Leadership Archives /topics/leadership/ The Essential Community for Marketers Tue, 07 Apr 2026 15:49:33 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 /wp-content/uploads/2019/04/cropped-android-chrome-256x256.png?fit=32%2C32 Leadership Archives /topics/leadership/ 32 32 158097978 Emotional Intelligence for Managers /on-demand/emotional-intelligence-for-managers/ /on-demand/emotional-intelligence-for-managers/#respond Mon, 03 Mar 2025 21:14:41 +0000 /?post_type=ama_courses&p=187409 What You’ll Learn Are you an Professional Certified Marketer®️? This training is worth 3 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to maintain your PCM®️ certification. t the Course Emotional intelligence (EI) is our ability to identify and control our emotions to achieve positive outcomes in our relationships. Managers with high EI are better equipped to deal […]

The post Emotional Intelligence for Managers appeared first on .

]]>
  • Emotional Intelligence (EI) for Managers

    This course reviews the underlying concepts of emotional intelligence and explores how managers can improve and make use of their emotional intelligence.

    Beginner | 3 Hours

    $129 for non-members | $99 for members

What You’ll Learn

  • Discuss the role of emotional intelligence for managers
  • Explain why improving emotional intelligence can have a positive impact on managerial performance
  • Recognize the importance of emotional intelligence in successful management
  • Discuss the nine key EI factors
  • Apply EI factors to business management scenarios

You will gain access to this course for 90 days from purchase date.

Emotional Intelligence (EI) for Managers

Non-Member

$129.00

Member

$99.00

Are you an ? This training is worth 3 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to maintain your PCM®️ certification.

t the Course

Emotional intelligence (EI) is our ability to identify and control our emotions to achieve positive outcomes in our relationships. Managers with high EI are better equipped to deal with subordinates, colleagues, and company executives, and they can do a better job of handling and resolving conflicts. This course reviews the underlying concepts of emotional intelligence and explores how managers can improve and make use of their emotional intelligence.

Members Get the Best Pricing

Not only do members get discounts on training like this, but they also receive exclusive content, downloadable tools, unlimited access to Journals, membership in networking communities and more.

Related Courses

The post Emotional Intelligence for Managers appeared first on .

]]>
/on-demand/emotional-intelligence-for-managers/feed/ 0 187409
Certificate in Leadership for Women in Business /on-demand/certificate-in-leadership-for-women-in-business/ /on-demand/certificate-in-leadership-for-women-in-business/#respond Mon, 03 Mar 2025 18:24:32 +0000 /?post_type=ama_courses&p=187326 Course Overview Nearly half of all working adults are women, and women now make up the majority of students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees. Despite these indications that they have the skills and education to be leaders in the workforce, women are still underrepresented in many areas, and the persistent wage gap demonstrates that their […]

The post Certificate in Leadership for Women in Business appeared first on .

]]>
  • Certificate in Leadership for Women in Business

    This certificate explores both the social and psychological mechanisms that create challenges that professional women often face. Alongside commentary from women leaders, the material also provides concrete and data-driven recommendations for advancing in your career. 

    Intermediate | Certificate Program | 23 hours

    $529

    Hosted by MindEdge. You will leave ama.org to make this purchase.

Course Overview

Nearly half of all working adults are women, and women now make up the majority of students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees. Despite these indications that they have the skills and education to be leaders in the workforce, women are still underrepresented in many areas, and the persistent wage gap demonstrates that their work is often undervalued. This certificate explores both the social and psychological mechanisms that create challenges that professional women often face.

Alongside commentary from women leaders, the material also provides concrete and data-driven recommendations for advancing in your career. The courses in the certificate introduce key concepts and practices that all successful business people should be familiar with, thereby serving as a general introduction to topics like leadership, management, communication, work-life balance, networking, negotiation, and body language.

Advertisement

Learning Format

This self-paced certificate program utilizes games, videos, interactive exercises, quizzes, real-world case studies and other engaging content to ensure rapid mastery of the content and direct application.

Courses Included in This Certificate

By understanding the impact of body language, leaders can learn how to communicate in a way that builds and sustains positive relationships with employees, clients, and business partners. This course will help women business leaders learn how to read body language cues and use them to exude both strength and warmth. It considers the role and impact of gender stereotypes in nonverbal communication and explains how facial expressions, hand gestures, body movements, and eye contact can be used in various business situations like negotiations. The course also addresses cross-cultural body language and explores the role of body language in virtual communication.

This general awareness course will assess the representation of women in various domains, including sports, politics, education, STEM fields, pink-collar jobs, and managerial positions. We will also review challenges that many working women face, as well as strategies for addressing those challenges both as an individual and from an organizational perspective. The course concludes with a brief review of milestones in the history of women in the workplace and an assessment of some ways that better representation of women can benefit businesses.

Leaders are people who can change the thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors of the people around them. Successful organizations must have leaders who take them in the right direction. While not all leaders are managers or even occupy positions of authority, managers are often leaders for the employees who report to them. While companies with more women in leadership positions tend to see benefits to their bottom line, gender stereotypes and biases can make it difficult for women to become recognized as leaders and to advance into managerial or executive positions at work. This course reviews various qualities of leaders and styles of leadership and management. It also reviews common managerial challenges and introduces techniques, strategies, and best practices to overcome those obstacles.

The course will provide a general overview for effective communication at work. Learners will review tips and strategies for communicating with small and large groups, being heard in meetings, projecting confidence, and more—especially as these concepts apply to women. This course also considers communication in the context of public speaking, and discusses the importance of understanding the audience, preparing for a presentation, using visual aids appropriately, and more. Learners will be able to identify criticisms of, and biases toward, women speakers, and the course introduces strategies for how to counteract them.

