Key Trends Influencing Chief Marketing Officers

“I changed my title to Chief Market Officer,” shared a CMO from a $800mil SaaS brand. “Why do we have the only role in the C-suite with an activity-based title?” the CMO added. Knowing that other high-profile CMOs like Latané Conant used “Market” instead of “Marketing,” I held my tongue. Until now. But before I disparage this semantic sleight of hand, let’s review the rationale commonly offered for making this switch: 🔦 Perception: “Market” implies the role is about strategy and leading versus executing tasks;  ⚡ Recognition: “Market” elevates the role on par with the other executives;  🔬 Scope: “Market” signifies a wider scope encompassing all market-related strategies and operations; ⌛ Evolution: “Market” reflects the increasingly data-driven and customer-centric nature of the role; These are all desirable outcomes. And no doubt CMOs could use a reputational boost right now. Trust in their expertise is waning. CEO expectations of rapid-pipeline acceleration are out of whack with how marketing works. Or should I say, “How markets work!” Unfortunately, the argument for rebranding Chief Marketing Officer to Chief Market Officer is as shallow as the one often made for redesigning a logo or changing a brand’s color palette. Changing a title does not change the impact of the role any more than a new coat of paint affects a termite-infested barn. The true measure of a CMO's effectiveness lies in their actions, strategies, and contributions to the organization's success, not in the wording of their title. Let's not confuse the “market” with a new title. Instead, let's focus on the meaningful change that CMOs can uniquely deliver. Here’s that agenda: 🐧 Time management: Spend more time leading marketing than doing marketing; 🐧 Strategic leadership: Create and gain consensus for a 3-year strategic go-to-market plan that recognizes the interdependencies of product, sales, marketing, and CX; 🐧 Board management: Avoid conversations about tactical specifics. Talk about the big stuff and act in the interest of the entire org; 🐧 Employee leadership: As the best communicator in the organization, treat employees as audience #1 and make sure they appreciate and can articulate your unique selling proposition;  🐧 Customer-Centricity: Marketing without customer insights is like an atmosphere without oxygen. Own the research process and Customer Advisory Boards. Ensure your customer experience is so good that testimonials are as plentiful as summer sunshine.  🐧 Foster Collaboration: Lead by example. While other execs try to build fiefdoms, be the ultimate partner. Set the agenda and share the credit. And if all else fails, turn your CEO into an industry star. It’s not as “suck-uppy” as it sounds. A well-orchestrated thought leadership initiative around your CEO can drive awareness, speaking slots, and pipeline. Making your boss look good always works. [NOTE: If you’re a B2B CMO contemplating this approach, I’m happy to share my experience.] 

Today’s CMOs are doing more than managing a brand; they’re steering business strategy and unlocking growth. Their impact is undeniable. As the scope and influence of marketing leadership expand, so too does the dynamic between CMO and CEO. And beyond that, they've become something even more powerful: Culture drivers. This is what CMOs are today. And it's radically different from what CMOs were even 20 years ago. Recently, Klaviyo's CMO Jamie Domenici called herself the “Chief Market Officer,” and I thought this perfectly captured the moment we’re in. Drop the "-ing" and you represent and reflect the market you serve. The pre-social media marketing playbook taught CMOs to manage brands, control messaging, and dictate trends. Today's reality? Najoh Tita-Reid, Chief Brand and Experience Officer at Mars Petcare, shared with me, “I have absolutely no control. I am very aware of that." Instead, modern marketing leaders inspire teams, create guardrails for co-creation, and recognize that communities are infinitely more intelligent than any single voice. But this shift requires humility. And that’s not something that’s easily taught. Today’s consumers aren’t passive audiences, they’re active participants in shaping the brand. Through what they post, share, praise, and criticize, they have the power to influence marketing strategies, social media narratives, experiential touchpoints, and even the products themselves. The modern CMO's job is to listen and employ technology to amplify consumer voices. This means deep social listening. With enough attention to what consumers are saying and doing, you can predict their next moves weeks before they happen. Take Mars Pet Care, for example. They learned that while about two-thirds of people claim to hate cats, three-quarters of those have never owned one. So they tried something bold: Convert the “cat haters” into cat adopters, with the help of algorithms. By retraining algorithms to find cat-haters and continue offering them fostering opportunities for cats in need, they increased cat adoption by 200%. And proved a lot of cat haters wrong. The shift I’m seeing is that today's #CMOs don’t launch finite campaigns set in stone. They’re more malleable, recognizing that their combined community is infinitely more intelligent and powerful than any single post. I’m excited about the new generation of culture-driving CMOs because the technology exists to work with consumers in ways we’ve never seen before. What are some of the most innovative #marketing campaigns you’ve seen lately? Share them in the comments!

