Tomorrow’s Marketing Organization Looks Like Today’s Innovator

Some 91% of marketers have a bit of work to do.

Everyone knows that data and digital are the future of marketing, and nearly every major brand is working like mad to restructure its marketing organization to exploit those opportunities. So what does the marketing organization of the future look like?

To find out, we asked 246 executives representing Fortune 500 brand in the U.S. Surprisingly, only 9% self-identified as innovators. Although no one can predict with 100% accuracy what the future holds, it’s probably safe to assume that the brands that are actively innovating today are likely setting the template for the marketing organizations of tomorrow.

Here’s what these hyper-innovators look like (see the infographic at the end of this article, too).

• They’re forward thinkers: These marketing leaders live on the bleeding edge. They don’t wait until the market tests a concept; they’re the ones kicking the tires. Our survey respondents describe their organizations as constantly evolving and incorporating the best new tools and structures. If there’s one thing they’re loyal to, it’s driving success.

• It’s all about digital: When it comes to advertising, the marketing organization of the future is intensely focused on digital channels. These folks recognize all things digital as the preeminent force in driving changes, both in the role and the structure of marketing organizations. To wit: They’re putting their money where their mouths are, spending more than 50% of their marketing budgets on engaging customers in the digital sphere.

• They ramp up for success: Success means growth, but growth can’t happen unless companies invest in it.

Some 43% of the leading marketers say they’ve added headcount over the past two years, and 60% say they’re very likely to add more in the coming year. These marketing organizations understand that as their mission grows, so must their staffs. (And by the way, marketing organizations are well balanced between deeply knowledgeable, well-tenured managers and eager-to-learn tacticians.)

• The CMO has a seat at the table: For years pundits have predicted that CMOs will join the ranks of the C-suite, and based on our analysis of the most innovative brands, we can definitely say that will occur.

In the future, marketing organizations will help drive the overall strategic direction of the enterprise, including building and managing the tech stack, as well as owning innovation, mobile initiatives, analytics and measurement, lead gen, and CRM.

• They drive change: The marketing organization of the future understands that customer centricity is paramount. Customers increasingly use digital channels, and the brands are right there with them.

We know this because when we asked the executives specifically about the factors that are driving changes within their organizations, we learned that changes in consumer behavior (84%), marketing tactics (76%), and digital technology (76%) trump competitive dynamics (62%) or strategic direction from the C-Suite (58%).

So if these leaders already live in the future, what are the challenges the others can expect to face? Without a doubt, the majority (78%) cited the difficulty in creating cross-functional teams that actually work. I suspect that many of them will tap into their vendor relationships to help them scale this barrier. Technology can help them break out of the siloes that once defined individual teams.

To be sure, none of these described attributes come as a surprise. We’ve been reading about them for years. What does come as a surprise is how few marketers (9%) describe their organizations as forward-leaning. So while the future may be in view, some 91% of marketers have a bit of work to do to get there.