Everyone finds that their life is unbalanced from time to time. If left unaddressed, that lack of balance can cause stress, decreased productivity, and even health problems. Stereotypes and expectations about what matters to women can exacerbate work-life balance challenges. This course explores the importance of prioritizing things that matter to you, both at work and at home, and introduces techniques that can help individuals and organizations make work-life balance possible.iases toward, women speakers, and the course introduces strategies for how to counteract them.

Making meaningful connections can be critical to professional success. Although many find networking to be difficult, it is a learned skill that can improve with technique and practice. This course introduces techniques and strategies for networking, finding mentors, and attracting sponsors, as well as common anxieties and obstacles that people face when trying to expand their professional connections. It highlights the ways that networking can be both particularly difficult and especially important for women in business.

This course defines negotiation and reviews the importance of advocating for yourself and your interests. Because negotiation tends to be characterized in a stereotypically masculine way, this course considers some of the challenges that women tend to face when negotiating. The course reviews key negotiation concepts such as BATNA and ZOPA as well as common negotiation mistakes and the five stages of the negotiation process. The course-takers will also engage in negotiation scenarios for opportunities to prepare for common situations they may encounter.

Prove your skills! When you finish this course, you’ll get a certificate of completion to show your current boss and future employers your commitment to keeping your knowledge up-to-date.

Are you an ? This training is worth 23 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to maintain your PCM®️ certification.

t Our Learning Partner

This course is hosted by our approved learning partner, MindEdge, whose mission is focused on helping adults learn the fundamentals and master the skills needed to succeed personally and professionally.

Other Learners Also Took

The post Certificate in Leadership for Women in Business appeared first on .

]]>
/on-demand/certificate-in-leadership-for-women-in-business/feed/ 0 187326
Managing Stakeholders Through Listening /on-demand/managing-stakeholders-through-listening/ /on-demand/managing-stakeholders-through-listening/#respond Mon, 24 Jan 2022 16:52:00 +0000 /?post_type=ama_courses&p=135459 What You’ll Learn This course is no longer available for purchase. View other on-demand courses.Past registrants will maintain access for 90 days from their original purchase date. Are you an Professional Certified Marketer®️? This training is worth 2 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to maintain your PCM®️ certification. t the Course As marketers, our world revolves […]

The post Managing Stakeholders Through Listening appeared first on .

]]>
  • Managing Stakeholders Through Listening

    Implement the different levels of listening and experience the value of “flipping the script” with the key stakeholders.

    Beginner | 2 Hours | 9 Modules

What You’ll Learn

  • Gain insights into the strengths and challenges of building and using listening skills
  • Learn the four core competencies for listening to Customers & Stakeholders

Are you an ? This training is worth 2 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to maintain your PCM®️ certification.

t the Course

As marketers, our world revolves around people – understanding the customer, user, prospects, employee and internal stakeholder experiences. Not only does each audience group look at things differently, but each person within that audience is unique. So, how can we truly understand this wide array of perspectives and effectively communicate what is most important to them?

Enter the art of Listening. Listening is a multifaceted skill with various layers designed to comprehensively gauge and appreciate a customer’s needs and their ultimate objectives. This course will take you on a journey to understand how to implement the different levels of listening and experience the value of “flipping the script” with the key stakeholders you engage with as a marketer.

Skill Level: Beginner

Advertisement

9 Modules

Start the course off by learning a little about the instructor and setting the stage for what you will learn in the course.

Get in the right mindset for the course by thinking about your own experiences and why listening should be at the forefront in managing relationships.

Reframe your perspective of who your customer is and what that means in building and developing relationships.

Consider how you listen while gaining a high-level understanding of the 4 different competencies of listening before going deeper into each one.

Learn how to listen with your whole body and demonstrate that you are engaged and present in the conversation.

Learn how to listen to understand your client’s perspective and the context of the situation.

Learn how to listen for structure and the elements of the conversation to help you better frame the conversation and your responses.

Learn the 3 steps of having an adaptive conversation to listen at the deepest level.

Complete the course by taking an ungraded Knowledge Check and reviewing additional opportunities to continue learning.

Meet Your Instructors

Mark L. Vincent

Mark facilitates Maestro-level leaders, teaches introductory and core competencies courses for those seeking a professional credential and authored the book: Listening Helping Learning: Core Competencies of Process Consulting. His accumulated experience includes more than thirty-five years of pioneering various approaches to leadership and organizational capacity-building, entrepreneurship, interim executive leadership, CEO peer-based advising, and professional development and credentialing. His focus on a process approach to helping organizations and leaders live their mission has led to successful adaptive change initiatives with more than 800 clients across varied domestic and international marketplaces.

Jennifer Miller

Chief Marketing Officer and Owner of Strategically Connected

Jennifer is a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer and Owner of Strategically Connected. She has managed and built both sales and marketing teams from the ground up and believes that people are the core of driving change and growth in organizations and processes. Her passion for supporting companies to build scalable processes has impacted many organizations over the years, one of which received the honor of the #1 Fastest-Growing Technology company in Austin and #86 on the 2019 Inc 5000 list. In addition, the range of experience Jennifer holds in both small startup and Fortune 100 companies have given her both scalable and strategic insight into how to build an organization’s brand. Jennifer believes that every problem is “figureoutable” and she strives to help bring simplicity to complex situations.

