The 2023 Global Marketing Trends offers four trends that could help marketers better contribute to brand success and guide CMOs as they set priorities. Some takeaway stats from this years survey include:

• 75% of the marketers most concerned with economic instability are responding with an investment mindset.
• 86% of marketers surveyed are implementing internal-facing sustainability initiatives.
• 89% of high-growth brands agree that their long-term success depends on their ability to foster creativity.
• 84% of brands surveyed will create metaverse experiences in the next two years.

1. Brands answer economic instability with marketing investments

CMOs surveyed are prioritising new technologies, expanding markets, and customer personalisation to help their brands endure—and thrive—in uncertain times. Key trends highlighted are:

• Accelerating the move to new digital technologies or platforms
• Expanding into new markets, segments, or geographies
• Implementing systems or algorithms to enhance customer personalisation

2. Chief marketing officers drive growth through internal sustainability efforts​

As consumers stress sustainability as critical to their brand choices, marketers are recognising equity and environmental impact from the inside out. Brands reported that their top three priorities for sustainability efforts this year include:

• Improving sustainability of internal marketing practices
• Promoting more sustainable product and service offerings
• Establishing long-term sustainability commitments  

3. Creativity as a force for growth​

Common among high-growth brands surveyed are processes and thinking that encourage creativity, risk-taking, and cross-functional collaboration. 

Data and analytics may have gained prominence over creativity in addressing modern marketing challenges, but the latter can still be valuable—if done the right way.

4. Rising technologies for marketers to watch​​

Which new technologies most interest marketing leaders this year—and which are likely to sustain their interest over the long term?

Adoption of emerging technologies can create competitive advantages, and marketers are looking at the metaverse and blockchain as particularly promising.

Methodology
The 2023 Global Marketing Trends Executive Survey polled 1,015 executives from the C-suite from global companies in the United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Japan, Middle East, and Australia in July 2022. The survey respondents included marketing executives holding roles such as chief marketing officer, chief customer officer, chief revenue officer, chief digital officer, chief growth officer, and other related titles and were sampled across a wide range of industries. Each respondent offered their perspective on a variety of topics related to the future of marketing in the coming one to two years.

Separately, 23 executive interviews were conducted during September and October of 2022. These executives currently serve in marketing executive roles and their insights were a key part of shaping the insights in this report.