Editor's Picks for ANA Magazine | ANA

Editor's Picks for ANA Magazine

  • Stopping Burnout

    Trends and Technology   November 22, 2024  

    Burnout is taking a serious toll throughout the workplace, leading to lower productivity and higher absenteeism, among other costs — marketing teams may be increasingly susceptible.

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  • How Brands Bolster Their Product Placement Strategy

    Trends and Technology   November 15, 2024  

    The rise of streaming TV is opening up new opportunities for product placement for marketers eager to distinguish their products with consumers. But the execution has become much more complex, as successful product placement efforts require a strategic collaboration among brands, vendors, and content creators to ensure the product fits seamlessly within the narrative.

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  • Guerrilla Marketing Should Be More than a Stunt

    Trends and Technology   September 18, 2024  

    As social media and the rise of artificial intelligence-driven content blur the lines between creators and advertisers, guerrilla marketing may become an increasingly viable marketing vehicle, though perhaps still as elusive to define as it is to spot a 6-foot-7 Sasquatch in the wilds of Central Park.

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  • Using Principal Media Requires a Keen Eye

    Trends and Technology   August 2, 2024  

    "Principal media," or when agencies purchase — or negotiate — inventory from media owners at bulk rates, then resell it to their clients at a markup, is taking off. In a recent ANA study, 41 percent of respondents expect to use principal media throughout the next year. But while offering myriad benefits to marketers, principal media is fraught with challenges, ranging from potential conflicts of interest to low-quality inventory.

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  • The Expanding Number of Niche Sports Offers New Ad Plays

    Trends and Technology   July 29, 2024  

    Pickleball tops a growing roster of niche sports that are attracting legions of fans, with a smorgasbord of games for advertisers to tap into. The appeal to marketers is twofold: affordability and the opportunity to integrate a brand into the consumer experience.

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  • AI Draws New Opportunities for Advertising Design

    Trends and Technology   July 10, 2024  

    Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing how marketers conceptualize, craft, and distribute advertising creative. But as they integrate AI with their ad design, marketers need to be aware of several potential stumbling blocks.

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  • Google Delayed the Demise of Cookies. Again. Now What?

    Trends and Technology   June 21, 2024  

    Google's latest delay to shut down third-party cookies until 2025 presents another reprieve for marketers who are scrambling to develop fresh data strategies. One hurdle is whether companies will be able to dismantle their silos and share more first-party data across the organization.

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  • Influencer Marketing Is Changing the Game for Celebrity Athletes

    Trends and Technology   May 17, 2024  

    Social media and influencer marketing have started to blur the line between celebrity athletes and brand ambassadors. The challenge for brand managers is how to harness the new constellations of stars without putting the company in jeopardy or alienating people.

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  • The Real Draw of AI Virtual Influencers

    Trends and Technology   May 8, 2024  

    Human influencers, move over. Nearly two-thirds of marketers said they are open to teaming up with AI-created virtual influencers, according to a new study. As the trend gains momentum, marketers need to ensure that their AI-driven partners are tightly controlled and sync up nicely with the brand.

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  • How to Use AI Responsibly in Marketing

    Trends and Technology   February 23, 2024  

    Experimenting with generative AI should be controlled and guided by clear and transparent policies, which are sorely lacking. Only 22 percent of companies have generative AI policies, and only 21 percent have an AI ethics policy or responsible AI principles, according to a recent survey.

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  • Can AI Solve the Data Privacy Challenge?

    Trends and Technology   December 22, 2023  

    The vast majority of the advertising industry agrees that a state-led approach to data privacy legislation does not work. But what might privacy look like in an ideal future, and is AI the answer?

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  • The Need for a Comprehensive U.S. Data Privacy Law

    Trends and Technology   December 15, 2023  

    The cry for federal data privacy legislation has reached a fever pitch, as navigating state laws becomes increasingly confusing and costly. In response, advertising industry groups are working together to advocate for a single federal law.

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  • Is the Patchwork of U.S. State Privacy Laws Untenable?

    Trends and Technology   December 8, 2023  

    Consumer data privacy in the U.S. is complicated because the country lacks a national data privacy law. But individual state laws that form a patchwork of complexity and sometimes-conflicting regulations are leaving brands — and individuals — confused about their rights.

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  • How Extended Payment Terms May Affect Agency Relations

    Trends and Technology   November 24, 2023  

    Saying that they face a seemingly endless threat of a recession along with financial pressures from upper management, client-side marketers continue to ask for extended payment terms, putting the squeeze on creative services firms. But agencies are pushing back, as the 4A's insist on in a recent report that agencies only accept 30-day payment terms.

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  • What Happens When Media Consumption Rates Peak?

    Trends and Technology   November 1, 2023  

    Media usage may be moving toward a tipping point in which consumer consumption rates for both traditional media and digital channels reach saturation. Marketers will have to alter their engagement strategies to capture more elusive consumers.

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  • Reaching People with Disabilities Authentically

    Trends and Technology   September 26, 2023  

    By ignoring people with disabilities, brands are not only potentially alienating a large swath of the population, they're also leaving money on the table. New research conducted by Morning Consult found that 84 percent of respondents had a more favorable impression of companies that are inclusive of people with disabilities in their marketing and advertising and 80 percent wanted to do more business with such companies.

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  • Marketers Balance the Promise and Peril of Generative AI

    Trends and Technology   September 22, 2023  

    The promise of AI is tempered by growing concerns regarding the risks the technology presents, leading the Biden administration to pressure the seven leading AI companies to commit to new standards for safety, security, and trust as they aggressively compete to dominate the space. Brands and agencies are diving in.

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  • Do Marketers Go Big for the Holidays?

    Trends and Technology   September 15, 2023  

    Most people will be watching their wallets during the 2023 holidays, with more than half of consumers (53 percent) saying inflation will have a moderate or significant impact on their spending. To ensure that they are buying wisely, consumers are demanding more from brands and retailers. They want flexible return policies, discounts, loyalty programs, and the capability to buy online and pick up in-store.

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  • Catering to Hispanic Communities Means Overcoming Stereotypes

    Trends and Technology   August 25, 2023  

    Marketing to Hispanic consumers requires that brands heavily research the distinctive factors that matter most to them. Influencers can help brands connect with the various communities, as well as cultural elements like music and humor, but it's important to consult market experts to ensure the campaign is effective.

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  • Navigating Controversy

    Trends and Technology   August 4, 2023  

    While the backlash to brands aligning their messaging and merchandise with Pride Month has quelled, marketers continue to weigh the risks of taking a stand on hot-button issues. It seems an increasingly difficult needle to thread for marketers, who must grapple with a polarized society and the spread of misinformation on social media. Before they take a stand, brands need to take the temperature of both the mainstream and potential opposition and be prepared to stick to their messaging.

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