New research indicates that the vast majority of chief marketing officers (CMOs) in the UK would have reconsidered their career choice if they had known the role would become so technology-driven.
According to a study conducted by Intermedia Global (IMG), 92% of CMOs said they would have pursued a different profession if they had realized how tech-heavy marketing had become. The data highlights a significant shift in the responsibilities of marketing leaders within medium-sized British businesses generating annual revenues of GBP 100 million to GBP 500 million.
increasing burden of technology
The report, which polled 250 UK-based C-suite professionals responsible for marketing technology, also shows that this sentiment is even higher among those CMOs with extensive experience. Specifically, every respondent who had held their current CMO role between three and six years – a group described in the research as ‘experienced, world-weary CMOs’ – said they would have chosen a different path if they had been aware of the technical demands associated with the job.
According to IMG, the findings show that the sector is facing a talent crisis, with the most experienced marketing leaders at risk of falling short in operations. Reliance on technology now extends more widely to marketing teams. The study shows that, on average, 45% of all marketing team members in these organizations now hold roles that are primarily or exclusively focused on technology, specifically around managing the organization’s marketing technology stack (martech stack).
changing responsibilities
Responsibility for the martech stack typically falls under the jurisdiction of the CMO rather than the chief financial officer (CFO) or chief information/technology officer (CIO/CTO). The research found that 35% of businesses make the marketing head accountable for the martech stack, in contrast to 19% allocating the responsibility to the finance head and only 18% allocating the responsibility to the IT head.
Adoption of new marketing technology is also often driven by the CMO, with 30% of organizations indicating that the head of marketing has the most influence on such decisions. This compares to 25% of organizations where the primary drivers are finance or procurement teams, or the CIO/CTO.
complexity and overload
No one got into marketing because they wanted to work in technical support. And yet, that’s where we are right now. The martech stack is king, and creativity and corporate strategy are a close second at best.
Carla Wentworth, chief strategy officer at IMG, said: “With over 15,000 different tools now available to marketers, including AI platforms, in recent years the technology has become so confusing and complex that it’s no wonder it’s taking up a marketing team’s entire time. Does tool A talk to tool B? Does a crumbling legacy tech stack need sophisticated AI functionality? Can handle? When something goes wrong whose job is it to fix it? Does each country or region within the business have its own martech stack?”
“It’s often a nightmare. The marketing experience (MX) of how marketers work with their tech tools and attempt to reduce friction has become fraught with risk. It’s no wonder CMOs get burnt out and keep switching roles. They’re crying out for help dealing with their tech so they can actually market again.”
impact on creativity
The increasing focus on technology within marketing teams is changing their structure and core activities. Wentworth highlights: “Thanks to the abundance of martech, marketing departments now often have more techies than actual marketers. This isn’t exactly conducive to great creative campaigns that capture the imagination and emotions of audiences.”
“Businesses understand the importance of their martech, because it is the technology their customers see in action. But the fact that everything often falls under the purview of the CMO can be self-defeating in the long run. Some CMOs are unquestionably tech experts, but many are not – and even those who are experts need to free up time to focus on marketing strategy.”
The survey was conducted to gain insight into the current trends shaping marketing leadership and team structure, particularly in the context of growing digital transformation and the expanding martech ecosystem across UK medium-sized businesses.