#cmo-spend

#cmo-spend

Regulators are paying more attention to data privacy because their constituents consider it a 'kitchen table' issue, highlighting its importance in everyday life.

The role of social media as an insights engine - instructing you on what audiences like, dislike, and are willing to buy - is unparalleled. This information can be crucial in guiding creative projects. It's impossible for a single creative director, no matter how great, to be able to understand the zillions of online communities and subcultures. Social media has helped culture become less homogeneous and that's a good thing. So let's use it to listen to those many diverse cohorts.

CMOs sit at the apex of brand, revenue, customer experience, technology, product, sales and data. Yet they're spending less time in top jobs. The average tenure of a CMO at a Fortune 500 company is now just 3.9 years. Furthermore, fewer Fortune 500 companies are employing marketing executives who report at a C-suite level; these once all-important roles are being absorbed and redistributed to chief customer and chief growth officers.

In order to make the best use of 2023 budgets, brands need to find a balance between scale and suitability. And, in a digital world, where platforms are able to reach huge global audiences, scale is at the fingertips of every brand. But, back in May, a panel session on the Tech Lab Stage raised the question: how can businesses manage the seemingly mutually exclusive concepts of safety and scale?

Key stat: 54% of US marketers plan to fully implement their generative engine optimization (GEO) strategy within three to six months, according to September 2025 data from Scribewise. Beyond the chart: Use this chart: Drop this into your next digital strategy review to show stakeholders the GEO timeline pressure. Use it to benchmark your team's implementation plans against the majority.

With digital trends accelerating, it's more important than ever that marketers know how to build strong, data-driven marketing strategies. Data-driven marketing is a type of marketing strategy that is based on using consumer information to develop and optimize marketing campaigns and messaging. It is extremely impactful because marketing efforts are based on online trends and are specifically tailored to the organization's target audience.

For years, marketing to the "general market" was a reliable path to growth. Broad reach, consistent messaging, and scale-driven efficiency helped brands build awareness and momentum.