Creativity must work harder across business, say CMOs

The power of creativity might never have been in doubt in the advertising and marketing industry but chief marketing officers are now looking for something more; creativity that is business-driven, making an impact across every aspect of their organisation from comms to commerce to sustainability.

That is according to a new survey by Dentsu Creative, which quizzed 950 CMOs and found that nearly 8 in 10 (79%) agree that marketing is a key driver of business transformation, with even more (83%) beleving creative ideas can transform businesses and 81% seeing creativity as more important to their business than ever.

Innovation has also been identified as a key driver of business transformation, with 56% of CMOs planning to invest more than 20% of their budget on innovation over the next 12 months.

Some 82% globally share strong optimism in creativity and business transformation. However, CMOs now describe the need for a new kind of creativity, evolving from omnichannel to omnipresent, applied across every aspect of their wider business.

Subsequently, 79% of CMOs globally are feeling challenged to predict changing behaviours, and shape new products and propositions to serve them; bringing “inside-out” insight to the business is now identified as the most important role of marketing in many markets.

And, while CMOs are now committed to building brands in emerging spaces and platforms, the study reveals their uncertainty about how to navigate and effectively tell stories in these new channels.

Though 88% respondents agree that it is more important than ever for brands to be part of culture, 74% are unsure how best to connect brands to culture in meaningful and strategic ways.

A similar hesitation is evident with 77% of CMOs agreeing that brands today should be built in collaboration with other brands, platforms, and creators, however, 60% also express concern about relinquishing control.

By contrast, trust in Generative AI to enhance creativity and innovation to support human creativity is growing, with fewer CMOs considering it a threat to human craft and ingenuity.

While 67% of CMOs doubted that AI could create content that moves us in 2023, the number has dropped 18 percentage points to 49% in 2024.

A majority of 77% would now be interested in training AI on their brand’s look, feel and tone of voice.

As well as being more bullish about the potential of AI, CMOs also feel more confident about their own role in the face of AI this year, and are significantly less likely to believe that AI may replace their jobs.

When it comes to client/agency relationships, the study reveals that CMOs want agencies not just to answer briefs, but to help them transform their businesses through the power of creativity.

Nearly three-quarters (70%) say they want their agency to bring them what they need, not always what they want. In parallel, in a volatile world, CMOs want to ensure their marketing activities are a force for good: 78% agree “I want my marketing activity to impact people, impact business and impact society.”

Dentsu Creative global chief creative officer Yasuharu Sasaki said: “At a time when growth is harder to come by, CMOs are turning to innovation as never before to unlock new sources of sustainable growth.

“I’m inspired by how clients are embracing the coming together of humanity and AI. Despite exponential leaps forward in AI, we see real power in experiences that connect technology and humanity through touch, haptics, voice, gesture and beyond.

“As we navigate these unique dynamics, it’s clear that the future of marketing will be shaped by a synergy of creativity, technology, and cultural integration, allowing brands to connect more deeply and meaningfully with their audiences.”

Dentsu Creative global brand president Abbey Klaassen added: “Clients need and value creativity more than ever. But it’s a new kind of creativity; creativity that is business-driven, making an impact across every aspect of their organisation.

“In parallel, we see new attitudes to AI emerging, where it’s not a threat to human creativity but a way of giving human creativity superpowers-exponentially increasing the pace and possibilities of personalisation, real time responsiveness, and relevance.”