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While communications pros are not lacking in confidence, a new report from MikeWorldWide finds that a number of factors are making it difficult for them to translate that confidence over into bold, effective action.
More than nine out of 10 (92 percent) of the 500 UK-based in-house communications and marketing professionals surveyed for the MWW-commissioned study said that they are confident in their brand’s voice. However, that confidence is facing off against an environment characterized by increasing workloads, reputational sensitivities and fast-moving technological change.
The stress of handling an increasingly complex workplace is leading to an epidemic of employee burnout. Close to a third (30 percent) of the survey respondents report feeling overwhelmed “at least two to three days a week,” and 13 percent feel overwhelmed every day.
The level of burnout seems to be higher for people working in B2C contexts. The number of B2C workers who say they feel overwhelmed two to three days a week rises to 34 percent, and drops to 26 percent for those in B2B positions.
The study says that the disparity likely results from the differing nature of B2C and B2B work. B2B workers are said to work in more specialized markets, making their messaging more targeted and memorable. The broader brush necessary for B2C work can require constant adaptation and innovation—bringing a higher level of stress with it.
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Confidence levels are also coming up against a range of structural barriers. A large majority (84 percent) of those surveyed said their teams face such hurdles as resource limitations (36 percent), a lack of rapid response protocols (31 percent) and leadership hesitancy (29 percent) when they are trying to react to breaking news or cultural moments.
The resource limitations are seen as being at least partly due to budget restraints. While eight out of 10 respondents (80 percent) say that their budgets are up over the past year, about half of those surveyed (52 percent for B2B respondents and 51 percent for B2C workers) still say that insufficient budgets are impacting campaign execution and brand agility.
A lack of leadership vision also appears to be taking a toll on the development of bold, impactful initiatives. Over a quarter of respondents (26 percent) say that the lack of a clear strategic direction from a brand’s leadership is a “key blocker” for marketing teams that want to respond effectively in high-pressure moments.
AI, as might be expected, is also having a major effect. Just about all of the respondents (98 percent) say that they use AI, and 62 percent add that AI is frequently integrated into their workflows. But that prevalence comes with a caveat: “Without clear leadership direction and human oversight,” the report’s authors say, “brands risk losing the very thing AI can’t replace—empathy, nuance and human connection.”
Some pointers are offered as to how brands can optimize their odds of executing bold, effective campaigns. Those include investing wisely, ensuring top-down support, balancing risk with relevance, enhancing operational speed and aligning strategic clarity with AI ethics.
The study was carried out by independent research provider Opinion Matters between May 29 and June 3.
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