Doing More With Less:
The CMO Playbook
Doing More With Less:
The CMO Playbook
Below is a condensed version of the research report and playbook. For the full report, please download a copy.
Contents
Welcome to the new reality
- Marketing under pressure: More with less in a globalised world
- The state of play: Redefining APAC marketing
- The APAC challenge: One region, many realities
- AI in APAC marketing
Beyond the numbers: the stories behind the data
- The mixed reality of regional CMO autonomy
- The hidden cost of efficiency
- Doing more with less: the reality of trade-offs
- Lost in translation: The real cost of global–local disconnect
- APAC’s market blind spot
- The budget dilemma
- Insights in Context
From pressure to progress: the CMO Playbook
- A new mindset: 6 thought-shifts to change the game
Welcome to the new reality
Marketing under pressure:
more with less in a globalised world
Smaller teams. Higher stakes. That’s the paradox facing APAC marketing in 2025. Our survey of senior marketing leaders across the region revealed lean teams have become the norm, with most CMOs leading fewer than 15. The sample group included leaders of varying team sizes, operating at regional, national, and global levels. This mix matters. Not every APAC CMO is responsible for the entire region, and perspectives differ sharply between those covering ANZ, APJ, and global markets. Amid this fragmentation, today’s marketing leaders face mounting barriers. Budget cuts and centralisation collide with rising demands for commercial accountability. The expectation is clear: CMOs must deliver provable results, with pipeline contribution, lead generation, and revenue standing out as the dominant measures of success.
The most important internal measure for marketing effectiveness.
The state of play: redefining APAC marketing
The Autonomy Paradox
- 42% of CMOs reported increased autonomy (21% significantly, 21% slightly).
- 29% reported decreased autonomy (9% significantly, 20% slightly).
- The remainder (29%) said it had stayed the same.
Interestingly, many of the losses in autonomy also appeared in the list of gains.
CMOs are losing more autonomy over key structural levers
This overlap isn’t a contradiction so much as a reflection of uneven realities, and a response to how centralisation plays out within a given organisation, and where accountability sits. The result is a lopsided picture that leaders often described as an “efficiency vs relevance seesaw”.
The real impact is also divided. Leaders reported a wide spread of outcomes, underlining just how uneven the experience has been across APAC. These results point to a landscape where efficiency gains are fragile, and often come with trade-offs. For many marketing leaders, the cost of centralisation is diminished local impact, while only a small minority are seeing clear benefits. 49% Reduced 31% Neutral 20% Increased
How the change in autonomy has impacted relevant
and effective marketing.
The Pressure Index: CMOs in 2025
When asked about their biggest challenges in executing global strategies locally, four factors rose to the top:
- Lack of local relevance in global messaging (47%)
- Insufficient local budget (46%)
- Limited local resources and talent (39%)
- Inability to localise content quickly (34%)
Biggest factors in executing global strategies.
The reality of life is there’s less investment in brand. Demand wins because it’s easier to measure in the here and now.
These pressures are further compounded by an inability to localise content quickly (34%) and poor collaboration with global teams (26%). Taken together, they paint a picture of marketers being asked to deliver bigger impact with fewer resources, less flexibility, and little say in the tailoring of global campaigns to fit regional truths.
We are increasingly required to activate global campaigns in region, even when these campaigns do not align with regional business objectives or deliver regional business value.
The content confidence gap
In a globalised marketing model, content flows in abundance, but relevance and context are in increasingly short supply. For CMOs across APAC, the challenge is not generating more assets, but ensuring those assets land with local buyers. When content is produced centrally, stripped of cultural nuance, it risks becoming noise rather than influence.
This underlines the widening perception gap between what global teams produce and what local markets demand.
Mixed confidence about how well local content resonates.
- Cultural sensitivities that make customers reluctant to be named,
- Compliance hurdles that prevent disclosure, and
- Internal red tape that slows or blocks approval.
The APAC Challenge: one region, many realities
US based global headquarters often treat the Asia-Pacific region as though it were a single, unified market. The reality is far more complex. In fact, APAC is among the most heterogeneous regions in the world, an amalgamation of markets, cultures, languages, and regulatory systems. What works in one country may fail in another. To reduce APAC to a single market is to ignore the very factors that most influence buyer behaviour.
Regulation and technology add further layers of fragmentation:
- Inconsistent martech stacks.
- Differing data-localisation laws.
- Complex compliance requirements, especially in APJ.
We had very strong positioning, but the campaign was very aggressive for APJ. So, when we went to market in this region, especially in Asia, it was not well received… It actually did more damage to the brand than help us.
There’s also cultural nuance to consider. Campaign styles imported wholesale from the US may, in some markets, actively backfire; with aggressive, hyper-competitive messaging damaging brand equity rather than building it.
When asked what would make the biggest difference to local impact, the results were varied, further reflecting the contradictory environment facing today’s CMOs. Some emphasised the need for more relevant customer insights and research, while others called for closer partnerships with headquarters or greater budget autonomy.
The biggest drivers for greater local impact
AI in APAC marketing
AI adoption across APAC is still in its early stages, but it is already widespread.
Use of AI
We shouldn’t be waiting four weeks for a LinkedIn post to be resized. AI should be able to do that for us.
Interviewees see the next wave of value in localisation at scale, using AI to generate multiple content variants, adapt tone and proof points for different markets, and create derivative assets without weeks of waiting.
