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Old Saybrook, CT - March 2, 2010 - The Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG) and Anderson Analytics today issued the results of its Third Annual Survey of Top Marketing Trends. Anderson Analytics surveyed MENG's nearly 2000 senior marketing members, focusing on the top marketing concepts, buzz words, social media strategy, geographic / demographic considerations as well as the books and thought leaders that executive marketers look to for inspiration and growth opportunity.
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"While more marketers are optimistic about the future prospect of growth, marketers are still feeling the pressure of a tough economic cycle with the need to prove a return on their marketing investments," said Tom H.C. Anderson, Managing Partner of Anderson Analytics. "It's also no surprise to see social media ranking high in the minds of most marketers, but also shows the group is beginning to tire of some of the social media-related buzz words, especially 'Twitter'."
Top Five Findings:
1. 66% of marketers are more optimistic about business opportunity in 2010;
28% view 2010 similarly to 2009 while only 6% are less optimistic about the outlook. Compared to last year's survey findings, marketers are:
a. More likely to increase marketing budget;
b. Less likely to reduce staff and more likely to hire incremental staff; and
c. More likely to increase spending on innovation and R&D.
2. Social media remains hot with 70% of marketers planning new social media initiatives in 2010.
Interestingly, social media, twitter and social networking ranked as the top "buzz words marketers are most tired of hearing."
a. Regarding companies' presence on social media sites, large companies are more likely to have a presence on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and MySpace; smaller companies rely more on LinkedIn.
3. "Marketing ROI" moved from the third most important marketing concept
in last year's survey to the number one spot in this year's survey, followed by "Customer Retention" and Brand Loyalty."
a. "Mobile Marketing" and "Social Media" officially made the top-10 concept list for the first time this year.
b. Of the 53 identified marketing concepts, "Developed Markets," "Multi-language," "Social Consciousness," "Offshoring" and "Long Tail" were viewed as the least important.
4. Overall marketing executives are more likely to rely on internal employees for their social media initiatives than any outside firms. Companies that are going outside for help with social media strategy and implementation are much more likely to look to social media consultants, and to a lesser degree interactive agencies, than to advertising agencies or public relations firms.
5. China was still ranked as the top geographic opportunity for growth, followed by India, Latin America and Brazil. And among the various target demographics, MENG members still feel that Boomers represent the best opportunity for customer targeting, followed by women and Hispanics. The overall importance of different demographics has not changed significantly since last year's survey.
For more information, please visit Anderson Analytics' site www.AndersonAnalytics.com or The Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG) www.MENGonline.com