#CMOInsights

Pioneering CMOs
are architecting their
organizations into future
powerhouses for sustained
relevance and growth.
Accenture’s global survey reveals how profound
change and disruption is reinventing the role of
the CMO, with some CMOs clearly pulling ahead.
Embracing a new culture, technologies and transformative approach,
the pioneering CMOs are delivering highly-relevant customer
experiences—and more shareholder value.

*Our analysis finds that investing in a portfolio of companies with pioneer

CMOs would, on average, have outperformed a portfolio of other companies
(with the same allocation across industries) by up to 11 percent per year.

So, what’s the big

difference?
Hint: It’s not about the budget.

Pioneering CMOs are not spending substantially

more on customer experience or innovation:
“What percentage of your marketing budget is spent on...”
Innovation Customer Experience

27% 29%
24% 26%

Pioneer CMOs All Others

The way these CMOs

are transforming their
organizations fall into
three broad categories.

Category 1

Reinventing for the

now and the new.
The pioneers constantly seek alternative sources of growth,
be it reinventing the customer experience, breakthrough
innovation or entirely new revenue streams.
And they are much more likely to be tapping into data monetization
initiatives or new ventures. Compared to their peers they are:

27%
more likely to
28%
more likely than their
prioritize innovation, peers to be spending
looking to use new more than three-quarters
technologies to of their time on managing
drive growth. disruptive growth.

“Pioneering CMOs see themselves not just

as solid operators of their organization
today, but as visionaries charting out
the business of tomorrow.”
John Zealley, Global Lead, Customer Insight & Growth, Accenture

Category 2

Rejecting a broken
marketing culture.
Pioneering CMOs are focused on embedding
the right capabilities to deliver exceptional
customer experiences.

29%
more likely to be
23%
more likely to be
in-sourcing new focused on their
capabilities. people as they adopt
customer-centricity.

21%
more likely to be
26%
more likely to say that
experimenting with new marketing should
and innovative solutions. own the end-to-end
customer record.

Infusing a customer-
centered culture that
shapes marketing strategy.
Pivoting their marketing agendas
in response to shifting outlooks
on multichannel experience, trust,
transparency and personalization. Pioneer CMOs
“Customers... All Others

Are buying more through multichannel

experiences than the conventional single channel. Distrust brands more easily due to data privacy.

56% 51%
33% 32%

Expect us to continuously innovate with more Require greater transparency—they want

relevant products, services and experiences to know where products are manufactured,
that adapt to their needs and set new standards. materials are sourced, etc.

52% 50%
33% 32%

Constantly re-evaluate their Have higher expectations toward brands: they need to
choices and are becoming stand for something bigger than the products/services
increasingly difficult to predict they sell. They need to inspire, set new standards,
in their buying behavior. have a clear purpose and emphasize certain values.

52% 45%
33% 31%

Pioneering CMOs are much

more likely to see the value
of new marketing roles.
Percentage who said they would Pioneer CMOs

rely on these roles to a large extent: All Others

87% 82%
65% 64%
Immersive Growth Hackers
Experience Designers who lead rapid and relentless
experimentation across marketing
who connect digital strategies channels and product development to
to physical experiences for a optimize activity and unlock growth.
connected customer experience.

81% 81%
66% 65%
Chief Storyteller Marketing Monitors
who masters storytelling in ways that or Ombudsmen who ensure automated outputs from bots
drive deeper emotional connections or Artificial Intelligence systems do not conflict with brand
with customers. values or mistakenly create public relations problems.

80% 80%
67% 67%
Customer Futurologists
Experience Curators and Trend Setters
and empathists who design ways whose responsibilities will include the early
to connect customers to brands identification/anticipation of new opportunities for the
in hyper-personalized ways. company based on current and future customer trends.

80% 80%
67% 66%
Reality Checkers Trust Leaders
outside people (including consumers) who protect customer data and oversee the design of
who are constantly feeding in insights safe customer experiences that leverage personalized
into the organization to keep information but don’t risk data breaches or
companies grounded. overstepping the trust line with customers.

78% 77%
63% 65%
Cause Matchmakers Artificial Intelligence Designers/
an evolution of sponsorship leaders who Consumer Psychologists
identify a broad range of opportunities to
do good and deliver something back to who help engineer robotics and help voice
customers, employees and stakeholders. enabled assistants to be more human.

Category 3

Rewiring operating
models for growth.
Pioneering CMOs are breaking down barriers
and are more focused on influencing the
C-suite and broader enterprise.
They’re rewiring their organizations with more
connected operating models to secure the right
skills, mindset and behaviors to drive successful,
sustained growth. Compared to their peers they are:

17%
more likely to be
18%
more likely to be
expanding beyond engaged with the
traditional agency possibilities offered
partners. by digital platforms.

Like the pioneering CMOs, today’s

marketeers have a tremendous opportunity
to reinvent, rewire and drive better customer
experiences and sustained growth.

Embracing the hyper-relevant CMO:

Pursuing disruptive growth.
Pursue new avenues for future growth.
Challenge the status quo in pursuit of
better customer experiences and more
sustained growth.
Getting granular about growth.
Put the best technologies to the greatest
use on the abundance of data available.
Leverage analytics to drive granular
insights that inform growth strategies.

Re-orientating and Becoming the architect

re-invigorating your of a new operating model.
organization around Rewire the organization with a new,
the customer. more connected operating model
Relentlessly ensure relevant to ensure the right skills and
experiences and agility at behaviours to drive successful
every touchpoint. and sustained growth.

About the research

The research was based on a qualitative survey of 935 CMOs,
and 564 CEOs in 12 countries and across 17 industries. It was
conducted in March-April 2018. All companies surveyed had
a turnover exceeding $1B.
Find out more:
www.accenture.com/CMOInsights
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