Forrester and Heidrick & Struggles conducted a global survey to better understand the evolving role of the CMO and what defines success in the age of the customer. With ample forward-looking data on the goals and behaviors of the evolved CMO, the findings based on 275 respondents and released in a new report today show that CMOs are:

— Solidifying their position as business leaders by moving beyond brand, communications, and marketing execution to better quantify the impact of marketing.

  • 75% of CMOs surveyed are confident or very confident in their teams’ ability to meet annual business objectives.
  • 82% of CMOs report that their goals are aligned to revenue targets.

— Broadening their brand responsibilities to include customer experience.

  • Two-thirds of CMOs now have responsibility for customer experience, with more than one-third having performance goals tied to their customers’ overall satisfaction.
  • 61% of CMOs responsible for CX are prioritizing aligning the brand and customer experience; 58% report implementing an enterprisewide CX metric.

— Leading organizational transformation toward customer obsession as the bridge between departments.

  • 51% of CMOs note that organization structure hinders results, with 35% lacking confidence in corporate leadership’s ability to help the company adapt to change.
  • 62% of CMOs identify the head of sales as a crucial partner, while 49% of CMOs view the CIO/CTO as a top relationship to develop.

Click here for more information, and contact us if you’d like a copy of this report.