts and advises their company at a higher level now than two years ago, only 21 percent say that marketing interacts at the C-level of the company.

The study, conducted in partnership with Guideline Inc. in October 2007, is based on a survey of 132 marketing executives at both B2B and B2C companies and covers a wide range of issues and trends affecting today’s marketing organization.

Major findings of the study include the following:

  • A centralized marketing organization is the dominant structure among those surveyed, with just over half of marketers, 52 percent, classifying their organizations as such. 
  • Overall, 49 percent of respondents believe marketing has become more centralized in the past two years.  
    • Among B2B companies, 56 percent report increased centralization of the marketing function over the past two years, while among B2C companies, 39 percent of respondents report the same. 
  • Nearly two-thirds of marketers report that their company’s marketing function has become more integrated within the past two years. 
    • However, only a slim majority of marketers, 52 percent, say that their company’s marketing function has achieved actual integration.

“Companies are clearly moving to rein in dispersed marketing organizations and tightly integrate all the marketing disciplines,” said Bob Liodice, President and CEO of the ANA. “However, at this point, creating the optimal marketing organization is still a ‘work in progress’ as these businesses continually strive to reinvent their approach to brand building.” 

Additional insights from the study include these:

Large percentages of respondents believe that marketing has a major impact on four key areas of the organization:

  • Overall brand development, 89 percent
  • Revenue/volume, 79 percent
  • Strategic direction, 75 percent
  • Market share, 71 percent
  • Outsourcing a portion of an organization’s marketing function to marketing service providers has grown as outsourcing costs have decreased and media fragmentation has increased. 94 percent of respondents reported outsourcing at least one marketing function, and the vast majority (86 percent) expect this trend to continue in the near term. The functions outsourced are mainly media planning and buying, but also include creative services, marketing research and public relations.

The study is available to ANA members only and can be downloaded at: https://www.ana.net/miccontent/show?id=wp_mrktng_org. Media can contact Lesley Weiner at the information below to obtain a copy.

About the ANA

The mission of the ANA (Association of National Advertisers) is to drive growth for marketing professionals, brands and businesses, the industry, and humanity. The ANA serves the marketing needs of 20,000 brands by leveraging the 12-point ANA Growth Agenda, which has been endorsed by the Global CMO Growth Council. The ANA’s membership consists of U.S. and international companies, including client-side marketers, nonprofits, fundraisers, and marketing solutions providers (data science and technology companies, ad agencies, publishers, media companies, suppliers, and vendors). The ANA creates Marketing Growth Champions by serving, educating, and advocating for more than 50,000 industry members that collectively invest more than $400 billion in marketing and advertising annually.

About Guideline, Inc.

Founded in 1969, Guideline (OTC Bulletin Board: GDLN) is the nation’s premier provider of customized research and analysis designed to help companies make more informed decisions about critical business issues. Our suite of research capabilities includes Custom Market Research, Strategic Intelligence and On-Demand Research. Guideline specializes in nearly all major industries, including health care and pharmaceuticals, consumer packaged goods, financial and business services, media and communications, technology and manufacturing. Guideline, Inc. is located at 625 Avenue of the Americas, New York, N.Y., 10011. More information is available by calling 212.645.4500 or visiting http://www.guideline.com/.

PRESS CONTACT:
Lesley Weiner
CooperKatz for the ANA
212.455.8079
lweiner@cooperkatz.com