I'm noticing an interesting trend at companies: CMOs are being replaced with CFOs. Not through org chart changes, but in the rooms where real decisions happen. When marketing can't directly connect campaigns to cash flow or payback periods, finance fills the strategy vacuum. And trust me, they're not losing sleep over brand metrics. They care about one thing: what moves the bottom line. Speak the right language and watch those tight budgets begin to loosen. Top marketers today can model financial scenarios as confidently as they critique creative. If you can't translate your marketing plan into P&L impact, you're not shaping strategy, you're receiving it. The smartest CMOs I know are getting ahead of this by partnering directly with finance, building plans together instead of defending results after the fact. Tomorrow's marketing leader is equal parts creative visionary and financial strategist. Think of them as the CMO 2.0. And as budgets tighten again (they always do), those who mastered both languages will still have a voice when it matters most.

CMOs are feeling under siege right now. The conversations I'm having daily in Pavilion's community - home to over 1,000 CMOs from B2B tech companies - echo a common sentiment: marketing is increasingly seen as just a short-term lead generator, forced into a relentless chase for quick wins to justify its existence. It's exhausting, stressful, and causing a lot of accomplished CMOs to throw in the towel and either go fractional (so they can at least control their quality of life) or take lesser roles where they can focusing on doing the work without having to constantly play politics and justify marketing's existence. What a shame to see so many good people so demoralized 😥 Here’s the reality from the trenches: ➡️ Marketing needs allies, yet few are willing to risk shifting the conversation toward strategic growth ➡️ Obsession with leads and MQLs hasn't evolved in 25 years - now, AI is only fueling a "fire, ready, set" mentality ➡️ Companies continue to undervalue marketing as strategic, evidenced by org charts that marginalize marketing leadership ➡️ The drive to make everything measurable and attributable is resulting in short termism, with brand initiatives being defunded and deprioritized in favor of demand campaigns that can drive pipeline in the next 30 to 90 days ➡️ Despite what you might be hearing, the job market hasn't really improved that much. CMOs looking for their next role are reporting longer search cycles and fewer opportunities, while those who ARE employed feel trapped because of this ➡️ Macro-economic and political uncertainty has everyone on edge. Many CMOs feel like their 2025 forecasts are in jeopardy of being upended by tariffs, trade wars, poor stock market performance, and widespread buyer unease What CMOs say must change: ✅ Reframe brand as foundational to demand generation - the funnel starts with brand, not leads ✅ Broaden horizons beyond SaaS marketing - learn from other industries focused on sustainable, long-term brand growth ✅ Prioritize financial literacy - CMOs must speak fluently in revenue, profitability, and churn, not just MQLs ✅ Build tech and systems-thinking skills - Marketing today is a tech-driven, integrated game, not merely creative artistry ✅ Embrace adaptability and resilience - CMOs must confidently pivot between strategies, taking calculated risks and advocating effectively to secure resources ✅ Adopt a 'First Team' mentality, breaking down internal silos and leading cross-functional, company-wide GTM initiatives Transformation is critical, and the pressure on CMOs is INTENSE. If you're a CMO feeling under siege, you're not alone - and you're not powerless. What's resonating with you here? What else needs to change? #cmo #marketingleadership #kathleenhq

CMOs call marketing an engine for growth. CFOs call it a primary lever of enterprise value creation. One speaks in brand equity, customer acquisition, engagement, and monetization.  The other speaks in margins and profitability. When these departments don’t align,  ↳ Investments get slashed,  ↳ Performance stalls,  ↳ Growth suffers. But when marketing and finance work with UNIFIED language and data.   Companies make smarter investments. Here are four key metrics that help CMOs and CFOs speak the same language: 1. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) Formula: Total marketing spend ÷ New customers acquired CFOs ask, “How much are we spending per new customer? Can we lower it?” CMOs ask, “Which channels bring most efficiency, can we shift our budget?” CFOs want cost control, CMOs want better-performing channels.  ↳ Tracking CAC aligns both executives. 2. Customer Lifetime Value (LTV) Formula: (Avg. Purchase Value × Purchase Frequency × Margin Rate × Activity Rate) CFOs ask, “Are we making enough long-term revenue to justify CAC?” CMOs ask, “Should we increase LTV through engagement or monetization?” A CFO sees it as profitability over time, A CMO sees opportunities. ↳ Higher LTV justifies marketing investment. 3. Cash Payback Period Formula: CAC ÷ Gross Margin per Customer per Month CEOs ask, “How long before we earn back what we spent?” CMOs ask, “Which channels pay back fastest?” CFOs want liquidity, CMOs want reinvestment speed. ↳ A shorter payback period means faster growth cycles and less financial risk. 4. LTV:CAC Formula: Customer Lifetime Value ÷ Customer Acquisition Cost. CFOs ask: "Our financial plan requires a 3x ROI in 3 years-can you deliver?" CMOs ask: "Should I optimize for faster payback or a 3-year LTV:CAC target?" CFOs want financial justification, CMOs want strategic growth. ↳ A shared LTV:CAC view aligns investment decisions. CFOs and CMOs don’t need to agree on everything,  but they do need to align on the data that drives GROWTH. Start with blended performance, Then look at leading indicators for Paid. The last thing you want is debating attribution with a CEO or investor, When you're not even aligned on the core metrics above. Don't manage marketing as an expense,  Manage it as an investment. Track the right numbers, speak the same language, and watch your business grow. Which of these metrics does your company focus on the most? Drop a comment below. * * * I talk about the real mechanics of growth, data, and execution. If that’s what you care about, let’s connect.