Members Get the Best Pricing

Not only do members get discounts on training like this, but they also receive exclusive content, downloadable tools, unlimited access to Journals, membership in networking communities and more.

Related Courses

The post Managing Stakeholders Through Listening appeared first on .

]]>
/on-demand/managing-stakeholders-through-listening/feed/ 0 135459
Struggling to Navigate Global Trade? Rely on the Power of Marketing /2026/04/07/struggling-to-navigate-global-trade-rely-on-the-power-of-marketing/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:59:49 +0000 /?p=231362 This Journal of Marketing study shows how firms can address import pressures through marketing leadership, strategic differentiation, and robust customer relationships.

The post Struggling to Navigate Global Trade? Rely on the Power of Marketing appeared first on .

]]>
Decades of increasing import competition have put immense pressure on U.S. firms. finds that strong marketing leadership, strategic differentiation, and robust customer relationships are keys to sustaining revenue growth amid global trade challenges.

Our research team analyzed how firms responded to the “China Shock,” a surge of imports that disrupted many U.S. industries between 2000 and 2019. We discovered that firms with influential marketing departments and well-established market-based assets—like differentiation and customer capital—were better able to weather these competitive pressures. Specifically, we found that:

Advertisement

1. Marketing Leadership is Crucial

Firms where marketing had a strong voice in strategic decisions outperformed their peers. By aligning cross-functional teams and advocating for customer-driven innovation, these firms launched initiatives that enhanced brand loyalty, improved product innovation, and strengthened competitive positioning.

2. Strategic Differentiation Matters

Differentiation also proved to be a powerful tool. Firms that emphasized unique product features, higher quality, or sustainability outperformed those competing solely on price. For example, branding efforts like “Made in America” or customization helped firms justify premium pricing and retain customers, even when faced with cheaper imports.

3. Customer Relationships Drive Resilience

Customer relationship capital rounded out the trio of success factors. Firms that invested in building long-term trust and loyalty with their customers faced less risk of losing market share. Strong customer ties created switching costs, making it harder for competitors to lure away buyers.

What Does this Mean for the C-Suite?

These insights have significant implications for executives. Many firms respond to financial pressures by cutting marketing budgets or sidelining marketing leaders from strategic discussions. However, our findings highlight the need to elevate marketing as a core function. Boards and CEOs can support marketing by increasing its decision-making authority and ensuring it is involved in board-level discussions.

Policymakers also have a role to play. While trade policies and tariffs are commonly used to protect domestic industries, our research suggests that empowering firms with marketing resources can offer a market-driven alternative to counter import competition. Public–private partnerships focused on branding, differentiation, and customer engagement could strengthen the competitiveness of domestic firms.

The need for marketing-driven strategies will only grow. Experts warn of a potential “China Shock 2.0,” which could flood global markets with low-cost imports in sectors like electric vehicles and solar panels. Firms must proactively strengthen their marketing leadership and differentiation efforts to withstand future competition.

For firms navigating a volatile global trade landscape, strong marketing capabilities can make the difference between thriving and folding.

Read the Full Study for Complete Details

Source: Nandini Ramani, “,” Journal of Marketing, 89 (5), 47–65.

Go to the Journal of Marketing

The post Struggling to Navigate Global Trade? Rely on the Power of Marketing appeared first on .

]]>
231362
Linked for Success: How Board Interlocks Influence Marketing Power  /2026/04/01/linked-for-success-how-board-interlocks-influence-marketing-power/ Wed, 01 Apr 2026 15:34:17 +0000 /?p=230966 This Journal of Marketing Research study shows how governance structures are powerful levers that can strengthen or diminish marketing’s strategic voice in a firm.

The post Linked for Success: How Board Interlocks Influence Marketing Power  appeared first on .

]]>
Journal of Marketing Research Scholarly Insights are produced in partnership with the – a shared interest network for Marketing PhD students across the world.

In recent years, marketing scholars and practitioners have expressed growing concern about the diminishing influence of marketing departments. Against this backdrop, a examines how governance networks may determine marketing department power (MDP). Drawing on data from over 6,000 publicly traded firms from 2007 to 2021, the researchers show that directors’ exposure through board service at other firms (i.e., board interlocks) affects MDP in the firms on whose boards they also serve (i.e., focal firms). More importantly, the strength of this effect hinges on three interlocking dimensions:

  1. the reach of a firm’s board network,
  2. the richness of marketing information within that network, and
  3. the firm’s receptivity to information furnished by the board interlock network.

This work shifts the lens to upstream factors that shape MDP, suggesting that marketing’s influence is not built solely internally—it is also transmitted through board interlocks, making the board not only a governance body but also a conduit for influencing a firm’s MDP. For scholars of marketing’s organizational role, functional power, and network diffusion effects, this study offers a fresh vantage point and a reminder that if marketing wants to increase its power in firms, the conversation must extend beyond the CMO’s office into the boardroom.

For marketers, the core takeaway is clear: the board matters. Firms whose directors are connected to companies where marketing holds greater influence are more likely to elevate marketing’s importance within their own organization. These networks shape how leaders think about growth, which is a key priority for every board. While firms often call on marketers when facing serious challenges or major opportunities, marketing should not be reserved for exceptional circumstances. A key priority for marketers and CMOs is to educate their boards on how and why marketing drives firm growth, a shared goal across virtually all boards.

Advertisement

A key priority for marketers and CMOs is to educate their boards on how and why marketing drives firm growth, a shared goal across virtually all boards.

In short, governance structures are not just background context; they are powerful levers that can strengthen or diminish marketing’s strategic voice in the firm.

