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 Connect with Gartner
The Digital Transformation of the
Modern Marketing Leader

Noah Elkin Evan Neufeld

VP Analyst Managing Vice President

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 Marketing Is Accelerating Its Contribution
to Digital Business Transformation

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 Only 16%
of marketing’s digital transformation
initiatives are fully implemented

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 The Digital Marketing Leader
Is in Pole Position to Drive
These Changes

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Disruptive Forces Add to the
Digital Marketing Leader’s
Perennial Challenges

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 66%
of digital marketing leaders
view complying with privacy
and security standards as a
moderate or significant challenge

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 Cross-Functional
Collaboration Is Key to
the Digital Marketing
Leader’s Success

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Key Focus Areas for Digital Marketing Leaders

1 2 3
Responsibilities and Key Execution Impact of
Strategic Objectives Challenges Collaboration

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 What are the digital
marketing leader’s
responsibilities and
strategic objectives?
1

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Digital Marketing Leaders Have a Broad Remit

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Digital Marketing Leaders Have a Broad Remit
Content marketing Integrating mobile marketing

SEO/SEM Media

Email marketing Brand advertising

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Digital Marketing Leaders Are Seeking a Balance

2019

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Digital Marketing Leaders Are Seeking a Balance

2019

2020

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Digital Marketing Leaders Are Seeking a Balance

2019

2020

2022
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Digital Marketing Leaders’ Objectives for 2021
Emphasize Customer Acquisition
40%
38%
35% 35%
30%
26%

Improve lead quality Drive sales among Increase general Acquire new Improve Retain existing
identified leads brand awareness customers loyalty/repurchase customers

Base: All respondents, n = 350.

Q: Now please indicate w hat you expect w ill be your company’s top digital marketing objectives in 2021.
Source: Gartner 2021 Digital Marketing Survey.
17 © 2021 Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Gartner is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and its affiliates.
Polling Question 1 of 3 How to participate in our polling
If you are in full screen mode – click Esc
How would you describe the focus of The poll question is on the “Vote” tab.
your organization’s digital marketing Please click the box to make your selection.
efforts for 2021? Upon voting you will see the results.

Thank you!

A. Focus leans toward retaining existing

customers
Q. Polling Question
B. Focus is evenly split between retaining existing (please choose 1 answer)
customer and acquiring new customers
A. Answer
C. Focus leans toward acquiring new customers
B. Answer
D. Focus with respect to customer/prospect C. Answer
engagement is still evolving
D. Answer

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Seniority of Digital Marketing Leaders Reflects
Their Expansive Role
Director/Manager,
15%

CMO
85% of digital marketing
VP 36% leaders hold a title of vice
8%
president or higher

75% have a span of

SVP responsibility that extends
19%
to the entire organization
EVP
21%
Base: All respondents, n = 350.
Q: Which of the follow ing best describes the current level of your title?
Source: Gartner 2021 Digital Marketing Survey.
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 Digital marketing leadership is
rapidly aligning with overall
marketing leadership.

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 What are the key
challenges digital
marketing leaders
face in 2021?
2

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Digital Marketing Leaders Continue to Struggle
With Core Challenges

Privacy/security Hiring qualified Leveraging integrated Assessing

compliance personnel customer data resources

Selecting the right Augmenting Personalizing Aligning messages

technologies customer profiles experiences to preferred channels
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 +53%
Increase since 2019 among
digital marketing leaders
indicating that delivering
personalized experiences
to customers presented a
significant challenge

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 +38%
Increase since 2019 among
digital marketing leaders
indicating that mapping
digital marketing
messages to audience
channel preferences
presented a significant challenge

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Polling Question 2 of 3 How to participate in our polling
If you are in full screen mode – click Esc
Which of the following do you see as The poll question is on the “Vote” tab.
marketing’s primary challenge in Please click the box to make your selection.
2021? Upon voting you will see the results.

Thank you!

A. Planning for/responding to disruptive events

B. Delivering personalized experiences to Q. Polling Question
customers (please choose 1 answer)
C. Hiring qualified personnel to support digital A. Answer
marketing efforts
B. Answer
D. Effectively using customer data in a transparent
C. Answer
way
D. Answer
E. Implementing emerging technologies to support
achievement of marketing objectives E. Answer

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 Organizations
beginning or scaling
81% their digital
transformation of
marketing initiatives

Base: All respondents, n = 350.

