The Drum Awards for Marketing judges proportion what CMOs are actually pondering in 2025

After interviewing 25 CMOs and advertising leaders who’re serving as judges for The Drum Awards for Marketing, we have now recognized the important thing forces redefining the occupation in 2025. From navigating financial pressures to integrating AI, and from redefining price within the boardroom to balancing model consistency throughout markets, this cohort of judges gives a candid, collective snapshot of the place advertising is headed.

Here are the important thing traits in advertising management.

CMOs are studying to talk the language of commercial, now not simply model

One of probably the most constant topics throughout interviews used to be the CMO’s evolving position throughout the C-suite. Increasingly, entrepreneurs are being requested to ship monetary fluency along ingenious management. Several judges pointed to the wish to justify spend thru ROI modeling and cross-functional KPIs. The talent to translate brand-building into industry results is now observed as crucial.

Kim Lim, managing director at Universal Music Malaysia, said that “to ensure how money is spent with high value ROI and KPI matrix is met for separate expectation” is a rising call for, particularly as marketplace wishes evolve. She added that more youthful shoppers be expecting authenticity and creativity, now not overly polished campaigns, making it much more vital to tie messaging again to measurable price.

In B2B contexts, judges famous that model technique should be obviously connected to pipeline and portfolio efficiency. Many are shifting clear of siloed reporting and towards more potent relationships with finance and product leads.

The enlargement mandate hasn’t softened, however the stipulations have

Despite shrinking budgets and extending drive on cost-per-acquisition, enlargement objectives stay competitive. One CMO described the problem of accomplishing 20–30% annual enlargement in advertising results whilst headcount and investment keep flat. Others spoke of emerging inflation, marketplace fragmentation and mounting scrutiny over advertising effectiveness.

Paul Alexander, advertising director at Barclays, highlighted the wish to stability long- and temporary objectives throughout industry gadgets, consumers, and co-workers – a rigidity echoed via a number of judges. It’s not sufficient to power consciousness or clicks; CMOs are anticipated to ship effects that transfer all of the industry ahead.

Brand consistency as opposed to native relevance is the brand new strategic rigidity

When requested about keeping up model consistency throughout more than one markets, maximum judges returned to the similar core problem: retain a unified identification whilst adapting to native expectancies. Cindy Tervoort, former CMO at Britvic, summed it up as “balancing local relevance and consumer nuances while preventing excessive fragmentation in communications and innovation.”

Others discussed the complexity of operating with decentralized groups, adapting world narratives to regional sensitivities, and navigating regulatory variations. As one pass judgement on put it, the function is to be observed as a “local” model with out dropping sight of worldwide identification, particularly in fast-moving, multi-channel environments.

AI is far and wide, however the hype is giving technique to pragmatism

AI is not development – it’s embedded in just about each and every a part of the selling procedure. Judges described the use of generative AI to streamline asset advent, boost up marketing campaign trying out, and allow extra personalised communications at scale.

Andrew Shepherd, senior director of EMEA North advertising at Palo Alto Networks, famous that AI is reshaping MarTech and forcing a rebalancing between demand-gen and brand-building. As entrepreneurs acquire get entry to to raised intent information and automation gear, there’s a transparent push to unify temporary activation with long-term fairness.

Julka Villa, former world CMO at Campari Group, emphasised AI’s position in organizing and inspecting information successfully, liberating up extra time for strategic pondering. But she additionally flagged the will for considerate legislation to verify long-term price.

Across responses, AI used to be framed much less as a risk and extra as a important device – a technique to scale back handbook paintings and let groups “think big,” as one pass judgement on put it. The problem is not whether or not to undertake AI, however combine it with out compromising creativity or believe.

To show price, entrepreneurs should embed themselves deeper within the industry

Another main theme used to be the will for advertising to turn out its price past consciousness metrics. Judges time and again stressed out the significance of aligning with industry targets, constructing credibility with CFOs, and developing size frameworks that talk the language of the boardroom.