We recently had the opportunity to meet with all three authors of this research, who kindly offered additional insights into their motivations, managerial implications, and prospective avenues for future research.

Q: Your research shows that boards of directors, often overlooked in marketing, can shape marketing’s strategic importance. What led you to recognize the board as a missing piece in the marketing power puzzle, and how did this idea develop into the published study?

A: The idea grew from our , where we found that firms that employ CMOs tend to perform better. But we also noticed that the presence of marketers on top management teams and the overall influence of marketing within firms has declined over time. That pattern made us think about what other forces might shape marketing’s standing in firms, beyond what happens inside the organization. The board of directors emerged as a natural next place to look, because directors serve on multiple boards and can bring with them ideas about what marketing should look like. When the Wharton Customer Analytics Initiative released a call for projects offering access to large-scale data on board linkages, it gave us a perfect opportunity to test this idea. That combination of prior research, the open question around marketing’s declining power, and the new data on board interlocks ultimately came together in this study.

Q: Do firms need a formal “Marketing Department” to have influence at the top, or is it enough to possess strong marketing capabilities and a deep understanding of what marketing brings to the organization?

A: That’s more of a philosophical question. While marketing today is highly cross-functional, a formal marketing function still matters. Having a defined department or leadership structure gives marketing visibility and accountability at the top. Without it, the customer perspective can easily get lost amid competing priorities. As we often say, “when something is everybody’s responsibility, it ends up being nobody’s responsibility.” A clear advocate, like a marketing department, helps ensure that the customer’s voice is represented in key decisions.

At the same time, the role of marketing looks very different across industries. In consumer goods and retail, marketing tends to have comprehensive control and plays a central strategic role. In banking, it often has a narrower focus on promotions or communications. In professional services like accounting, marketing is more standardized and peripheral. Unlike functions such as accounting, which look similar across most firms, marketing differs widely in scope, influence, and integration. That diversity makes it distinctive: its impact depends on how the organization chooses to empower it. Companies with a more comprehensive marketing approach tend to outperform those with limited marketing responsibilities. Ultimately, marketing power depends on balancing formal structure with shared responsibility.

Q: You show that marketing department power can diffuse across firms through board interlocks. In other areas, firms also learn through executive mobility, strategic alliances, shared consultants, or even investor influence. How does the kind of knowledge transfer you uncover through board ties differ from these other diffusion channels, and what kinds of marketing knowledge travels across boards?

A: Other knowledge transfer channels certainly exist, such as executive mobility or strategic alliances, and with the appropriate data, they could be modeled in a similar framework. Our study focuses specifically on board interlocks, and because we do not observe boardroom conversations directly, we can capture them only through proxies. Similar mechanisms may operate through other channels, but we cannot directly test them.

A key idea here is that boards prioritize growth. When a director sees marketing contributing to growth in one firm, that perspective may diffuse through the interlock to another board. What travels may be high-level mental models about how marketing contributes to performance, or, in some cases, even specific examples shared by directors. Still, the exact mechanism remains a conjecture because we do not observe the discussions themselves; we only observe their downstream effects.

Operationally, even though we cannot measure every variable directly, our use of instrumental-variable methods helps mitigate omitted-variable concerns in this observational setting. We also know from broader research that top management buy-in is essential. That is what makes boards distinctive: because the CEO reports directly to them, any shift in board-level thinking carries disproportionate weight. These mechanisms remain hypotheses that could be examined in more depth when richer data become available.

Q: When boards are interlocked within the same industry, marketing power may spread more easily across firms. Could that connectivity also create unintended consequences? For example, could firms converge on similar, potentially less differentiated strategies?

A: As board members generally cannot serve on the boards of direct competitors, true competitor‐to‐competitor interlocks are uncommon. However, if firms are not direct competitors but are in related industries, shared information could lead them to become more similar, potentially reducing differentiation and creating herding effects. This relates to some of the network measures we used, such as degree and brokerage. Degree centrality suggests that more connections may lead firms to behave more similarly. In contrast, in brokerage, a board member links otherwise unconnected parts of the network and can introduce more diverse and innovative ideas. So, the risk depends on the structure of the interlock network.

Technically speaking, more substantial board interlock effects may mean that firms are more likely to follow their existing connections. If boards increasingly form interlocks with boards they are already connected to, then the likelihood of convergence increases. Studying this convergence would require looking at network dynamics, how these connections form and evolve over time, presenting an interesting future direction. So, the risk depends on whether board networks become more tightly clustered. If that clustering does occur, the risk of strategic convergence increases.

Q: As marketing becomes linked to broader corporate priorities like DEI and ESG initiatives, does this interconnectedness strengthen marketing’s strategic influence or risk diluting its focus?

A: Any initiative that customers value is worth pursuing, whether it’s DEI, ESG, or something else. If diversity, equity, and inclusion lead to broader thinking and help the company better serve customers, they naturally add to both customer and corporate value. The key is to have a clear understanding of how these initiatives benefit customers. For example, empowered women entrepreneurs while also expanding distribution in rural markets. This is an example where a social initiative directly supported business goals. If firms can articulate how these priorities connect to customer value, then marketing’s role becomes more pronounced. But if the link isn’t clear, there’s a risk that marketing’s focus becomes scattered. Many companies still treat DEI and ESG as compliance initiatives rather than customer-driven ones, so marketing often isn’t leading those efforts. If marketing leads them and grounds them in what matters to customers, that can actually elevate marketing’s strategic influence rather than diluting it.