Q. Which best describes the current state of your company’s digital transformation of marketing initiatives?
Source: Gartner 2021 Digital Marketing Survey.
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 You Confronted a Series of
Disruptive Events Over the
Last Year

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28 © 2021 Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Gartner is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and its affiliates.
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31 © 2021 Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Gartner is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and its affiliates.
 Ready or Not, the Boundaries of
Your Role Just Got Wider

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 Hurdles Responding
Promptly to
Disruptive Event

Returning
to Normal
Operations
After Disruptive
Understanding
Event
Impact of
Disruptive Event

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Outsourcing Is a Bulwark Against Disruption
Digital marketing strategy and Depend on agencies/third parties
execution are mostly done in-house for most digital marketing activity
and agencies/third parties are including strategy and execution
rarely/never engaged
23%
15%
59% cite
significant
dependence on
third parties for
digital marketing
execution

Digital marketing strategy and Digital marketing strategy set in-

execution are largely done in-house house but depend on agencies/third
but depend on third parties to fill gaps parties for execution
26% 36%
Base: All respondents, n = 350.
Q: Which of the follow ing best describes your marketing organization’s current approach to outsourcing for digital marketing strategy and execution?
Source: Gartner 2021 Digital Marketing Survey.
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 Disruptive Events
Can Accelerate
Digital Transformation

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The Biggest Challenges in 2021 Will Come From
Within the Organization

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 Digital marketing leaders need a
framework to harness the impact
of disruption and agility to manage
unintended consequences.

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 How do digital
marketing leaders’
cross-functional
partnerships affect
their ability to
3
achieve goals?

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 Going It Alone Is
Not an Option

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 Digital Marketing Leaders
Succeed When They Leverage
a Cross-Functional Network

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Look for Opportunities in the Collaboration Zone
Collaboration Zone Provided Most Support
Most Hindered Response

12%

10% 10% 10% 10% 10%

9%
8%
7% 7%
6% 6% 6%

4%

IT CEO Communications PR Supply Chain R&D Sales

Base: All respondents, n = 350.

Q: Which of the follow ing roles/functions provided the most support for the marketing organization's response to disruptive events in 2020?
Q: Which of the follow ing roles/functions most hindered the marketing organization's response to disruptive events in 2020?
Source: Gartner 2021 Digital Marketing Survey.
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Polling Question 3 of 3 How to participate in our polling
If you are in full screen mode – click Esc
Which organization stakeholder or The poll question is on the “Vote” tab.
function is the primary proponent of Please click the box to make your selection.
marketing’s strategic and execution Upon voting you will see the results.
efforts?
Thank you!

A. CEO
B. IT Q. Polling Question
(please choose 1 answer)
C. Sales
A. Answer
D. CX
B. Answer
E. Communications
C. Answer

D. Answer

E. Answer

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Cultivate Ties to CX to
Coordinate Digital
Experience Enhancements
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Work with Communications and PR
to Navigate Shifting Brand
Positioning and Business Priorities
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 Achieving strategic objectives
requires digital marketing leaders
to foster a collaborative cross-
functional network.

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 Five steps Gartner recommends
for empowering a strong digital
marketing leader in your organization

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• Craft a vision for digital marketing’s impact on
company growth goals.
• Define a clearly scoped set of responsibilities
for the digital marketing leader.
• Nurture relationships with key cross-functional
stakeholders and leaders in your organization.
• Design a comprehensive digital marketing
strategy that includes both external and internal
execution components.
• Manage disruption through a nexus of people,
process and technology.

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A must-attend gathering offering CMOs and
senior marketing leaders an expanded
agenda of research, advice and shared
learning. Discover an essential view into
the technologies and trends that are
shaping modern marketing strategies.
Learn more: gartner.com/us/marketing
Register with code GMLVIPSAVE
for an exclusive discount.
© 2021 Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
The World’s Most Important Gathering
of CMOs and Marketing Executives™
Aug 31 – Sept 2, 2021 | Americas | Virtual
At this year’s conference, you’ll gain:
Trusted insights, including marketing
benchmarks and best-in-class peer learning
Strategic advice for your most challenging
priorities including innovation, planning and
budgeting
Practical application through case studies and
toolkits
Discover how to maximize the impact of your digital
marketing efforts.

Digital Marketing Strategy 2021 Maximizing Digital Marketing

Uncover emerging digital marketing Performance
trends and actions you can take to drive Learn how we helped a client validate an
business outcomes. initial structure for a new digital
marketing team.

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