Forward

There is no shortchanging the complexity that comes with being a CMO today. But at the same time, complexity doesn’t grant CMOs any leeway when it comes to delivering for their businesses or justifying their marketing investments. In reality, we know that increased complexity simply amplifies accountability.

Whether it’s managing with constrained resources, understanding audience engagement with new media channels, assessing measurement tools and tech stacks, identifying the right data partner, or all of the above—complexity is both a unique and universal challenge.

Throughout history, marketers have navigated complexity by, first-and-foremost, keeping the customer as their North Star. In the world of media management, that means ensuring you stay relevant and connected with audiences where they are—in traditional channels and new ones—which, admittedly, can require a period of opacity as measurement and data ramp up.

In a complex world, with media channel proliferation, it’s imperative to find comparability—to ensure data and measurement integrity and consistency in order to find clarity and true outcomes success.

It sounds simple to say that we live in a complex world. But it’s the CMO’s job to navigate that complexity, make the right decisions, spend in the right places and ultimately deliver for the business. That responsibility comes with increased weight, especially as the level of noise to wade through is forever increasing—and resources are constrained.

This edition of our Annual Marketing Report illuminates the path forward—albeit a windy one. For marketers, that means focusing on the customer, testing new channels, learning where to pivot and leaning into new capabilities. And with the audience in mind, it’s critical to leverage the highest quality inputs and data to inform your way forward.