Q: If you were to extend this research further, which context or mechanism would you most like to explore to deepen our understanding of how governance structures shape marketing’s strategic importance?

A: From a technical perspective, an important next step would be to examine how board connections form and evolve. Some drivers are endogenous; for example, boards that share indirect connections are more likely to become directly connected, much like “friends of friends” becoming friends. Understanding those processes would be valuable, particularly when marketing-affiliated directors drive the connection. If a marketing-driven tie disappears and later reappears, is it due to a marketing-affiliated person? Examining these processes could deepen our understanding of marketing’s strategic influence.

More broadly, another valuable direction is to examine marketing’s organizational role and influence within firms. Some work, including , builds on the idea that marketing’s influence within firms has been declining and thus asks: how can marketers regain strategic influence? As the focus increasingly shifts to marketing activities and the creation of customer value, not merely the marketing department, future research should prioritize these value-creating functions rather than focusing solely on the department. In addition, management research suggests that board interlock effects have been weakening or disappearing. We do not see that in our data; the effect remains stable over time. That leads to an interesting question about what’s actually happening: is the board interlock effect still active?

References:

Frank Germann (2025), “Beyond the 4 Ps: Marketing’s Strategic Comeback [Special issue], NIM Marketing Intelligence Review, .

Frank Germann, Peter Ebbes, and Rajdeep Grewal (2015), “The Chief Marketing Officer Matters!” Journal of Marketing, 79 (3), 1–22. .

Unilever (2024), “Harnessing the Potential of India’s Growing Workforce,” (July 23), .

Read the Full Study for Complete Details

Source: Peter Ebbes, Frank Germann, and Rajdeep Grewal (2024), “,” Journal of Marketing Research, 62 (1), 1−21. doi:

Go to the Journal of Marketing Research

The post Linked for Success: How Board Interlocks Influence Marketing Power  appeared first on .

]]>
230966
2026 Future Trends in Marketing Report /marketing-news/2026-trends-report/ Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:57:25 +0000 /?post_type=ama_marketing_news&p=216170 The ’s 2026 Future Trends in Marketing report identifies the five key forces reshaping the marketing landscape over the next five to ten years. Developed through a modified Delphi process with input from over 30 marketing professionals, the report offers evidence-based guidance on how marketers and brands can adapt to each trend. The […]

The post 2026 Future Trends in Marketing Report appeared first on .

]]>
The ’s 2026 Future Trends in Marketing report identifies the five key forces reshaping the marketing landscape over the next five to ten years. Developed through a modified Delphi process with input from over 30 marketing professionals, the report offers evidence-based guidance on how marketers and brands can adapt to each trend. The findings emphasize that while AI will automate much of transactional marketing, human creativity, cultural fluency, and authentic storytelling will become the primary differentiators for brands.

  1. The Age of Autonomous Agents
  2. Consumer Discovery Shifts to Scroll
  3. Portfolio Careers and the Liquid Workforce
  4. Innovation Imperative in Sustainability
  5. Building Brand Trust in a Fragmented World

Short on time? Get the report highlights in the Executive Summary.

Level Up in 2026

FAQs

This report used a modified Delphi process combined with elements from the Institute for the Future’s foresight methodology, bringing together over 30 marketing professionals from May to August 2025. The panelists, selected for their diverse expertise and backgrounds, participated in strategic foresight training, independently nominated trends, engaged in multiple rounds of voting and discussion, and examined future scenarios using the STEEP framework (considering social, technological, economic, environmental, and political factors). Throughout the process, they provided evidence-based insights to forecast how marketing might evolve over the next five to ten years, and what marketers and brands should do now to stay ahead.

The marketing trends were nominated and selected by a panel of volunteer marketing professionals. This Foresight Panel comprised marketing practitioners and thought leaders primarily from North America, with additional global representation. The selected applicants based on their experience and expertise in marketing, with an emphasis on those in senior leadership roles. Selection decisions were also made with the goal of bringing together varied perspectives spanning multiple industries, personal backgrounds, functional specialties, company sizes, and employment contexts (in-house versus agency, B-to-B versus B-to-C). All panelists were practitioners working in or closely with marketing teams, and some also brought their perspective as academic researchers, marketing educators, and graduate marketing students. Panelists came from organizations such as Google, Densu, Ogilvy, Uber, NYU, and UNC Health. A full list of panelists with their affiliations is available in the downloadable report.

Jen OBrien, Director for Research and Innovation at the , was the lead researcher, panel facilitator, and report writer. Additional writing support came from Amy Gwiazdowski, VP of Communications at , and Latha Sarathy, Founder and CEO of SALIENT HQ.

Advertisement

Most trends reports aggregate survey data to surface what’s popular right now. The ’s 2026 Future Trends in Marketing report takes another approach, and that’s by design. Rather than running a single survey and averaging the results, the brought together more than 30 marketing professionals and trained them in strategic foresight methodology. Panelists were asked not just what they’re observing today, but which signals are already quietly reshaping the profession and what the marketing landscape might look like in five to ten years as those signals become the new norm.

The post 2026 Future Trends in Marketing Report appeared first on .

]]>
216170
The Skills Marketers Need in 2025 and Beyond /2025/01/31/2025-marketing-skills-report/ Fri, 31 Jan 2025 19:48:39 +0000 /?p=181934 The 2025 Marketing Skills Report identifies the skills required to thrive as a marketer today and in the future. Based on a survey of 1,200+ marketers, over 450 job postings and interviews with industry experts, this report lays out the new realities shaping the field of marketing—including the AI transformation, shifting consumer expectations and […]

The post The Skills Marketers Need in 2025 and Beyond appeared first on .

