This document provides an overview of results of a study into marketing operations amongst WFA members, run in March 2020.
Developed in partnership with Flock Associates, individuals from 30 companies took part with 43% spending over US$1bn PA. In total, the sample represented approx. US$21bn in marketing investment. All respondents had global or regional responsibilities.
Key take outs
• The marketing operations function is clearly established in marketing organisations (73% have a marketing operations function within their organisation) and still growing in importance.
• Responsibilities are shifting to a more strategic role: leading the marketing performance element of organisations as well as having a strong influence in marketing strategy and capability planning to ensure the marketing department is fit for the future.
• A close relationship with the CMO (over 50% of the Marketing Operations leaders are reporting into the CMO), and the leadership support of the CMO, ensures that business targets are hit and the quality of marketing output is improved.
• Agency management, including KPI setting and tracking, alongside more effective processes, budget control, as well as implementing new technologies and tools are all part of today’s responsibilities for marketing operations teams.
• Legacy processes and behaviour, siloed thinking and organisational design, plus the changing agency landscape with data & technology becoming more and more the key driver for change, are all challenges for the marketing operations function.
A powerpoint presentation with the results
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