Stuart Elliott in America.(Brief Article)

The aristocrats of American advertising gathered recently for a conference at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in southern California, enjoying themselves as only they can during good times.

There were speeches and panels, to be sure, along with cocktail parties, sports tournaments, receptions, dinners, awards ceremonies and even a night-time bash on the beach.

Who were those august personages having such first-class fun under the sun? Need you ask? Why, the clients, of course.

The conference was the 91st annual meeting of the Association of National Advertisers, the trade body that represents more than 300 US-based companies spending more than $100 billion a year to market 8,500 brands. That clout wielded by the ANA's members means they are regally feted at their conferences by those seeking to do business with them.

Media companies and associations ranging from Reader's Digest to the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau to DoubleClick sponsored many events held before and after the daily general sessions. And attendees found themselves wooed in other ways, too.

The media presented them with small gifts: clocks, pens, windbreakers and videotapes. Slick publications and brochures were delivered to their rooms at the hotel where the conference was held. Exhibits promoting media old and new such as America Online and Guideposts magazine were set up outside the ballroom where the sessions were held.

Some exhibit sponsors also bought time on three channels on the cable TV system attendees watched in their rooms. Viewers tuning in to channels 3,14 and 28 saw sales pitches for DirecTV, the Premiere Radio Networks and XM Satellite Radio.