What the Censuswide “Voice of the CMO” Report Means for Marketers
An Overview of the Latest Report From Censuswide
In today’s fast-evolving marketing landscape, keeping pace is more challenging than ever. Fortunately, the Censuswide “Voice of the CMO” Report offers invaluable insights for navigating this brave new world. Based on the perspectives of 500 Chief Marketing Officers, this report sheds light on emerging trends, AI adoption, talent gaps, and the ever-present risk of brand backlash. Let’s break down what this means for marketers and how you can stay ahead of the curve!
AI: Your New Marketing Assistant, or a Potential Headache?
Hold on to your hats – 100% of the organisations surveyed are using new tech, with a whopping 73% already embracing generative AI. Marketers, it’s time to make peace and assimilate with our new AI overlords. But not everyone is completely convinced; while 62% of Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) are enthusiastically adopting AI, 32% are treading carefully.
The good news? AI can help you target campaigns more effectively, personalise content, and make better use of data.
The bad news? Some are concerned about security issues and that dreaded lack of creativity.
So, here’s the takeaway: if you’re not using AI to streamline your work yet, you may soon be scrambling to catch up. But don’t just dive in, plan thoughtfully. Use AI to handle repetitive tasks, freeing up time for more creative strategy work. Let the robots crunch numbers, while you dream up killer campaigns.
Brand Backlash: Handle with Care
Imagine you’ve planned the perfect campaign, but suddenly… Twitter erupts, and your brand is in hot water. Sound familiar? Well, you’re not alone. According to the report, 92% of CMOs worry about brand backlash when planning marketing activities, with 47% having dealt with it first-hand. For me, that’s surprising – it appears that backlash is much more common than I thought!
Here’s a pro tip: don’t just listen to your audience, hear them. Use social listening tools (62% of B2B marketers already do) and stay tuned to the values your customers see as a priority. Respond swiftly and sincerely to any criticism. Transparency and a little humility go a long way in avoiding a PR nightmare.
Creativity vs. Tech: Finding the Balance
Is AI the saviour of creativity or its doom?
The jury’s still out, 43% of CMOs say AI makes marketing more creative, while 21% believe it hinders originality. The trick? Use AI to augment creativity, not replace it. Let AI do the heavy lifting with data and analysis, so your team can focus on out-of-the-box thinking. CMOs are searching high and low for people with creativity, innovation, and AI skills, so it’s important that marketing leaders continue to upskill teams to meet that demand.
The Talent Crunch: Got Skills?
If you’re trying to hire marketers with both creative and technical prowess, join the club. The report highlights that finding talent skilled in creativity and AI is like finding a unicorn, 38% of CMOs struggle to hire creative talent, and 39% find it tough, even impossible to recruit technical skills like SEO and PPC.
The solution?
Consider investing in training programs to nurture the skills you need within your current team. Or get creative with your hiring strategies, collaborate with universities, attend industry events, and be open to remote workers who can bring fresh perspectives.
Proving Marketing’s Value: Show, Don’t Tell
This one’s for all the marketers with tight budgets and sceptical stakeholders. Only 43% of CMOs feel their stakeholders fully understand the value of marketing. That being said, those marketers who use market research to measure success have been shown to have significantly more boardroom backing.
Data is your best friend here.
To secure buy-in, invest in tools and research methods that clearly demonstrate your campaign’s impact. From sales data to brand perception, the more you measure, the more you prove your worth. Think of it as your secret weapon to unlock bigger budgets (and maybe a pat on the back, too).
Key Takeaways for Marketers
- Embrace AI—but do so wisely. Let it complement, not replace, your team’s creativity.
- Be prepared for brand backlash—and have a strategy to respond quickly and authentically.
- Develop talent from within—skills in creativity, AI, and tech are scarce, so invest in your team’s growth.
- Measure everything—market research is your best friend when it comes to proving ROI and winning over stakeholders.
The future of marketing is both exhilarating and challenging. But with the right mix of technology, creativity, and a pulse on what matters to your audience, you’ll not only survive, you’ll thrive.
If 500 Chief Marketing Officers are saying something – you should really take note! So, what are you waiting for? The future’s calling, and it’s asking for a marketer who knows how to juggle AI, innovation, and a whole lot of creativity.
Just Do It!
