The top concerns on the minds of senior marketing executives are "integrated marketing communications" and "marketing accountability," according to a recent study by the Association of National Advertisers. Guess which one of these two jumped to #1 from #4 last year?


The ANA asked over 100 senior marketers to select from a comprehensive list of subjects to rank their top three issues that directly impact their marketing decisions and plans. Integrated marketing communications jumped from the fourth spot in 2006 to the top of the list this year. Marketing accountability, which had topped the list for the previous three annual surveys, slipped to second place.
"The results recognize that marketers are increasingly challenged by the proliferation and complexity of the marketing and media landscape," said Bob Liodice, the ANA's president and CEO, in a statement. "It is not a surprise to see this, particularly as marketing mix allocations have become paramount in the overall accountability and brand building equations."
Guess which issue came in last? Attracting and retaining top talent. I can't tell if this means there's a large supply of talent out there, or senior marketing execs just don't see it as an issue.
Here's the list of issues. Which one would you choose as YOUR top marketing issue?
Integrated marketing communications
Accountability
Aligning marketing organization with innovation
Building strong brands
Media proliferation
Consumer control over what and how they view advertising
Globalization of marketing efforts
Growth of multicultural consumer segments
Advertising creative that achieves business results
Attracting and retaining top talent
Read the press release for more.