The CMO Council always does a good job with their annual survey of marketing execs — this year’s report is no exception. A lot of interesting findings.
While reading through them, though, I couldn’t help but wonder if everyone understood what the execs surveyed were really saying. After all, they couch their true feelings in some kind of “CMO-speak.” So allow me, your humble blogger, to translate this year’s findings back into plain English:
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Finding: 79% of executives surveyed believe marketing is making significant or reasonable progress in improving the perceived value of the function.
Translation: “My mother thinks I’m doing a great job.”
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Finding: 50% of CMOs are hired to fix broken marketing organizations.
Translation: “The fact that I screwed things up so badly in my last job didn’t deter my new firm from hiring me to fix what my predecessor screwed up.”
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Finding: 45% of marketers expect to change their agency.
Translation: “Told you it wasn’t my fault things are screwed up.”
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Finding: 20% of marketers do not track and measure the return on their marketing spend.
Translation: “There’s nothing to track.”
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Finding: The top two areas for marketing dollar allocation in 2008 are: 1) strategy and branding, and 2) events and trade shows.
Translation: “My wife likes to go to Las Vegas.”
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Finding: New competencies and capabilities are at the top of the list of organizational and operational changes planned for 2008.
Translation: “I have no idea what new competencies or capabilities I need to build, but I know that I need some new ones.”
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Finding: Peers are seen as the most trusted sources for marketing insight, information, and management practices.
Translation: “Misery loves company.”
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Finding: Blogs are the least influential source of marketing insight and management practices.
Translation: “I really don’t care what you have to say, Shevlin.
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On a more serious note, check out the executive summary for Jon Miller’s contributed expert commentary on Marketing 2.0. He also has a lot of insightful things to say on his blog (he’s got a physics degree from Harvard, so you know he’s a smart guy).
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