The Marketing Mix 2013

Introduction

In recent years, marketing budgets have been reduced and marketers have been held increasingly accountable for demonstrating return on investment. In the years since the global financial crisis, and through the growth of digital engagement channels, most notably the rise of social media and the consumer demand for mobile engagements, marketing has found a new foundation from which to rebuild its budgets and its customer engagement strategies.

Digital Marketing
Digital marketing makeovers – from operational platforms to boost efficiencies to new engagement solutions to enhance experiences – have been top of mind for marketers. Sped by the realities of the new lean global economy, but encouraged along by the return, results and metrics that have been found thanks to these highly measurable and trackable digital solutions.
The looming question is where will marketing turn next and what impact will these new directions have on how brands engage and connect with their constituencies. To begin this exploration, the The International Federations of DMA’s (IFDMA) has committed to tracking the progression of engagement marketers are embarking on in an ambitious five-year tracking study, marking budget fluctuations, technology advancements, and the transformation of the media mix as a whole. To kick off this long-term view, IFDMA has partnered with the CMO Council to produce an initial view into where marketing stands today, in 2013.

The baseline is established here for a few key reasons:
• 2013 represents the first year when budgets, previously flat or falling, have leveled and even begun to grow.
• Web 2.0 has officially advanced to a new era of social-mobile-totally-digital engagements, placing the customer at the helm of engagements and ushering in a new era of Person-to-Person customer experiences.
• Global spending confidence has started to rise, indicating to many that recovery is in full swing and the threat of continued recession and advancing austerity is likely over – which also typically signals a time when marketers and advertisers must ramp up engagements and experiences to reach a hungry audience prepared to spend their share of wallet.
• The media mix is still in flux, creating a channel sprawl like we have not seen in years, creating both opportunity for engagement and opportunity for customer confusion.

Liz Miller, Vice President, Marketing,
The Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council

The Marketing Mix 2013