The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and NewtonX have announced a new strategic partnership focused on advancing how B2B marketing is measured, valued, and managed through original research, insights, and thought leadership.

The collaboration brings together the ANA’s deep B2B expertise and influential member community with NewtonX’s industry-leading research capabilities. Together, the two organizations aim to give marketing leaders the data, benchmarks, and best practices they need to connect their work to growth, prove impact, and elevate marketing’s role inside the business.

The partnership’s first major initiative is the release of The Confident B2B Marketer, a new research report that reveals how few marketers today feel confident in demonstrating marketing’s contribution to financial results — and what sets those who can apart from the rest. Read the full press release here.

New Research Shows Confidence Is a Competitive Advantage

The study finds that despite years of investment in tools, data, and technology, only 39% of senior B2B marketers are “very” or “extremely” confident in their ability to measure marketing’s impact on business performance. This lack of confidence shapes how marketing is funded, prioritized, and perceived inside organizations.

The research also highlights what confident marketers do differently. They are far more likely to align closely with sales, integrate and activate their data, prepare their operations for an AI-driven future, invest consistently in brand, and treat thought leadership as a strategic growth driver rather than simply a lead-generation tactic.

A Shared Commitment to Building Marketing Confidence

“This ANA research conducted in partnership with NewtonX doesn’t just diagnose a challenge; it shows how confidence is built and what it takes to prove marketing’s value as a driver of growth,” said Bill Zengel, SVP of the ANA’s B2B Marketing Practice. “It’s a resource designed to help our community move from chasing validation to building lasting impact.”

“ANA’s reach and leadership in the marketing community make them the ideal partner for this work,” said Daniel Sills, Director of Brand Partnerships at NewtonX and co-author of the report. “Together, we’re showing that confidence in your marketing is the result of structure, alignment, and intent. This research gives B2B marketers a roadmap to connect their work directly to business outcomes and redefine what high performance really means.”

What’s Next

The Confident B2B Marketer is just the beginning of this new partnership. ANA and NewtonX plan to build on the research with future initiatives, aimed at helping B2B organizations meet the demands of a rapidly changing market.

The new report will also be featured at the 2025 ANA Masters of Marketing Conference, where B2B leaders will discuss how building marketing confidence can unlock stronger business outcomes and position marketing as a true growth engine.