Dentsu Group Unveils CMO Survey Report 2025: Insights for Marketers
Dentsu Group has recently published its CMO Survey Report 2025, which captures the insights of 1,950 top marketing executives from 14 major markets, including Japan. Titled "Agents of Reinvention: Marketing at the Intersection of AI and Human Creativity," this sixth annual study highlights the increasing value of humanity in marketing amidst a landscape dominated by algorithms and autonomous AI.
The report aims to define ten key themes for marketing beyond 2025, helping brands achieve sustainable growth in a rapidly evolving environment.
One of the prominent features of the report is the acknowledgment that advertisers are adopting AI at an unprecedented pace while emphasizing the human touch in creativity and craft. As Dentsu Group’s Global Chief Creative Officer, Yasuharu Sasaki, remarked, "As advertisers increasingly implement AI across various marketing domains, the necessity for originality and innovation becomes paramount to avoid brand obscurity. The intrinsic worth of creativity lies in its 'unpredictability' despite AI excelling in forecasting short-term results. The most exciting prospect lies in the possibilities that arise from the fusion of AI capabilities and human creativity, paving the way for unprecedented futures. Thus, many advertisers are signaling a strengthened commitment to innovation beyond 2026."
Supported by Dentsu Creative’s Global Chief Strategy Officer, Patricia McDonald, the report elaborates on the paradoxes faced by modern marketers. McDonald stated, "In today’s era, automation is essential for keeping pace, yet distinctiveness relies on humanity. If brands merely chase the same signals with the same tools, they risk becoming stagnant. The more we embrace AI, the more we must cultivate our human qualities. Uncovering deep, culturally-rooted truths resonates with audiences, creates differentiation, and facilitates scaling."
Here are the ten key themes for marketing that the report identifies for the future:
1. Anticipating Algorithms: Success in algorithmic marketing means leading rather than merely following trends. CMO insights reveal that relying solely on current memes diminishes effectiveness while driving costs up.
2. Investing in Empathy: Paradoxically, the key to algorithmic success is human touch. Insight born from genuine human interactions is crucial for innovation and differentiation.
3. Connection through Ideas: A significant majority of CMOs believe that brand-building in the future relies heavily on collaboration between brands, creators, and platforms, emphasizing community engagement as a powerful tool.
4. The Impact of Influencer Investments: Given the necessity of co-creation, CMOs plan to significantly increase investments in influencers, recognizing the role they play in enhancing visibility and conversions.
5. Dilemmas within Cultures: While many recognize modern branding as driven through culture, executing this consistently on a global scale remains a major hurdle for CMOs.
6. Innovation as Necessity: No longer optional, innovation allocations in marketing budgets signify its importance. Many marketers plan to dedicate a substantial portion of their budgets to innovation as a direct response to the rapid pace of change.
7. Co-working with AI: AI is already integrated into the daily workflows of most CMOs. The capacity of AI for summarizing research and drafting content reshapes perceptions of creativity and agency processes.
8. What Constitutes Human Experience: Experience is critical to brand building, as many CMOs express concerns regarding dilution of brand experiences due to AI advancements.
9. Intelligent Connectivity of Content: CMOs are increasingly seeking the balance between efficiency and impact, looking for dynamic content delivery that aligns tightly with customer journeys.
10. Trusting Intuition: CMOs recognize that while the potential of autonomous AI is significant, trust and brand preference have never been more vital to keeping brands in consumers’ consideration sets.
The findings from this comprehensive survey are intended to guide brands in navigating the complexities of modern marketing and thrive amidst challenges presented by advancing technologies and changing consumer expectations. Access the full report here.
The report aims to define ten key themes for marketing beyond 2025, helping brands achieve sustainable growth in a rapidly evolving environment.
One of the prominent features of the report is the acknowledgment that advertisers are adopting AI at an unprecedented pace while emphasizing the human touch in creativity and craft. As Dentsu Group’s Global Chief Creative Officer, Yasuharu Sasaki, remarked, "As advertisers increasingly implement AI across various marketing domains, the necessity for originality and innovation becomes paramount to avoid brand obscurity. The intrinsic worth of creativity lies in its 'unpredictability' despite AI excelling in forecasting short-term results. The most exciting prospect lies in the possibilities that arise from the fusion of AI capabilities and human creativity, paving the way for unprecedented futures. Thus, many advertisers are signaling a strengthened commitment to innovation beyond 2026."
Supported by Dentsu Creative’s Global Chief Strategy Officer, Patricia McDonald, the report elaborates on the paradoxes faced by modern marketers. McDonald stated, "In today’s era, automation is essential for keeping pace, yet distinctiveness relies on humanity. If brands merely chase the same signals with the same tools, they risk becoming stagnant. The more we embrace AI, the more we must cultivate our human qualities. Uncovering deep, culturally-rooted truths resonates with audiences, creates differentiation, and facilitates scaling."
Here are the ten key themes for marketing that the report identifies for the future:
1. Anticipating Algorithms: Success in algorithmic marketing means leading rather than merely following trends. CMO insights reveal that relying solely on current memes diminishes effectiveness while driving costs up.
2. Investing in Empathy: Paradoxically, the key to algorithmic success is human touch. Insight born from genuine human interactions is crucial for innovation and differentiation.
3. Connection through Ideas: A significant majority of CMOs believe that brand-building in the future relies heavily on collaboration between brands, creators, and platforms, emphasizing community engagement as a powerful tool.
4. The Impact of Influencer Investments: Given the necessity of co-creation, CMOs plan to significantly increase investments in influencers, recognizing the role they play in enhancing visibility and conversions.
5. Dilemmas within Cultures: While many recognize modern branding as driven through culture, executing this consistently on a global scale remains a major hurdle for CMOs.
6. Innovation as Necessity: No longer optional, innovation allocations in marketing budgets signify its importance. Many marketers plan to dedicate a substantial portion of their budgets to innovation as a direct response to the rapid pace of change.
7. Co-working with AI: AI is already integrated into the daily workflows of most CMOs. The capacity of AI for summarizing research and drafting content reshapes perceptions of creativity and agency processes.
8. What Constitutes Human Experience: Experience is critical to brand building, as many CMOs express concerns regarding dilution of brand experiences due to AI advancements.
9. Intelligent Connectivity of Content: CMOs are increasingly seeking the balance between efficiency and impact, looking for dynamic content delivery that aligns tightly with customer journeys.
10. Trusting Intuition: CMOs recognize that while the potential of autonomous AI is significant, trust and brand preference have never been more vital to keeping brands in consumers’ consideration sets.
The findings from this comprehensive survey are intended to guide brands in navigating the complexities of modern marketing and thrive amidst challenges presented by advancing technologies and changing consumer expectations. Access the full report here.
Topics Consumer Products & Retail）
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