There are a lot of buzzwords out there — and a lot of confusion about what to do when there’s a dearth of data. Marketers are wrestling with everything from “programmatic buying” to “native content” to “mobile marketing,” yet many don’t have the tools to properly use the tech.
According to an ANA survey conducted with McKinsey & Company that was just released, advertisers still have a mountain to climb.
“Take, for instance, the role of the chief marketing officer. According to the ANA’s survey, which polled a sample of 374 marketers, 43 percent of marketing leaders feel they are not encouraged to experiment,” notes the Wall Street Journal marketing blog. “That, of course, is a thorn in the side of marketing executives, who are expected to be experts in new forms of advertising — from mobile video to native ads.”
The lines between chief marketing officers and their lieutenants may also be crossed. Fully 70 percent of CMOs say they use “agile marketing processes” while only 45 percent of marketing vice presidents do likewise.
Just as technology becomes more critical, the top talent still longs to go west. The marketing industry can’t lure top talent — because the nation’s nubile tech minds would prefer to set up camp in Silicon Valley.
Today, it’s all about the data. A full 96 percent of respondents said that their ability to make data-based decisions is the most crucial way to deal with changes in the industry. Unfortunately, half of respondents said they still do not have the right analytics tech to do the job.
