GALE has released new research with Forbes Insights that reframes the modern Chief Marketing Officer as a builder of enterprise growth.
In “The Business-Architect CMO: Building Future-Proof Growth Strategies,” a survey of 300 CMOs from companies with $500M–$10B+ in revenue finds 67% believe their remit now extends well beyond brand to architecting the business itself. Yet only 19% say their organizations are “extremely effective” at proving marketing’s impact across the full customer journey.
“Amid tougher choices about where to invest, streamline, and prioritize, CMOs have the chance to reassert themselves as growth leaders,” said Andrew Noel, GALE Global CEO. “The role now spans brand, business, and technology—and requires communicating those choices across the C-suite.”
Audience-first thinking is winning the future. While artificial intelligence remains a priority on CMO roadmaps, most leaders say they would direct their first incremental budget toward audience and experience R&D. The goal is to keep the customer’s voice at the center of every strategy.
Yet budget–strategy friction continues to hold many back. Only 39% of CMOs report that their budgets are fully aligned with their strategic vision. Long-term ROI proof gaps and limited control over how dollars are allocated remain stubborn barriers.
The long-running “brand versus performance” debate may be considered settled, but pressures inside organizations still diverge. Forty-two percent of CMOs face a tilt toward short-term performance at the expense of brand, while 38% report the reverse. The constraint, it seems, is less about marketing orthodoxy and more about organizational culture.
To navigate volatility, CMOs are turning to a familiar playbook. Forty-four percent are investing in advanced marketing technology to scale. Forty percent are building owned communities and loyalty programs for durable growth. Thirty-seven percent are embracing flexible, real-time budgeting, while another 37% are investing in modular content systems and in-house studios to boost output and quality.
Leading CMOs aren’t just reacting—they’re reshaping the role itself. They’re architecting growth by unifying brand, data, media, and product around customer value. They’re modernizing measurement, moving beyond last-click attribution to connect brand and experience investments to revenue. They’re consolidating partnerships, choosing fewer but deeper agency relationships to accelerate decision-making and impact. And they’re rebalancing portfolios, protecting brand strength while funding near-term performance and loyalty.
The full report is available below.
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