Read full reportThe role of a CMO is transforming significantly as a result of economic volatility, fast-paced digitisation, and changing buyer expectations. Using Factor Insights 2025 survey findings and insights, this report examines how Australian marketers are balancing the demand for revenue results with the modernisation of tech stacks, team scaling, and redefining buyer journeys. The report provides an assessment from a survey of 204 marketing leaders from Australia and New Zealand gathered in February 2025.
Because of the constraints posed by AI on internal skillsets, boundaries of attribution models have become more complex to track and manage. Now, it’s with great urgency that CMOs steer not just marketing – but the whole company through transformational changes. The report makes it clear what pivots CMOs need to execute in Q2: shift from campaign based lead generation to proactive demand driven branding; from self-contained projects with limited scope to widespread integration of AI into business functions; from disjointed marketing initiatives to cohesive, collaboration frameworks centered around sales integration.
CMO’s Strategic Priorities Are Shifting:
- Brand-led demand creation is now more valuable than short-term lead generation, with emphasis on nurturing community, trust, and experience.
- Upskilling in AI is crucial. Without this capability, investing in technology will not yield expected results.
What's Accelerating in Q2
- B2B buyer self-education has become the norm — more than two third prefer to research independently before engaging with sales.
- Complexity in ROI measurement has intensified as complicated customer engagements outpace first, last click attribution models.
- AI adoption grows steeply, however, 79% remain in ‘pilot mode’ due to lack of skills and fragmented tools.
Barriers to Marketing Impact
- 46% of CMOs point to lack of alignment with sales as the primary reason for hindering revenue generation.
- Ineffective ROI (22%) remains the most significant frustration for marketing leaders, even surpassing concerns about AI and data privacy.
- 70% of marketers are without training deemed essential for the execution of AI at scale.
New Marketing Performance Models Are Emerging
- Traditional lead-gen KPIs no longer apply. CMOs are embracing measurement frameworks based on engagement, influence and even revenue.
- Attribution moving to multi-touch models, incrementality testing, and marketing mix modelling.
Hype to Reality: AI Adoption and Execution
- Top Current AI Uses: Content Creation (22%), Campaign Optimization (21%), Personalisation (11%).
- Areas of focus this quarter: Content Automation, Predictive Insights & Personalisation at Scale.
- The time has come for CMOs to make AI less of an edge case and more part of the core marketing tech stack — but with a perspective on impact, not just experimentation.
Martech and DataStrategy in Transition
- CMOs are also consolidating tools to increase integration and save money.
- Combating these changes, as third-party cookies disappear, have been by the rise of first-party data and consent-based engagement.
- CRM, email, content and predictive analytics workflows all incorporate AI.
For more information please click "Read full Report".
Exclusive membership organisation, Factor, has launched a new Research and Advisory arm, aimed at helping both C-Suite leaders and providers in the enterprise and public sectors.
It comes after Factor rebranded at the beginning of the 24/25 financial year, with the new identity representing an expanded vision and commitment to offering top-tier thought leadership and networking opportunities to senior executives across ANZ, Singapore and a number of other countries and regions. Now, the new arm of Factor is being spearheaded by VP and Head of Research Craig Baty and VP of Advisory Partnerships Shayne Arundell.
Factor
With over 30 years of C-level experience in ICT, HR, marketing, sales, operations, market research, and international business, Craig brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Factor.
“I’m pleased to be part of Factor’s expansion into Research & Advisory services, and I’m looking forward to sharing actionable insights with our members and providers to guide them on best practices in the market,” says Craig.
Craig has held a number of C-level roles including his own start-up, Global VP Global Marketing and VP Digital Services in Fujitsu Tokyo HQ and CTO & Head of Marketing for APAC. He also served as Distinguished Lead Analyst for ISG and established the Provider Lens research arm in AP. As Group VP and Head of Research for Gartner AP/J and CEO of Gartner Japan he earned the first AP/J Gartner Thought Leadership award, established what is now Gartner for Marketing, and pioneered the Gartner SWOT analysis methodology.
Factor
While, Shayne Arundell, a seasoned leader with a proven track record of success in the APAC region. Bringing over 15 years of Partnerships experience to Factor from FMCG, Fintech and Research and Advisory industries.
Shayne is also a Gartner alumni, previously serving as Director of Enterprise Sales, and as APAC Vice President for Intelligence Cloud at Korn Ferry, both being leading global consulting firms.
“Factor is the newest leader in advisory, backed by fiercely local insights, from an extensive market research database you won’t see anywhere else,” Shayne explains.
Within our expertise Factor will cover a range of topics, including, but not limited to:
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
- Cyber Security
- 5G Landscape
- Hybrid Cloud
- Technology Profitability
- AU Fintech
- Digital Transformation and Enablement
- CX, EX, UX
Both Craig and Shayne are supported by Factor’s team of experts and analysts, including Director of Insights and Value, Darren Adams, who is a highly regarded professional in the APAC data and analytics space, drawing on his experience in communications, client relations, B2B marketing, data and strategy in the technology sector.
“People are at the heart of everything we do at Factor, and data is our key in transforming their interactions into understandings. I'm excited to share cutting-edge insights and understanding with our community, to help foster deeper, lasting and beneficial connections,” Darren says.
While Factor’s Editor-In-Chief, Madeline Palmer, an expert media professional, oversees a broad range of strategic, editorial, and managerial tasks to ensure the production and dissemination off high-quality research content.
“Our new membership app will be one-stop shop for all technology leaders to connect and learn through events, advisory and multi-media content, and I am looking forward to being part of that journey,” says Madeline.
The Directions™ portal on Factor’s new membership app is a cutting-edge platform, allowing users explore a repository of reports and other content, as well as create their own research visualisations with Factor’s existing database.
Factor’s CEO and founder, Josh Heid, says this new phase for the company is something he’s been working towards for quite some time.
“After six incredible years of empowering and enabling leaders, our rebrand as Factor, coupled with the launch of our Research and Advisory arm, is about offering our members and providers with the best services and products the market can offer,” Josh explains. “I’m very proud of the team at Factor and what we have built.”
For more information about Factor’s new Research and Advisory offerings click below.
