The Association of National Advertisers‘ (ANA) The Confident B2B Marketer revealed that less than half B2B marketing leaders qualify as “Confident Marketers”— those extremely or very confident in their ability to measure marketing’s impact on financial performance.
The study reinforces that confidence in B2B marketing comes from disciplined execution, not attitude. For B2B marketers who face the challenge of proving ROI across long buying cycles and complex stakeholder groups, this ability is a critical differentiator. The practices outlined in the report make clear that confident marketing is not abstract, but a repeatable model for sustainable growth.
A key finding is the commit to brand strategy as 61% of Confident Marketers plan to increase long-term brand strategy investment in the next year, nearly double the share of their peers (36%)
B2B Marketing is a Growth Asset
For years, B2B marketing has fought to prove its value beyond the sales assist. This report is the final word on that debate, said Bill Zengel, ANA’s SVP, B2B Marketing Practice.
“It provides a clear, data-backed model for shifting the conversation from marketing as a cost center to marketing as an indispensable engine for business growth,” said Zengel. “The practices of these Confident Marketers aren’t just effective; they represent a new level of accountability and a standard for earning credibility in the C-suite.”
Alignment with Sales Teams
The report developed by the ANA B2B Practice in partnership with NewtonX. The quantitative survey included 200 senior U.S.-based B2B marketing leaders verified through the NewtonX Knowledge Graph, complemented by 45-minute qualitative interviews with CMOs and senior go-to-market leaders across industries.
The study finds these elite marketers move beyond the “theatre of success” to demonstrate real, provable impact, distinguishing themselves by forging tight alignment with sales, strategically balancing brand and demand investment, and embracing the tools and data systems that make their contributions both clear and credible.
Confident Marketers are nearly four times more likely to be “fully aligned” with their sales teams, with 22% reporting fully aligned with sales vs. just 6% of less-confident peers.
Key Findings
A top line finding of the report included that 66% of Confident Marketers describe their ABM programs as either mature or scaling, giving them a significant lead of other marketers (46%). Other highlights of the report were:
- Unify the Data Foundation: Confident Marketers are nearly twice as likely to have fully or mostly integrated data systems (65%) compared to only 33% of their peers.
- AI Readiness: This group is more than four times ahead on preparing for an AI Future with 35% reporting their martech stack is mostly or fully prepared for AI-powered automation vs. a mere 8% of peers.
- Prove Financial Impact: 61% of Confident Marketers utilize advanced or intermediate attribution models to prove impact, almost double the rate of less-confident marketers (32%)
Daniel Sills, Director of Brand Partnerships at NewtonX and co-author of the report, notes that confidence does not mean the absence of fear for B2B marketers.
“It is about approaching risk with intent and purpose, and that is what confident marketers do. Our research moves past theory into the actual habits of B2B leaders,” said Sills. “The blueprint is clear: the most confident leaders build strong partnerships with sales, embrace brand as a long-term investment, and rely on data to prove their impact. This is not just another benchmark; it is the new playbook for growth in B2B.”
Click here top download the full report from ANA and NewtonX.