Several judges highlighted the significance of normal conversation with management, now not simply to record on effects, however to lend a hand form them. Others known as for entrepreneurs to champion buyer insights throughout departments, and to hyperlink model price without delay to marketplace proportion and long-term monetary have an effect on.

This shift calls for a brand new roughly advertising management – person who’s as happy with dashboards as it’s with ingenious briefs.

What makes a model stand out in 2025? Clarity, simplicity, emotion

In a loud, fragmented global, the manufacturers that wreck thru are the ones with a pointy viewpoint and a transparent emotional core. Justin Levy, senior director of brand name advertising at Ubisoft, pointed to the will for “clarity of purpose, expressed in a way that is authentic, emotional and culturally relevant.”

Many judges echoed this sentiment, bringing up humor, simplicity, and buyer connection as key model attributes. Others emphasised the significance of consistency, now not simply in appear and feel, however in tone and worth proposition. Even in complicated classes like B2B or cybersecurity, judges mentioned what units standout manufacturers aside is their talent to be in contact obviously and resonate emotionally.

If I had one media greenback left… I’d spend it on owned platforms: When requested to make a choice a unmarried channel to put money into, judges named the whole lot from TikTookay to retail media – however a transparent choice emerged for owned, brand-controlled environments.

Francesco Federico, world CMO at S&P Global Ratings, argued that “at a time when cookies are losing relevance, social platforms retain customer data for themselves… the only way to ensure long-term sustainability is to build robust first-party data and exceptional branded customer experiences.”

Others highlighted e-commerce platforms, TV, and experiential occasions – however all the time with the good judgment of target audience possession, measurable results, and cultural resonance.

Counterintuitive findings

A couple of topics stood out for going in opposition to the trade’s prevailing assumptions, revealing the place standard knowledge may well be due for an replace.

First, regardless of years of virtual dominance, print is quietly regaining strategic price. Judges famous that during a number of markets, print is being repositioned now not as a mass-reach automobile however as a top rate, high-trust channel. Its shortage now works in its want. When carried out thoughtfully, print indicators intentionality – and will command consideration in techniques virtual now and again can not.

Another unexpected perception: personalization is proving tougher to execute than it’s to consider. While AI has opened the door to segment-level insights and dynamic content material supply, many CMOs admitted that operationalizing true personalization – throughout platforms, areas and codecs – stays one in all their hardest demanding situations. The possibility isn’t simply inconsistency; it’s dilution. The extra adapted the messaging turns into, the tougher it’s to keep a transparent and cohesive model identification.

Lastly, the sentiment round AI wasn’t rooted in worry of displacement, however in a loss of readiness. CMOs aren’t frightened about AI taking their jobs. They’re frightened about now not having the crew construction, coaching, or tooling in position to make use of it successfully. The problem is much less existential than it’s sensible. Automation on my own gained’t free up AI’s possible – capacity and tradition nonetheless topic.

The street forward: advertising in recalibration

This 12 months’s cohort of Drum Awards judges displays a advertising self-discipline in lively transition. CMOs aren’t reacting – they’re recalibrating. They’re constructing advertising organizations that talk to each creativity and trade. They’re rewriting the logo playbook in actual time, balancing personalization with coherence, agility with alignment and imaginative and prescient with duty.

As one pass judgement on famous, “Marketing is now closer to the business – yet short-termism remains a problem. The CMO is becoming central to strategy, not just campaigns.”

That rigidity – between affect and drive, between long-term imaginative and prescient and temporary supply – defines the trendy CMO. And as extra judges give a contribution to this ongoing analysis, we’ll proceed to trace how the position evolves.

The Drum Awards for Marketing APAC, the primary in a three-legged world excursion celebrating the sector’s absolute best advertising, happened as of late. The Drum Awards for Marketing EMEA takes position on June 4, with The Drum Awards for Marketing Americas on June 12. All occasions can be streamed are living and on-demand on thedrum.com.