Intermediate/ Digest...

Recruiting firm Spencer Stuart surveyed more than 160 senior marketing leaders and found that while the majority, 70%, of those surveyed believe that creativity is just as important as analytical ability, far fewer respondents, 19%, feel their teams strike the right balance.

Finding talent with a proper blend of the creative and analytical is a challenge, say the CMOs, especially amid fierce competition for the scarce experts with both skills. Compounding the challenge is the fact that there is no single go-to source for talent, according to survey respondents. The vast majority (91%) of respondents look externally for talent with affinities for both the creative and analytical.

Competitors within the sector were viewed as viable sources of talent for 22% of respondents; 16% look to the technology industry; and another 16% tap historically creative sectors such as advertising and media. More than one-third (37%) said that they find talent from “other” sources, including strategy consulting firms and startups to analytics companies and other sectors (e.g., consumer products, retail, financial services).

The laundry list of desired skills for marketing leaders continues to grow: analytical orientation, creativity, strategic mindset, digital expertise, general management, innovation, customer insight, financial acumen, change leadership, global perspective and talent development. The majority (86%) of respondents believe it will be possible to find this full gamut of skills within one person in the future.

Boards are placing more scrutiny on digital initiatives, and many marketing leaders reported that their boards have heightened expectations for demonstrated ROI.

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Advanced/ Condensed...

The Adobe study, “Digital Roadblock: Marketers Struggle to Reinvent Themselves,” found that 76 percent of marketers said they need to embrace data to succeed, but only 39 percent said they are actually using consumer data and behavior information to inform their marketing strategies. Part of the issue is revamping the marketing team so it is more open to data and more capable of analyzing it. The study found that 38 percent of marketers have prioritized hiring digital analysts.

The Salesforce.com study, “Bridging the Digital Divide: How CMOs Can Rise to Meet Five Expanding Expectations,” reached a similar conclusion, with 52 percent of its respondents expressing a greater need for “personnel with data and analytics expertise.” That’s because 61 percent of marketers said their top internal priority was increased “data acquisition.” The survey found that marketers craved data to optimize their programs, to drive demand, and to personalize customer and prospect experiences.

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