Psst … have you heard? The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) is starting off 2018 with a big acquisition.

The group announced Wednesday that it will acquire the Word of Mouth Marketing Association. Founded in 2004, WOMMA focuses on the ethical use of word of mouth campaigns, along with education, professional development, and networking resources for marketers.

The acquisition is one of a number ANA has made in recent years, though it hadn’t revealed any new acquisitions since 2015. Among the recent groups to become a part of ANA are the Business Marketing Association and the Brand Activation Association, which are now divisions of the larger group, as well as the Advertising Educational Foundation, which became the ANA Educational Foundation.

In an emailed news release, ANA CEO Bob Liodice emphasized that WOMMA, like the association’s previous acquisitions, would help bolster its resources for a broad array of members.

“This is an important day for the ANA,” Liodice said. “Just as our previous acquisitions allowed us to increase member services in disciplines where we found ourselves wanting, this opportunity allows us to focus more on word of mouth marketing and social media than we’ve been able to do in the past. It’s a great boon for our members and a significant step in our evolution as a national trade organization dedicated to serving all facets of the marketing community.”

WOMMA board Chair Spike Jones added that it looks forward to taking advantage of the larger organization’s resources to help bolster its existing work.

“We’re extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished for the word of mouth industry in the research, ethics, and influencer/advocacy spaces, and now the next evolution of WOMMA begins,” Jones added in the release.

(drante/iStock/Getty Images Plus)