]]>
The 2025 Marketing Skills Report identifies the skills required to thrive as a marketer today and in the future. Based on a survey of 1,200+ marketers, over 450 job postings and interviews with industry experts, this report lays out the new realities shaping the field of marketing—including the AI transformation, shifting consumer expectations and unprecedented changes to marketing channels—as well as the skills marketers will need to stay ahead.

Key Findings

  • In this age of automation, marketers who want to stay competitive should not lose sight of the importance of “human” skills—especially communication, innovation and adaptability.
  • When it comes to job-specific skills, the largest current competency gaps are in digital marketing, data and analytics, proving ROI and data privacy and compliance. These are areas where marketers are not fully equipped to meet the demands of their roles today.
  • Marketers report a high level of uncertainty about how skills related to technology and channels will change over the coming years. This volatility is most apparent in AI, data privacy, search and social media.
  • Gen AI is the top rated future skill, with 43% of survey respondents predicting it will become more important in five years.
  • Data privacy is quickly rising in importance as a skill for marketers, driven by a wave of comprehensive state-based regulations and mounting consumer pressure.

Level Up Your Skills With the

offers training and certificates in the critical skills marketers need to advance and future-proof their careers. You can choose from a variety of in-person and online formats that fit your schedule.

FAQs

The conducted this mixed-methods study drawing upon survey responses, job posting data, interviews with experts in the field, and secondary market data.

The research began with an analysis of more than 450 marketing job postings collected between February and August 2024, drawing from both Indeed and the .org job board. Textual analysis identified which skills appeared most frequently, which informed an updated skills list that reflects how the industry has changed since the ’s previous study in 2021.

Advertisement

Before launching the survey, the questionnaire was tested through one-on-one interviews with professional marketers to ensure the language was clear and relevant. The survey was then distributed to 220,483 subscribers in August 2024, generating 1,279 responses from marketing practitioners, with a margin of error of 3% at a 95% confidence level.

Respondents spanned all levels of seniority, from specialists and coordinators to C-suite executives. Company sizes were also well represented, ranging from freelance marketers to organizations with more than 1,000 employees.

It is worth noting that the sample skews toward North American marketers, members, mid-level managers, and those working at small companies, as well as professionals in sectors like higher education. These groups were over-represented relative to the broader marketing profession, which should be considered when interpreting the findings. More detailed information about the survey respondents is available in the full report.

The skills list was built from the ground up using real-world job market data rather than assumptions about what marketers need. The research team analyzed over 450 job postings and consulted secondary market sources to identify emerging skills that weren’t captured in the ’s 2021 study.

This process resulted in meaningful updates to the skills included in the research. Some skills from 2021, such as podcasting and agile marketing, were removed. Newer capabilities, including data privacy and compliance and generative AI, were added to reflect where employer demand has shifted.

The post The Skills Marketers Need in 2025 and Beyond appeared first on .

]]>
181934
The Emerging Role of DEI Leaders /marketing-news/the-emerging-role-of-dei-leaders/ Wed, 22 Jun 2022 14:25:55 +0000 /?post_type=ama_marketing_news&p=102343 Over the last few years of the COVID pandemic, social unrest, political turmoil, and the Great Resignation across the globe, many workplaces have realized the necessity of considering how societal changes affect employee retention and well-being. It is no longer just internally important to involve DEI in the workplace. Now, many consumers demand transparency and […]

The post The Emerging Role of DEI Leaders appeared first on .

]]>
Over the last few years of the COVID pandemic, social unrest, political turmoil, and the Great Resignation across the globe, many workplaces have realized the necessity of considering how societal changes affect employee retention and well-being. It is no longer just internally important to involve DEI in the workplace. Now, many consumers demand transparency and various new regulations to publicize diversity statistics have created an urgency when it comes to DEI progress. As the approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion grows, so does the role of leaders within organizations. This has led to the emerging role of DEI leaders. A Chief Diversity Officer is now a common position at leading companies and corporations across the globe.

The Emerging Role of DEI Leaders in Corporate Leadership

Many companies in search of change are increasing their recruitment of DEI leaders. Many workplaces are pledging more investment and support into creating more diverse and equitable environments. Hiring for diversity, equity, and inclusion is not just a trend. It is a movement toward a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive workforce.

What is DEI?

DEI stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion. A wide range of ideas and experiences in any organization is the best way to achieve growth, innovation, and success. In fact, DEI efforts lead to better employee retention. Employees who are supported and comfortable at their companies will want to continue working for those companies.

What is a DEI Leader?

Typically, DEI officers sit in the People or Human Resources (HR) departments. Whether your title is technically “DEI Leader” or not, every business owner should be DEI-competent. This is important for creating spaces and opportunities for people from all different walks of life to be listened to and appreciated within their workplaces. There are several at companies across the country you can look to.

DEI Leader Responsibilities

  • Understanding the systemic challenges of their employees and community
  • Welcoming and creating diversity in the workplace
  • Tackling issues around equity, including policies
  • Making sure that those who are diverse are welcomed and feel welcomed

Characteristics of Effective DEI Leaders

The answer when searching for someone to lead your company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts is not to simply hire the nearest woman or BIPOC individual. You want to find someone with expertise in DEI and implementing these efforts.

Curiosity

Any good leader is also a learner. A DEI leader needs to be open-minded, curious, and respectful of others. They must be able to learn from the experiences and perspectives of other people who may lead very different lives from theirs. Curiosity means that DEI leaders are proactive, not just reactive. They are constantly looking for ways to improve and move beyond the status quo. They will ensure that the organization is considering the voices and opinions of as many different kinds of people as possible.

