ANA’s Bob Liodice Discusses AI’s “Clarifying Moment” and Anticipates 2025’s Top Marketing Issues… 

Bob Liodice, the ANA’s chief executive officer, is bullish on AI. Not only has the term been chosen three times by ANA members as the “Marketing Word of the Year,” but he believes that GenAI has the capability to help his members become better marketers.

“AI,” he says, “will change the entire productivity scale. Marketers are learning rapidly that what we do can be done much faster, more easily, and more productively. …The beauty of AI is that it is a tool that not only promises something but also delivers quite a bit. We have seen data that suggests the overall increment in productivity is nearing 10% in the two years that GenAI has been in the market.”

“What I love about AI is that it is not only going to help you write text better, but it will help you imagine better. It’s going to widen the lens.”

For the second consecutive year and third time in the past eight years, “AI” has been named the 2024 ANA Marketing Word of the Year, reinforcing its profound and transformative impact on the marketing industry as a driving force in shaping strategies and redefining the future.

Since 2014, the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) has selected its Marketing Word of the Year through a voting process. The ANA staff first identifies a list of finalists and then asks members to cast their votes to determine the winner. The survey has two questions: What word should be the ANA Marketing Word of the Year? and Why did you vote for that word?

This year, the ANA surveyed its membership base between November 18 and December 2. A total of 284 ANA members participated in the online poll, where AI emerged as the clear winner, securing 65% of the vote. The second-place contender, “personalization,” garnered just 14% of the vote. In the 11-year history of the ANA Marketing Word of the Year, AI is the only repeat winner, taking top honors in both 2023 (with 69% of the vote) and 2017.

Previous ANA Marketing Words of the Year have been inclusion (2022), diversity (2021), pivot (2020), personalization (2019), brand purpose (2018), transparency (2016), content marketing (2015), and programmatic (2014).

2025 CONSIDERATIONS

Bob Liodice also looks ahead to the new year with what he describes as “guarded optimism.” He adds, “Our members recognize there are many crises in the world and understand there are inconsistencies in forecasts, yet they are sophisticated enough to see specific opportunities.”

He admits there will be changes in areas like DEI, data and measurement, and retail media. “Purpose still matters,” he emphasizes, “particularly when grounded in authenticity.” Bob Liodice believes this may be the year when we see less CMO turnover. Interestingly, when asked the one word or phrase that will characterize the coming year, he says, “choice-making.”

ANA’s ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PRACTICE

While Bob Liodice believes that many of his members are clearly excited about AI, he understands that others are wary or feel they lack in-depth understanding. As a result, the ANA is responding quickly to these concerns through its Artificial Intelligence Practice focused on addressing industry challenges associated with AI. To ensure marketers’ voices are heard, the ANA is considering standards as they are being created, educating and enabling members to embrace the safe and effective use of the technology to increase efficiencies, while mitigating risks, and driving growth in their respective businesses.

The ANA’s growing portfolio of AI resources includes:

• The AI Use Case Compendium for Marketing, with more than 130 examples of AI being actively applied in real-world cases throughout all aspects of marketing
• Research, reports, and an AI Glossary
• Training, webinars, and podcasts
• Various playbooks, including: Tapping Into the Power of Generative AI for Strategic Marketing Transformation, Generative AI in Creative and Content Generation, and Generative AI for Search Marketing
• An AI for Marketers Committee that meets often where members share, learn, and collaborate.

Additionally, the ANA will host a national industry conference devoted in large part to AI in 2025. The 2025 ANA AI and Technology for Marketers Conference will take place March 26-28 in Austin, Texas.

 In our conversation, we discuss the following:

• Let’s begin with the ANA’s “Word of Year”—AI– a term chosen now three times by your members. Is AI fundamentally changing the marketing business?

• At Masters this year, some of your high-profile global members showed very sophisticated AI uses. The Internationalist has just conducted research to find that most marketers say they are at the early stages of AI adoption and need greater capability building… How is the ANA helping members with these needs?

• Before we start with your thoughts about the year ahead in marketing, let’s turn to the past year. How would you characterize 2024 for the industry? Were there any events or issues that you would describe as “pivotal” to marketing… in that they may shape the future of the discipline…

• Let’s turn to 2025. Are your members expressing optimism despite the many crises in the world?

• What are the top concerns of marketers going forward?

• Does purpose still matter? It’s certainly evolving… What are your thoughts, particularly as many marketers fear making mistakes, given the economic consequences of backlash?

• Do you think marketing is at an inflection point—given technology, the complexity of the role, and changes to how business views its role in society?

• If you had a wish list for the industry and a limitless budget, what would you do?

• What’s next for the ANA regarding new or expanded initiatives?

• Finally… What ONE WORD (or phrase) do you believe will characterize the coming year?

Bob Liodice joined the ANA in 1995 as a senior vice president and has since championed expansion for the organization and growth for its members.

Today, he is also co-chair of the ANA Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing, chair of the Privacy for America coalition, and he serves on the governing bodies of the Partnership for Responsible Addressable Media and the Global Alliance for Responsible Media.

Prior to the ANA, Bob was vice president of global marketing and sales for Grupo Televisa, a major worldwide broadcaster. His previous experience includes more than 15 years in marketing and financial management at Kraft General Foods and tenure as category marketing manager for the Jell-O and Bakers brands. 

ABOUT THE ANA

The ANA (Association of National Advertisers) accelerates growth for marketing professionals, brands, and the entire industry. With a mission to shape the future of marketing, the ANA sets the agenda for the industry, connecting its members to unparalleled expertise, industry-leading resources, and an influential global network. Representing over 1,600 companies — including 1,000+ client-side marketers, 600 marketing solutions providers, and 20,000 brands — ANA members collectively influence $400 billion in annual marketing spending. By championing the 12-point ANA Growth Agenda and the CMO Growth Council, the ANA drives actionable change, empowers marketers, shapes the marketing ecosystem, and delivers exceptional experiences at every touchpoint. Since 1910, the ANA has been setting the agenda for industry transformation. It enables marketers to advance their ambitions, make better decisions, and create lasting impact for their organizations and the industry.