• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, November 10, 2008

At the "Masters of Marketing" Conference by the Association of National Advertisers recently, 1,200 client-side marketers, media and creative agencies and others, were polled via handheld devices about their marketing mix, budgets, plans, and tactics throughout the event. The results are shown here:

Adjustment to current marketing and media plans to account for the recent downturn in the financial markets:

• 33% say spending will be reduced
• 33% say spending will be constant / marketing mix will be reallocated
• 27% expect to spend more
• 8%  will keep everything status quo

CEO view of marketing efforts with respect to growth:

• 56% think of brand-building as an investment
• 21% think it's an unaccountable but necessary expense
• 15% are not sure
• 8% consider it an unnecessary expense

Preferred social media site for driving brand growth:

• 32% say none
• 20% say YouTube
• 18% facebook
• 12% like them all
• 10% say LinkedIn
• 6% MySpace
• 3% Twitter

Plans for Marketing expense in 2009 vs. 2008:

• 26% plan to increase spending more than 10%
• 13% plan to increase spending less than 10%
• 28% will hold stable
• 14% will decrease spending less than 10%
• 19% will decrease spending more than 10%

The largest branding discipline offering opportunity for growth:

• 17% choose traditional 30-second spots
• 7% like one page advertisements in a newspaper/magazine
• 16% pick web advertising
• 28% choose social media integration
• 7% feel direct Marketing
• 19% think grassroots, viral public relations
• 5% like radio

Company's current measurement method of brand growth:

• 70% say sales and net income
• 15% use third party brand equity valuations
• 9% think shareholder value
• 4% measure by household penetration
• 3% say company culture

Source: Association of National Advertisers, October 2008

Please see the complete release here.