• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, October 11, 2012

Sunnier days in Orlando: The Association of National Advertisers kicked off its annual conference, this year called the Masters of Marketing, with more than 2,000 attendees and upbeat predictions. Bob Liodice, the ANA’s president and CEO, talked about media growth, with digital up 17%, mobile up 97%, and social, now at $4 billion, predicted to grow to $10 billion by 2016, as well as 6% gain in plain old television.

Borrowing a line from election coverage, he asked the audience: “Are we better off today than we were four years ago?”

“I believe the answer is 'yes, we most certainly are.’ The growth the industry has experienced is absolutely extraordinary, and something we must keep top of mind as we step up to the next series of challenges that await our industry.”

He also addressed measurement and accountability, and while touting the industry’s 3MS, or Making Measurement Make Sense collaboration, says the ANA “wants very specific progress in brand specific commercial ratings for television. Marketers are leaving millions of dollars on the table in lost productivity and sub-standard business decisions due to the lack of reliable ratings information.” He says the association will introduce new measurement initiatives next month.