A Measured Approach

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Marketing Outlook 2009

Grant Johnson March 24th, 2009

You’d expect that given the sharp downturn in the economy, marketing departments would be forecasting budget cuts for 2009.

Hardly. The annual CMO Council survey of senior marketers, which was just released last week, reveals that marketers are largely holding steady on budgets, with 50.9 percent planning no change or increases. And of the remainder planning for cuts, more than 30 percent expect only modest shrinkage.

The CMO Council Marketing Outlook 2009 report packs several surprises. For instance, senior marketers don’t anticipate major layoffs nor are they looking to slash agency spending and cut off relationships.

However, there’s bad news for TV and print advertising. Marketers plan to divert spending from traditional advertising to more targeted digital and social media. And they’re mulling agency changes within the web field.

The report offers a great deal of budget and spending-related insights, as well as information on organizational culture, including a tidbit on marketers putting lifestyle issues ahead of greater influence within their organizations with board seats or better ties with financial and IT groups.

The Marketing Outlook report is available for download through the CMO Council (www.cmocouncil.org) including a complimentary executive summary.