ANA announces new measurement division to enable industry standards, accountability

The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) is launching Measurement for Marketers (MFM), a new division that aims to level the measurement playing field in the ad space. The announcement was made by ANA’s CEO Bob Liodice at the 2019 ANA Data & Measurement Conference this week.

Why we should care

With the digital industry surging toward increased transparency and ad safety initiatives, ANA is taking a natural step to support it by making efforts to keep measurement standards in check. For advertisers and marketers, this move could pave the way for a sanctioned baseline of measurement standards with resources to enable a cleaner ad ecosystem.

According to Liodice, the new division was created to drive cohesion across ad measurement standards and hold the industry accountable by delivering measurement-focused products and services to ANA members. Additionally, it aims to put marketers at the center, providing resources to enable thoughtful decision-making as marketers and advertisers direct digital growth strategies.

“This highly ambitious and historic action by the ANA puts the marketer’s agenda at the center of industry measurement,” Liodice said. “In the past the ANA and its members have relied heavily on joint trade association initiatives and on agencies and media sellers to drive the measurement agenda, but the missing piece has been the lack of dedicated ANA resources to get behind initiatives. As a result, the voice of the advertiser has been inconsistent.”

More on the news

• According to ANA, the Measurement for Marketers division will work closely on global initiatives with the World Federation of Advertisers and U.S. Media Rating Council.
• While the agenda and vision are still being fleshed out, ANA said the unit is expected to be fully operational by January 2020.

About The Author

Taylor Peterson

Taylor Peterson is Third Door Media’s Deputy Editor, managing industry-leading coverage that informs and inspires marketers. Based in New York, Taylor brings marketing expertise grounded in creative production and agency advertising for global brands. Taylor's editorial focus blends digital marketing and creative strategy with topics like campaign management, emerging formats, and display advertising.