2009 Masters of Marketing Annual Conference Focuses on Achieving Growth Even In Challenging Marketplace

ANA 2009 "Masters of Marketing" Annual Conference Focuses on Achieving Growth-- Even In A Challenging Marketplace
Meeting to Launch ANA's Year-Long 100th Anniversary Celebration; Marketer's Constitution Unveiled

New York, NY - Achieving growth in spite of the recession is the focus of the ANA 2009 Masters of Marketing Annual Conference, which kicks off today and runs until Sunday, November 8 at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix, Arizona. Over 1,200 of the nation's marketing leaders — from major corporations, agencies and media companies — have gathered at the signature event which, as the 99th gathering of the ANA (Association of National Advertisers), will also serve as the launch of the ANA's year-long 100th anniversary celebration.

Speakers and panelists will explore how companies have defied the recession by intensifying their marketing, reinforcing brand benefits, introducing new products and taking share from competitors. Instead of hunkering down and reducing marketing expenditures, these companies have taken advantage of the diversified media landscape and effectively and measurably deployed their marketing investments to achieve growth.  

"In good times and bad, up-cycles and down, expansions and recessions, strong marketing is an essential force for building brands, growing business and stimulating the economy," said ANA President and CEO Bob Liodice in his keynote address this morning. "We look forward to using this meeting of marketing leaders as not only an opportunity to look back at the past year, but as the beginning of our 100th anniversary year dedicated to looking into our rich history as well as forward at the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow."

100th Anniversary Celebration
Formed in 1910, the ANA has led the marketing community for 100 years. Initiating the anniversary festivities, the Marketer's Constitution was unveiled during Liodice's keynote address. This document sets forth what the ANA believes will be ten key tenets of marketing for the next 100 years. These essential "musts" will ensure that the marketing industry thrives and continues to contribute to the economic and social wellbeing of our society. They are as follows:

1. Marketing must become increasingly targeted, focused and personal.
2. Marketing must build real, tangible and enduring brand value.
3. Marketing must become more effective--more creative, insightful and accountable.
4. Marketing must become more integrated and proficient in managing expanding media platforms.
5. The marketing supply chain must become more efficient and productive.
6. The marketing ecosystem--including agencies, media and suppliers--must become increasingly capable.
7. Marketing professionals must become better, highly skilled, diverse leaders.
8. Marketing must be indisputably socially responsible.
9. Marketing must be unencumbered by inappropriate legislation or regulation.
10. The marketing discipline must be elevated and respected.

The goal of the Marketer's Constitution is to inspire the entire marketing community to come together and embrace a successful future. According to Liodice, the Constitution will be on display throughout the conference for attendees to sign, and will travel to every ANA conference and forum throughout the year as well as to other industry events where others can add their names. It will also appear on the ANA Web site at (www.ana.net) where digital signatures can be submitted. 

Annual "Masters of Marketing" Conference Details
The four-day program also features the following speakers:

For more information about the ANA Annual Conference, please contact Lesley Neadel on-site at 914.589.2187 or lneadel@cooperkatz.com, or Megan Burke, also on site, at 617.285.0771 or mburke@cooperkatz.com. 

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.

Press Contacts:  
Lesley Neadel
CooperKatz for the ANA
lneadel@cooperkatz.com
914.589.2187 (on-site)
917.595.3034

Megan Burke
CooperKatz for the ANA
mburke@cooperkatz.com
617.285.0771 (on-site)
917.595.3058