Cost of Chaos Report | Chapter 3

MEASURING IMPACT AND LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Exploring the impact of AI, how marketing will measure success as the industry continues to evolve, and the steps needed to move from chaos to coherence.

AI as a catalyst for change

GenAI is transforming the buying process and marketing operations.  97% of buyers say AI tools already influence decisions, with a considerable number (44%) describing the impact as major.

For marketers, AI is driving structural change, and the large majority (70%) expect team restructuring in less than a year. Only 1% believe their structure will remain unchanged, highlighting the widespread anticipation of transformation in marketing functions. Despite all the hype, only very limited change has happened so far.

AI promises speed and scale, but it also raises questions about coherence and trust. Agents can't replace human connection. Creating more content, faster, doesn't make buying easier. Marketers must ensure technology enhances, rather than erodes, the buyer experience.

Is AI changing your marketing team structure?

The impact of marketing

Marketing’s role in driving growth is widely recognised, but confidence varies.

Less than half of respondents (46%) say marketing has a significant impact on revenue growth, while just over a third (36%) say it is only having a ‘moderate’  or ‘limited’ effect. This perception gap underscores the pressure on marketing teams to prove value beyond campaign metrics and demonstrate tangible business outcomes. Tricia Stinton, Chief Marketing Officer of Cloud Infrastructure Services  at Capgemini, explains how CMOs can demonstrate the value of marketing:

“Ultimately the goal is around driving demand, it’s not all about MQLs but has the activity contributed to the pipeline in some meaningful way? For me, that’s the ultimate marker in terms of success. There are lots of different metrics but part of your role as a CMO is to educate the business on why some of those softer metrics are also important because they tell the story of what leads up to revenue and driving that outcome.”

When we consider which metrics matter most for proving impact, it appears that marketers and buyers aren’t speaking the same language. Many marketers cited social media reach and engagement (40%), website traffic (38%), and lead quality and conversion rates (37%) as
their most important metrics. While these numbers are clearly important, there is a lack of acknowledgement of other important metrics such as brand awareness (35%) or ROI (13%).

It seems that while marketers chase visibility, buyers want cost savings and clarity. The gap between these feeds into a chaotic environment.

Which marketing metrics do you rely on most to prove impact?

Social media reach & engagement 40%

Website traffic & engagement" 38%

Lead quality & conversion rates 37%

Brand awareness and sentiment 35%

Sales revenue 28%

ROI 13%

Chapter 4

THE JOURNEY TO COHERENCE.

When internal teams, strategy, media, data, and creative move as one, there are up to 20% more opportunities from existing customers, 15% more from hidden buyers, and a 50% jump in sales efficiency.