Chuck Kapelke

The last year was a whirlwind for marketers and 2023 is expected to be no different. In addition to a potential recession — and consumers being more selective with their spending — brands will have to grapple with the ongoing chaos at Twitter following Elon Musk's $44 billion acquisition of the beleaguered social network and the political divide in the U.S. that shows few signs of letting up.

The key to cultivating brand love in a sluggish economy is not only being reliable but also demonstrating to consumers how their affection for certain products and/or services can make a tangible contribution to improving society.

Marketers continue to be dogged by all the data they collect. Nearly two-thirds of marketers lack confidence in their data analytics and insights systems, a new survey reveals. Building (and sustaining) cross-functional teams encompassing both marketing and technology is key to remedying the situation.

A growing number of brands are cutting the CMO role altogether and shifting marketing responsibilities to other members of the C-suite. The churn rate is also accelerating. Kirsten Allegri Williams, CMO at Optimizely, says the overriding challenge for CMOs is closing the gap between the expectations among their customers and what marketers can deliver — and then effectively communicating the process back to the C-suite.

Christmas in July? Not quite. But the shopping season, previously relegated to the last several weeks of the year, is now in perpetual motion due to online shopping. What's more, amid a creaky economy and the potential for a recession later this year, consumers are gathering up their gifts earlier than ever.

Celebrity-run ad agencies continue to proliferate, offering brands an unorthodox approach to marketing and advertising strategies. But while celebrity shops run by the likes of Shaquille O'Neal, Dwyane Wade, and Tony Hawk bring a certain glow to the table, brand managers need to approach such agencies with eyes wide open and make sure they're in sync with the brand's goals and objectives.

As marketers’ roles expand to encompass customer experience, product innovation, content marketing, and data analytics, among other areas, how one manages their time will be increasingly important to keeping crucial goals on track. There are a handful of steps marketers can take to beat the clock, some of them hiding in plain sight.

Several major companies have embarked on rebranding efforts over the past several months, spurred in part by global events and shifting mores in society. The temptation to rebrand can be powerful for marketers, as it represents an opportunity to hit the reset button. However, for a rebrand to work, CMOs must have a deep understanding of their core audience.

With the pandemic starting to fade, this summer is expected to be quite different from the past two. Consumer-facing marketers will need to shift gears somewhat, from supplying an accelerating amount of digital content to ramping up efforts to reach people who will be clamoring for live events and spending a lot more time outdoors.

How brands have responded to the war in Ukraine provides valuable lessons for marketers navigating an increasingly unpredictable world. The crisis has reinforced the need to be nimble and responsive and ensure that every single part of a company’s operation is aligned on the brand’s values.

The pending "cookiepocalypse" combined with new privacy regulations may be a blessing in disguise, as they force B2B marketers to prioritize the cultivation of first-party data. However, a new study suggests that a majority of marketers are not taking the necessary steps to adapt their data approaches and operations accordingly.