ANA Unveils an Evolved Masters of Marketing Conference To Set the Agenda for the Future of Advertising

The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) will host its highly anticipated Masters of Marketing Conference in Orlando, setting the stage for the future of the advertising industry. This year’s event will adopt a dynamic new format, transforming traditional discussions into focused, forward-looking roadmaps. By emphasizing specific actions and concrete outcomes, the conference aims to move beyond dialogue and inspire decisive steps that anyone in the industry can apply to their business growth strategies and drive the marketing agenda forward.

CMOs and senior brand-side marketers from Netflix, HP, Google, Mars, AT&T, P&G, Progressive Insurance, L’Oréal Groupe, Mint Mobile, and more will share their forward-looking approaches, including those driven by new technologies and data, helping the industry navigate the marketing ecosystem today and tomorrow.  Each keynote will spotlight future growth opportunities for brands, exploring how they are positioning their organizations for long-term success and sharing their visions for what lies ahead, rather than just the rearview mirror of what’s been successful in the past. This year’s Masters of Marketing Conference features keynotes from first-time, international speakers at top global brands, including:

• Asmita Dubey, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer, L’Oréal Groupe focusing on “Pioneering a New Standard for Consumer Experience”
• Gülen Bengi, Lead Chief Marketing Officer, Mars and Chief Growth Officer, Mars Snacking on “Human Centered Business Transformation” 
• Sumit Virmani, EVP and Global Chief Marketing Officer, Infosys focusing on “Creativity and Human-first Approach to B2B Marketing”

These sessions will be mixed in with keynotes from industry icons who are returning to the ANA’s main stage, including: 

• Kellyn Smith Kenny, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer, AT&T discussing “Building A Customer-centric Organization”
• Antonio Lucio, Chief Marketing and Corporate Affairs Officer, HP, Inc. on “Delivering Growth and Fulfillment through Technology”

Other notable “firsts” for the Main Stage extend beyond the “big brand CMOs” to go deeper on key topics that are driving the industry’s change, which include:

• A curated keynote block on Generative AI, featuring experts from Google, Microsoft, The Palmer Group and others to address implications for marketers in the year ahead.
• Simon Cook, CEO of LIONS will showcase gold standards in creativity and innovation
• The entire stage on Friday, October 25, is dedicated to preparing the industry for “Creative Disruption, the Next Frontier”, which features specially curated keynotes from companies that are driving the future, such as e.l.f. Beauty, Instacart, WARC, Globant/Gut, DUDE Wipes, ETS, in addition to Dr. Marcus Collins on disrupting culture. Fittingly, the ANA’s recognition of “Rising Stars” is included as well. 
• And given the importance of this topic, the ANA has tapped Mark Penn, renowned polling expert and Chairman & CEO, Stagwell, to share implications of the US elections for brands covering AI, publishing and brand safety. 

This year’s Masters of Marketing Conference marks a pivotal evolution for the ANA and the advertising industry as a whole" said Bob Liodice, CEO, ANA. "By shifting to a decision-driven, action-focused format, we’re empowering marketers not just to discuss the future but to shape it. With input from global CMOs and other key industry leaders, including a robust lineup of keynote speakers, we are laying the groundwork for industry-wide transformation, providing attendees with the insights and tools they need to drive growth, innovation, and success in the year ahead"

This year the ANA is also introducing several new aspects to Masters of Marketing to support its agenda-setting mission including: 

• Global Growth Council Initiatives: The Global CMO Growth Council will announce its top priority initiatives for 2025, based on feedback from more than 200 CMO delegates. 
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Expanding the event’s reach, the conference will include stakeholders beyond marketing, such as talent & learning executives, financial management professionals, sustainability practitioners, and experts in generative AI, with a special focus on B2B sectors.
• Global Perspective: The Global CMO Growth Council has spent the past year gathering insights from regions around the world, holding forums in Penang, Singapore, Dubai, São Paulo, Cannes, New York City, and London. With more than 40 countries represented at this year’s event, the agenda incorporates the distinct feedback and input from CMOs and marketing leaders around the world to reflect an international advertising perspective. 
• Increased focus on B2B Marketing: ANA Masters of Marketing is elevating the importance of B2B marketing, providing strategies and resources around how these organizations mature their marketing functions. 

The agenda for the event has been re-engineered to focus on how marketers can help their businesses be more successful in the year ahead, rather than just showcasing examples from the previous year. You can view the full agenda here.

ABOUT THE ANA

The mission of the ANA (Association of National Advertisers) is to drive growth for marketing professionals, brands and businesses, the industry, and humanity. The ANA serves the marketing needs of 20,000 brands by leveraging the 12-point ANA Growth Agenda, which has been endorsed by the Global CMO Growth Council. The ANA’s membership consists of U.S. and international companies, including client-side marketers, nonprofits, fundraisers, and marketing solutions providers (data science and technology companies, ad agencies, publishers, media companies, suppliers, and vendors). The ANA creates Marketing Growth Champions by serving, educating, and advocating for more than 50,000 industry members that collectively invest more than $400 billion in marketing and advertising annually.