Advertsing Research Foundation Welcomes Three New Members

May 28, 2005 -- The ARF’s current professional membership is comprised of over 325 advertisers, advertising agencies, research firms, media companies plus selected educational institutions and international organizations.

Bob Barocci, President & CEO of the ARF, said that value of the ARF to its members today continues to grow out of the objectives of its founders written over 70 years ago:

1. “The furtherance, through research, of the science of advertising and marketing
2. The elimination of waste and inefficiency in the process of distributing goods, wares and merchandise; and
3. The safeguarding of the essential values in advertising as an instrument for inducing sales.” (Source – ANA Annual Meeting, October, 1935)

“As our industry has grown and evolved over the years, the ARF has led the way by advancing learning about improving advertising and marketing effectiveness. Now, more than ever, the ARF must play a crucial role in sorting through the complexity of today’s marketplace”, said Barocci.

ARF members receive many benefits including the opportunity to convene with industry leaders to share learning, informative events that keep members abreast of hot topics and trends in the industry, the ARF Information Center that provides timely answers to research questions and the ability to participate in setting the industry’s research agenda.

Graceann Bennett, EVP, Director of Brand Planning for Leo Burnett had this to say about the company’s new membership with the ARF, “From my point of view, I've been impressed with how far the ARF has gone in pushing innovation and thought leadership in the area of advertising research. I think they have been doing lots of work to provide both inspiration to advertising professionals as well as grounded information and tools. At Leo Burnett we know our clients demand that our ideas and thinking are backed up by solid research. At the same time, we need research that opens up possibilities and doesn't shut down creativity. The ARF is working hard to support agency researchers and planners and support their great ideas and creativity.”

Eric Fredericks, Chairman of Integration Group of Companies, said, “We decided to become members of the ARF because it is critically important for Integration to be involved in the ARF’s work on holistic measurement and tracking.”

About the ARF
Founded in 1936, The Advertising Research Foundation is the preeminent professional organization in the field of advertising, market and media research. ARF's combined membership represents more than 325 advertisers, advertising agencies, research firms, media companies, educational institutions and international organizations.

About our New Members
ING is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, insurance and asset management to over 60 million private, corporate and institutional clients in over 50 countries. With a diverse workforce of about 113,000 people, ING comprises a broad spectrum of prominent companies that increasingly serve their clients under the ING brand.

Integration®, founded in 1994, is an international consultancy firm dedicated to developing tools and processes to measure and improve the effectiveness of Integrated Marketing & Communications. Its core product is the Market ContactAudit™ (MCA™). Through the MCA™, Integration® provides marketers with a common currency to compare the clout and the cost-effectiveness of the different communication channels: mass media, one to one, point of sale, point of consumption and sponsoring.

Leo Burnett USA creates ideas that inspire enduring belief for many of the world's most valuable brands and most successful marketers, including McDonald's, Disney, Procter & Gamble, Marlboro, Altoids, Heinz, Kellogg, Nintendo and the U.S. Army. As the most awarded agency at the Effie Awards for four straight years, Leo Burnett USA is the "Most Effective Agency in America."

Leo Burnett USA is the flagship office of Leo Burnett Worldwide, Inc., a global network of over 200 operating units including a variety of specialty marketing services and 95 full-service advertising agencies in 83 countries. The world’s seventh largest agency network, Leo Burnett Worldwide is a wholly owned subsidiary of Publicis Groupe.