Advertising and media continue to be the bread and butter of the CMO's job responsibility, while consumer experience is on the rise, according to Dentsu's 'CMO Navigator' study.

The study, which saw participation from approximately 1,900 CMOs across 13 markets (5% of the respondents were from India), revealed that 29% stated their biggest concern was the tightening of data privacy regulations. The same number of marketers were anxious about planning media for both business performance and sustainability goals. 28% of them claimed a lack of transparency or visibility from closed tech platforms such as Amazon, X, or WeChat could potentially cause issues, with the same number worrying about integrating emerging tech solutions.  

Among the CMOs interviewed, 25% of them belonged to the retail category.

The report added that one in four CMOs report that the economy has negatively affected their organisation’s business.

Conducted during August 2024, the reveals that media is seen as a strategic lever to drive business growth by an overwhelming majority of CMOs with 88% seeing it as 'very important' or 'critical'. They (45%) believe that an increase in short-form content is a 'key battleground' along with social commerce (43%). Influencer marketing is ranked third (42%) on this list.

34% of CMOs stated how AI will have broad applicability when it comes to media, from strategy to planning to prospects of new partnerships next year. 39% believed that their biggest priority will be truly understanding the use cases, opportunities, and risks of AI in 2025. 

Will Swayne, global practice president - media, dentsu, said, “This view of CMO priorities going into 2025 shows a clear determination to dig deep into the craft of media at a time when the industry is hurtling into a new era – one in which algorithms and AI will more closely govern the brand-to-consumer experience and in which the brute force of spend and scale is not enough. The opportunities of the modern nuanced media mix must be tempered by the various challenges that new technology brings, but by balancing brand and performance, progressive CMOs will wield a new level of influence in determining the success of organisational transformation.” 

Anita Kotwani, CEO - media, South Asia, dentsu, added, “Media has cemented its position as a critical driver of strategic growth, particularly as we navigate the complexities of the algorithmic era. As CMOs recalibrate their strategies to align with evolving consumer behaviors, regulatory landscapes, and the rapid infusion of AI, the focus must remain on crafting media solutions that are both innovative and sustainable. At dentsu, our commitment lies in empowering brands with nuanced strategies that harmonise performance with purpose, ensuring they lead with confidence in this transformative era."