👀Some interesting new trends from Gartner's annual #CMO survey: 💰 The era of more is over: Many marketing leaders accelerated their investment in #MarTech to meet the digital-first buyer of 2020, and prioritized tech over other items like paid media / agencies. 💰 Decreasing yield: A majority of CFOs surveyed last year believe the last three years' spending spree has not yet met enterprise expectations re: digital transformation. 💰 The squeeze is on: 3/4 of CMOs are facing pressure to CUT investment in martech. We are now in an era where these investments in digital tech "need to start paying back" as marketing budgets are down, and talent to manage these systems is hard to find/keep. 💰 Overall, more than 70% of CMOs report lacking enough budget/resources to deliver on their marketing strategy in 2023. To respond, CMOs are: - Building a value story with stakeholders of how marketing delivers value, with CFOs, CSOs, CIOs, etc - Making clear-eyed decisions about how spend aligns to strategy - Holding courage to examine spend against future goals (not only short-term) Quoting Ewan Mcintyre... "We’re not going to need a bigger boat; we’re going to need a more efficient one." Read the full article in HBR, linked in comments.

THE STRUGGLE IS REAL. 😬 CMOs are in the 🔥 hot 🔥 seat to make their marketing mix and spend deliver real revenue growth, and are being held accountable like never before. CMOs that can integrate AI, optimize revenue tracking (harness their data), and enable seamless cross-channel marketing will be best positioned for success, moving their org from being seen as a cost center to a command center. Does the following look like you? Where on the digital journey do you need to up your game? Check out the results from the CMO Council's 2025 Marketing Vitality Index report to see how other CMO's are approaching owning and optimizing their company’s revenue-generation engine. Key Takeaways Marketing as a Revenue Engine 👉 65% of CMOs agree marketing must own and optimize revenue generation. 👉 Attribution and accountability in marketing spend are now paramount. 👉 Budgets are shifting toward performance marketing and revenue science. Technology & AI Disruption 👉 GenAI is revolutionizing content creation, productivity, and efficiency. 👉 80% of creative talent will use GenAI daily by 2026 (Gartner). 👉 Marketing leaders struggle with fragmented MarTech stacks, causing inefficiencies. Digital Acceleration & E-commerce Growth 👉 90% of CMOs are increasing investments in digital commerce. 👉 Chat commerce sees a 75% YoY growth in revenue (Aberdeen Group). 👉 Buyer intent tracking is a priority, yet only 17% of less-evolved marketers fully leverage it. Influencer Marketing & Consumer Engagement 👉 40% of marketers now allocate 25%+ of their budgets to influencer campaigns. 👉 The global loyalty management market is projected to hit $41.2B by 2032. 👉 Brands are shifting away from traditional loyalty programs toward personalized, engaging experiences. Organizational Evolution & Workforce Restructuring 👉 86% of CMOs cite lack of resources as a growth inhibitor. 👉 AI-driven automation is reshaping job roles, with an expected reduction in redundant marketing roles. 👉 CMOs are closing the digital skills gap, but many still face internal resistance. Takeaway for Digital Marketers 👉 Marketers must integrate GenAI capabilities into their systems via AI-driven analytics, customer intent tracking, and automated decision-making. 👉 CMOs must seek measurable ROI on ad spend—digital marketing platforms must provide advanced attribution tools. 👉 Chat commerce, social commerce, and influencer marketing integrations are must-haves. 👉 Marketers need to leverage first-party data for hyper-personalized experiences. 👉 AI-driven chatbots, automated messaging, and contextual engagement will gain traction. 👉 Marketers must simplify data integration across multiple touchpoints. 👉 Unified customer data platforms (CDPs) will be a major focus. 👉 With rising concerns about data breaches, brand impersonation, and fraud, marketers must offer enhanced security and brand protection features. Netsertive Jason Lynch Sydney Kleinsasser Nick Sharpe Madeleine Zook

