Digital Knowledge, Integrated Marketing Top Goals for CMOs
Published January 25, 2012
A report from Forrester Research and Heidrick & Struggles found that a top priority among CMOs was increasing their knowledge of related technology, which could secure them a place at their companies' strategy-planning tables.
"For CMOs to prove the value of their role and justify the marketing investment, they must clearly illustrate the ROI of marketing plans, influence the understanding of their brand strategy across other functional areas of the company, and engage technology and sales peers to create a consolidated vision of how to succeed with customers," said David M. Cooperstein, Forrester vice president and practice leader serving CMO and marketing leadership professionals.
Out of the CMOs who were surveyed, 80 percent noted that they wanted to play a bigger role in their organizations' business strategy and development, and 40 percent said that in order to grow personally and to earn a place at the table, they would need to boost their knowledge of technology. Another 38 percent said they wanted to get better at making connections to other C-level executives.
A separate study from the Association of National Advertisers indicates that running integrated marketing campaigns that combine digital channels and traditional tactics is another focus shared by many in the industry.
The proportion of marketers using a mix of internet marketing, creative design and print and broadcast ads has consistently grown since 2006, when just 19 percent were running integrated campaigns, to the 2011 rate of 51 percent.
"The tools available to marketers have changed in many ways with the explosion in media options, but the importance of integrated marketing is greater than ever as demonstrated by the survey results," said Bill Duggan, group executive vice president of the ANA.