Empathy

An excellent DEI leader has the desire to not only understand other people’s points of view, but to empathize with them and understand their outlooks. DEI leaders are able to listen without judgment and imagine the world from other viewpoints.

Humility

There is no such thing as a DEI leader who will understand all perspectives. An excellent DEI leader will realize this. Self-awareness and humility are key characteristics for any DEI leader. DEI leaders should be aware of their unconscious biases and be able to admit their mistakes.

Courage

The job of a DEI leader can be uncomfortable at times. It can be awkward to question the status quo and to implement change. That is why a good DEI leader must be courageous. It will be their job to initiate uncomfortable conversations in order to instigate positive change.

What is a Chief Diversity Officer?

At your company, a DEI leader might have the title of Chief Diversity Officer. The , equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. According to a Russell Reynolds study, the demand for Chief Diversity Officers (CDOs) increased dramatically in the last three years. In fact, more than half (63%) of the S&P 500 appointed or promoted CDOs.

Tips for DEI Recruitment

Leadership is not the only place in your company where your commitment to DEI should be evident. Recruitment is one of the strongest paths to change for many companies. It is also important to increase representation on as many teams and departments as possible. The good news is that conversations surrounding DEI hiring are no longer taboo. This makes it easier for systems to evaluate and adjust in order to eliminate bias and open up opportunities for more people.

One of the common struggles of DEI recruitment is the desire to hire more diverse individuals, but an inability to find diverse candidates. Many companies rely on personal referrals from current employees, but if the current employees’ networks are not very diverse, then the hiring will not be diverse.

Advertisement

There are some approaches to DEI recruitment and hiring that you can take. For example, some companies mandate that for every position, at least one diverse candidate is hired. Others assemble a diverse panel of interviewers to share the responsibility of hiring. Other companies measure hiring managers based on the diversity of their hires and the overall workforce.

How Marketing Professionals Can Support DEI Leaders

There are several ways that marketing leaders can support CDOs in implementing and expanding their efforts, including:

  • Partnering with the DEI leader at your organization to demonstrate the impact and importance of DEI efforts
  • Use KPIs to track the progress of your organization’s DEI efforts
  • Tout the importance of your partnership both internally and externally and activate other teams in your organization to get on board

The ’s Commitment to DEI and DEI Leaders

The is dedicated to spearheading the movement towards more diversity, equity, and inclusion in the marketing industry and beyond. We offer a variety of virtual trainings and events like “The DEI Imperative: Fundamentals for Marketers” and “Decoding DEI for Marketers” to spearhead the education and training of marketers in these important areas. Become an member today!

The post The Emerging Role of DEI Leaders appeared first on .

]]>
102343
New York Announces 2022 Marketing Hall of Fame Inductees /marketing-news/ama-new-york-announces-2022-marketing-hall-of-fame-inductees/ Mon, 18 Apr 2022 18:29:18 +0000 /?post_type=ama_marketing_news&p=99147 Following a two-year pause to inductions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the New York announced its 2022 inductees to the Marketing Hall of Fame.

The post New York Announces 2022 Marketing Hall of Fame Inductees appeared first on .

]]>
Following a two-year pause to inductions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the announced its 2022 inductees to the .

This year, the inductees are:

Advertisement
  • Marc Pritchard, chief brand officer of Proctor & Gamble
  • Ann Mukherjee, chairman & CEO of Pernod Ricard North America
  • Bozoma Saint John, former chief marketing officer of Netflix
  • Antonio Lucio, former chief marketing officer of Facebook, Visa and HP

The four inductees will be honored at the 2022 Marketing Hall of Fame induction ceremony on May 3 at The Chocolate Factory in New York City. Inductees at this year’s award ceremony will give brief presentations inspired by their careers and offer their perspectives on the future of marketing. .

“The Marketing Hall of Fame is back, renewed and refreshed,” says Joanna Seddon, Marketing Hall of Fame co-chair and founder of Presciant Brand Consultancy. “We are thrilled to honor such a truly outstanding set of marketing innovators.”

Those inducted into the Marketing Hall of Fame are recognized as marketers who “impact business results; raise the profile of the profession; move marketing forward with breakthrough approaches; promote sustainability; and spearhead diversity, equity and inclusion,” according to the New York.

The Marketing Hall of Fame has inducted 24 outstanding marketing leaders to date, including:

  • Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia
  • Wendy Clark, global CEO of Dentsu
  • Lee Clow, TBWA\Worldwide chair
  • Beth Comstock, vice chair of GE
  • Seth Godin, author and speaker
  • Bob Greenberg, founder of R/GA
  • John Hayes, former American Express CMO
  • Jon Iwata, former IBM SVP
  • Shelly Lazarus, Ogilvy & Mather chairman emeritus
  • Esther Lee, MetLife EVP and global CMO
  • Ann Lewnes, CMO of Adobe
  • Jim Stengel, former global marketing officer at P&G
  • Keith Weed, former global CMO of Unilever

The selection process began last September with an open call for nominations, drawing in over 300 nominees in our most diverse field ever. New York’s  evaluated the nominations against the selection criteria and developed a shortlist of the 50 highest-qualified nominees.

The , an exclusive body of 300 senior marketers, agency executives, researchers and academics hand-selected by the committee and New York Board of Directors, voted on the short list to determine the finalists. A , made up of past inductees and top executives from the leading marketing associations and organizations, then selected the four 2022 inductees.

