What's Keeping Marketers Up At Night

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, marketers are under more pressure than ever to navigate an array of challenges. Recent research conducted by Digitas UK, in collaboration with 400 senior decision-makers across the Financial Services, Health, Travel, and Retail sectors, sheds light on the key concerns keeping marketers awake at night.

Our report, The Impact Balancing Act, reveals a critical need for both technological advancement and cultural adaptation to drive success in 2024 and beyond.

Realising commercial impact with technological prioritisation

One of the most significant trends emerging from our research is the prioritisation of technology across industries. Nearly half (46 per cent) of businesses rank technological impact as their top priority for the coming year. This focus underscores the necessity for companies to not only stay competitive but to actively advance their digital capabilities. In fact, 79 per cent of business leaders view the transition towards a digital landscape as the most beneficial trend for 2024, further reinforcing the critical role of digital transformation.

The retail sector, in particular, is leading the charge, with 53 per cent of respondents identifying technological impact as their primary focus. This sector-specific emphasis on digital transformation highlights the growing demand for retailers to innovate and adapt, ensuring they can meet the changing expectations of consumers in a digital-first world. For instance, in our work with Samsung, we’ve seen firsthand the impact of aligning digital strategies with broader brand promises. By redefining Samsung’s customer value proposition, we not only enhanced their digital ecosystem but also drove significant increases in conversion rates and revenue.

Cultural impact and internal adaptation

While technological advancements are crucial, they must be balanced with cultural and environmental considerations. Our research reveals a gap between the recognition of environmental priorities and the ability to meet them, with 40 per cent of respondents acknowledging that they are falling short of their environmental goals. This disconnect presents a significant challenge for marketers who are striving to balance sustainability efforts with other business objectives.

Moreover, there is a notable disparity within organisations regarding the importance of investing in employee experience. Departments like HR (42 per cent) and IT (51 per cent) recognise its value, whereas advertising (0 per cent) and production (8 per cent) view it as less critical. This internal misalignment poses a challenge for companies looking to create a cohesive and satisfied workforce.

Cultural adaptation also emerged as a top concern, with 97 per cent of business leaders agreeing that adjusting internal culture to meet changing customer preferences is essential. This finding highlights the pressing need for marketers to drive cultural shifts within their organisations to stay relevant and responsive to consumer needs. For example, when EE expanded its brand from traditional telecoms to move into new verticals such as home insurance and gaming, Digitas played a lead role in making this transition meaningful on a personal level for customers. Helping to move the brand from a share of market brand, selling purely core connectivity, to a share of life brand, selling core connectivity but offering more services in more areas of a customer's life. By bringing the brand to life on an individual customer level, EE saw improvements in customer engagement and cross-sell opportunities.

Balancing commercial and cultural goals

The final theme emerging from our research is the challenge of balancing commercial and cultural goals. While 86 per cent of business leaders agree that both are crucial for long-term success, nearly three-quarters (72 per cent) find it difficult to demonstrate the value of cultural impact. This difficulty in aligning and measuring these dual objectives presents a significant hurdle for marketers as they strive to achieve balanced outcomes.

Aligning KPIs with both commercial and cultural goals is another area where businesses struggle. 69 percent of respondents reported challenges in this area, reflecting the complexity of achieving and measuring success in today’s multifaceted business environment. Notably, different sectors prioritise various aspects, with the financial sector placing a strong emphasis on organisational impact (53 per cent), illustrating the diverse challenges faced by marketers across industries.

As we look ahead to 2025, it’s clear that marketers must prioritise both technological and cultural impacts to stay ahead. At Digitas, we’re committed to helping our clients navigate these challenges, ensuring they can thrive in an increasingly complex and competitive landscape.