Nearly three quarters (74%) of UK marketers believe the industry is stuck in ‘survival mode’, according to research from Optimizely, with short-term demands and growing admin leaving little time for strategic planning.
The findings come from The Marketer’s Survival Guide, based on a survey of 100 UK marketers. The report suggests AI has yet to deliver on its promise to reduce workloads, leaving many marketers trapped in reactive execution instead of focusing on long-term growth.
Almost two thirds (64%) of respondents said they spend most of their time reacting to short-term requests rather than planning ahead. Meanwhile, 72% admitted they personally spend too much time in ‘survival mode’, responding to day-to-day demands.
The research found marketers are also struggling to review campaign performance. More than half (54%) said they move from one campaign to the next without enough time to properly evaluate results, while 51% said they feel stuck in a constant cycle of execution without a comprehensive strategy.
Administrative work is adding to the pressure. Almost six in 10 (59%) marketers said the amount of admin they deal with has increased over the past three years, with 31% saying it has increased dramatically.
Tara Corey, senior VP of marketing at Optimizely, said: “Operating in survival mode might get a campaign over the line, but it’s not how great marketing gets made.
“What this research shows is that the ambition is still there, and so is the creativity. But too often, teams are stuck in ways of working that leave very little room for either. Businesses need to build the conditions for their marketing teams to thrive, not just survive.”
The report also suggests marketers see technology as key to escaping reactive ways of working. Around 85% said a unified platform for content, personalisation and experimentation would significantly improve productivity, while 43% identified better integration between AI and marketing tools as the biggest opportunity to improve efficiency.
Many businesses have already started investing in new technology. Nearly half (46%) of respondents said their organisation had invested in all-in-one marketing and workflow platforms over the past year, while 44% had introduced more automation to reduce manual work.
According to Optimizely, helping marketers spend more time on strategy and creativity will be essential to driving future growth.