“After two years since our last live ceremony as a result of COVID precautions, we are back with a roar this year with four stellar inductees and a focus on diversity and inclusion,” said Robert Kahn, Marketing Hall of Fame committee co-chair, New York past president and partner at Want Branding.

The post New York Announces 2022 Marketing Hall of Fame Inductees appeared first on .

]]>
99147
What is the Role of the CMO? /marketing-news/the-role-of-the-cmo/ Tue, 12 Apr 2022 20:12:52 +0000 /?post_type=ama_marketing_news&p=99187 Do you hope to someday take on the role of the CMO? The CMO, or chief marketing officer, is the highest-level marketing position that you can attain while working for a company. CMOs have been the topic of many discussions in recent years due to their growing popularity. Companies and corporations recognize the importance of […]

The post What is the Role of the CMO? appeared first on .

]]>
Do you hope to someday take on the role of the CMO? The CMO, or chief marketing officer, is the highest-level marketing position that you can attain while working for a company. CMOs have been the topic of many discussions in recent years due to their growing popularity. Companies and corporations recognize the importance of marketing and the role of marketers has grown within many businesses. Whether you are simply curious about the role of the CMO or aspire to be a CMO yourself, we will tell you everything you need to know about the role of the chief marketing officer in the corporate world.

Level Up Your Managing Skills

What Is a CMO?

CMO stands for chief marketing officer. It is the highest-level marketing position in a company. A CMO is an important part of any company and determines the brand’s direction and marketing strategy and leads the marketing team.

A which is the blanket term that refers to all the corporate executive positions with the world chief in their job title. For example, some other C-suite positions are chief executive officer and chief financial officer. The CMO works closely with the other C-suite positions.

Advertisement

What Is the Difference Between the Role of the CMO and a Marketing Director?

There are a lot of marketing job titles out there, from marketing assistant to digital marketing manager and even brand ambassador. So, how does a chief marketing officer differ from other common marketing leadership positions? A CMO differs from the title of “marketing director” or “marketing manager.” Though a CMO may have many of the same responsibilities as a marketing director, marketing manager or other high-level marketing position, a CMO is an executive who will need to keep pace with the other C-executives.

What are the Responsibilities of a CMO?

The role and responsibilities of a CMO can vary, depending on the executive, the industry, the size of their team, etc. However, generally, the chief marketing officer is primarily responsible for driving revenue by increasing sales through marketing activities. The following are some of the typical responsibilities of a CMO:

Create and Implement Marketing Campaigns

The primary responsibility of a CMO is to develop and execute successful marketing campaigns. Typically, a marketing campaign begins with a particular tone or message that they want to communicate about a brand, or a new product or service launch. Then, the CMO will work with their team to .

Oversee Market Research and Analyze Metrics

One of the most important aspects of a marketing campaign is reaching consumers in the correct target market. CMOs conduct or oversee market research and data analysis regarding their target audience, the custom experience and sales funnel, and market and industry trends to determine the best way to reach their audience – and make sales.

Oversee All PR and Public-Facing Communication

Many CMOs closely supervise all of the company’s public relations efforts, including any public-facing communications or messages from the brand. This includes social media accounts, email marketing, newsletters, web pages, and print publications. The job of the chief marketing officer is to ensure that all these communications are on brand and aligned with the current marketing campaign.

Work Closely With Other C-Suite Positions

The CMO also collaborates frequently with the other C-level executives in the company, such as the CEO (chief executive officer), CIO (chief information officer), COO (chief operating officer), CPO (chief product officer), and CFO (chief financial officer.) These roles frequently work together to make important decisions related to product pricing, new product and service development, and the brand’s direction, goals, and progress.

What Qualifications are Necessary to Become a CMO?

Are you wondering, “How can I become a CMO?” While every chief marketing officer will take their own unique career path, there are several different high-level requirements in order to reach the elite position of chief marketing officer at most companies:

Education

At a minimum, most CMO positions will require that a candidate has a bachelor’s degree in business administration, business development, marketing, or a related field. (Keep in mind, however, that it is possible to work in marketing without a marketing degree!) Chief marketing officer positions at high-profile companies might also require additional education, like an MBA degree, other relevant master’s degrees, or an additional business certification, like Certified Marketing Management Professional or Professional Certified Marketer.

Experience

As you may have guessed, CMO is not exactly an entry-level position. The role comes with a lot of responsibilities, so typically the chief marketing officer job description will require a minimum of 10 years of experience in marketing departments. Ideally, at least half that time will be spent in some kind of leadership role. Potential employers love to see the effects of your efforts: for example, have your marketing skills demonstrably increased sales for your previous employer or company? (If you want to improve your resume, this is a great fact to add!)

Technical Skills

Any CMO must have knowledge and understanding of several different technical skills relating to marketing. Some of these might include design software, search engine optimization, email servers and programs, social media channels lead generation and sales management tech, and CRMs (customer relationship management software.)

Leadership and Communication Skills

An excellent CMO will always have excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills. These talents are all important for leading their marketing teams, solving conflicts, motivating their employees, and working well with the other high-level executives at the company.

The Role of the CMO in Corporate Culture

The chief marketing officer is a relatively new role in the corporate world. As of 2019, there were more than .

Rise the Corporate Marketing Ladder With an Membership

If you aspire to one day be a chief marketing officer, becoming a member of the is one small step in the right direction. The is the essential community for marketers to connect with the resources they need to be successful. Join the today!

The post What is the Role of the CMO? appeared first on .

]]>
99187