An ominous term, “dark martech” is the use of homegrown tools or even simple spreadsheets to manage marketing functions. In research by TBR, a technology analyst firm, more than half of the 250 surveyed use homegrown tools. In a post on the Chief Martec blog, TBR analyst, Seth Ulinski, attributes this to resistance to change, lack of support from the top and the recognition that we are still in the early adoption stages of marketing technology.

The top three areas where these homegrown solutions are most used include:

• Marketing operations (68%)
• Core marketing functions (63%)
• Marketing experience content (55%)