CMOs Are on the Hot Seat—And There’s Nowhere to Hide Marketing used to be about brand awareness. Not anymore. CMOs are responsible for measurable business growth, not just glitzy campaigns. CEOs expect marketing to create customers, drive revenue, and outpace the competition. And they’re watching closely. The problem? Budgets are shrinking while expectations are rising. ➡️ Marketing budgets have dropped from 9.1% of company revenue in 2023 to 7.7% in 2024 (Gartner). ➡️ 88% of marketing leaders are now directly responsible for revenue goals (Airtable). ➡️ CMO tenure remains shaky, as many don’t last more than 18 months in B2B SaaS companies (my observation). So what’s the play? The best CMOs are playing hardball. They’re embracing AI, cross-functional leadership, and owning business results like never before. This isn’t a shift as much as it’s a proving ground. Those who adapt will lead. Those who don’t? Well, they’ll be replaced. The future of marketing isn’t about playing defense. It’s about playing offense and moving the ball down the field. Are today’s marketing leaders ready? #CMO #MarketingLeadership #AI #Marketing

From Chief Marketing Officer → Chief Market Orchestrator 🎯 A year ago, I was managing a 180-person marketing org. Today, I orchestrate 10 humans and more than a dozen AI and automation agents, tools, apps across content, pipeline, research, outreach, and GTM. It’s not a downgrade. It’s an upgrade in complexity. Being a CMO used to be about budgets and branding. But now it seems to be about: Coordinating multi-modal workstreams across AI agents, analysts, contractors, and internal teams. Driving go-to-market and product direction based on signal data from dozens of daily marketing experiments Running cross-functional orchestration: product, sales, content, comms, and market feedback loops in real time. 📍In Q2, in one 90-day sprint: We rewrote product positioning based on agent outputs and B2B buyer feedback We built a messaging engine that fed real-time campaign data into product launches We ran weekly orchestration sessions that merged pipeline blockers with use case prioritization We built a system where the marketing team was responsible not just for MQLs but for helping shape what should be built. This isn't just accomplished with delegation. This is real stretch operating. As Nikki Vegenski put it: “The CMO seat today is less about ownership and more about orchestration.” “You’re syncing humans and machines to move in harmony toward real growth.” Deloitte backed it up: 95% of CMOs are on the hook for revenue. But only 32% feel equipped to grow market share. Meanwhile, AI-native orgs are compressing execution time from months → days. I have seen this first-hand What used to take weeks - a segment analysis, a message test, a partner activation - can now be triggered, launched, and measured in a 48-hour window with the right orchestration model. But this is not easy. The work is heavier and the compleity is non linear. Keeping evertyghin in my mind sometimes feels impossible. Is this working out? Time alone will tell. But it has been the best kind of stretch. The modern marketing leader is an MARKET OPERATOR working at the intersection of: Tech (agents, automation, AI) Narrative (messaging, ICP, feedback loops) Revenue (pipeline, motion, pricing) System Design (how it all runs together Are you seeing this shift in your org too? Comment below and let me know!

The CMO role isn't dying. It's transforming. After advising hundreds of marketing executives, Here's the uncomfortable truth I've uncovered: Most CMOs are still selling yesterday's value proposition. And it's killing their careers. As a former tech CMO myself, I understand your pain. This is why I'm discussing the future of the CMO with Kate Bullis at CMO Huddles this afternoon. It's such an important topic of conversation, and here are the 5 Critical Shifts I see happening right now: 1. AI is creating a divide between "before" and "after" ↳ Some VPs are now doing the work of 8-person teams ↳ If you can't articulate your AI strategy in interviews, you're already behind 2. The paradox of 2024 ↳ Team sizes are shrinking ↳ But impact expectations are soaring ↳ Elite CMOs will see income surge while others suffer 3. The new career currency ↳ Market mastery and business acumen is a must ↳ It's not about "managing marketing" anymore ↳ It's about leading transformation 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝘾𝙈𝙊 𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙚 4. The CRO reality ↳ There's a 40% compensation gap vs CMO roles ↳ Reporting structures are constantly shifting ↳ The key question asked now is, "What's the transformation opportunity?" 5. The human element ↳ Real differentiation happens in person, not online ↳ Creator economy is driving 70% higher engagement ↳ Your ability to build authentic connections matters more than ever Here's what's fascinating: The CMOs who thrive aren't just adapting to these changes. They're actively using them to reinvent their value proposition. They understand that having a clear point of view about the future isn't just about strategy. It's about being able to negotiate and communicate your ongoing value in a rapidly evolving landscape. ----- P.S. I'm curious, what's your take? Are you seeing these shifts in your organization? Let me know in the comments below. Looking forward to sharing these insights with you all.