But they have concerns too. Some teams are restricted by HQ policies that limit them to a single platform, while others worry about treating AI as a “silver bullet” for localisation. Without investment in insights, governance, and skills, there is a risk of “lots of tools, no adoption”, they say.
In the future, leaders expect AI to move beyond cost-saving into commercial advantage. Over the next 12–24 months, CMOs anticipate faster campaign deployment, real-time adaptation, sharper segmentation, and predictive targeting. Some even see AI reducing dependence on headcount for repetitive localisation work, freeing their teams to focus on strategic influence.
There’s this fallacy of ‘AI will fix everything’.
We’re limited to Copilot. It’s not quite there yet.
Beyond the numbers: the stories behind the data
The mixed reality of regional CMO autonomy
APAC CMO autonomy emerged as one of the most divisive issues in our research. On the surface, the survey revealed a near-even split: some regional CMOs reported more freedom, while others felt it had declined. Understanding the disparity in the figures requires digging beneath the surface to explore the lived experiences of APAC CMOs.
For many respondents, autonomy is inconsistently applied, with:
- more control over campaign execution, such as tailoring content to local markets, but
- less input on structural levers like budget allocation, agency selection, or headcount.
This uneven distribution explains the paradox. The frustration around inconsistent autonomy is compounded by consistent accountability. Several leaders noted that even when control is removed, responsibility remains firmly local.
As one regional CMO explains, leaders are:
…measured on KPIs they cannot directly influence.
For marketers on the ground, this disconnect between accountability and control is one of the most acute pain points.
The hidden cost of efficiency
When it comes to efficiency, survey data painted a mixed picture: some leaders reported efficiency improvements, while others reported declining relevance. The interviews revealed this isn’t theoretical tension; it has very real consequences.
Several CMOs described global agency lock-ins that looked efficient on paper but created real friction on the ground.
We’re told to use Agency #2 in Boston, even though they can’t film our stakeholders in Hong Kong.
Other measures that were damaging in practice:
- PPC consolidation: saved costs but reduced lead volumes and hurt performance in top-tier markets.
- Admin centralisation: freed up time, but at the cost of fewer leads and declining campaign effectiveness.
The common thread is a growing disconnect between efficiency and outcomes. Leaders are being asked to “do more with less,” but when efficiency is prioritised above all else, business impact suffers. The challenge for CMOs is to turn efficiency pressure into effectiveness progress, before growth pays the price.
Doing more with less: the reality of trade-offs
Our survey results confirmed what many already feel: APAC marketing teams are lean, with content, research, and headcount topping the list of investment priorities. The interviews revealed the hard truth. “Doing more with less” isn’t just about trimming activities, it’s about making tough choices.
Some leaders described:
- Cutting support for entire markets or event formats to protect larger opportunities, for example, Korea or Singapore “losing out entirely”.
- Redirecting resources outside marketing, and instead into customer experience or support, to strengthen overall ROI.
- Relying on outsourcing and partners as pragmatic survival strategies, with business resistance to this softening as quality improved.
The overarching message is that lean teams must make trade-offs that go beyond budget lines. The challenge for CMOs is to make choices that safeguard impact while minimising collateral damage.
Lost in translation: The real cost of global–local disconnect
The survey revealed a stark truth: the content problem is about relevance, not volume.
- Only 13% of CMOs are “very confident” content resonates locally,
- only 9% saying adapted global content is effective,
- 74% said local customer stories have the greatest impact.
The most effective content in region
On the surface, the fix looks simple – produce more local stories. But interviews show the reality is more complicated. Many leaders say securing local case studies is near impossible in some markets. Confidentiality rules, risk-averse customers, and cultural sensitivities often prevent public storytelling.
Several CMOs noted that localisation is often about context, not creation, tailoring landing pages, highlighting local statistics, or using local spokespeople around global content. Done well, this can provide resonance without requiring everything to be rebuilt from scratch.
Ultimately, the global–local disconnect goes far beyond “messaging doesn’t resonate.” The challenge for CMOs is to develop strategies that are not only translated, but purposefully adapted to drive growth.
APAC’s market blind spot
Survey data showed that the number one unmet need for CMOs is access to local customer insights and research. The interviews revealed this gap runs deeper than simply hearing the “voice of the customer”.
- Leaders described an almost complete absence of market sizing, segmentation, and opportunity mapping for APAC. Global teams often assume mature market dynamics in the US or Europe can be copy-pasted across Asia-Pacific, but the reality is more complex.
- Without robust insights, marketing and sales teams struggle to allocate resources effectively. Some CMOs noted that local NPS or CSAT scores are useful, but insufficient. They provide feedback on customer experience, but don’t address the bigger strategic questions of opportunity and resource allocation.
In the absence of a stronger foundation of market intelligence, APAC leaders are left to make critical decisions in the dark. The challenge is to turn the insight gap into influence, arming CMOs with the evidence they need to secure flexibility, investment, and growth.
The budget dilemma
Asked where they’d invest additional budget, CMOs pointed to content, research, and headcount in our survey. Yet conversations showed these choices shift dramatically depending on context, not categories.
Cuts are equally context-driven. Leaders described not just trimming budgets but dropping entire priorities when global mandates didn’t align with regional realities. In practice, doing more with less often means choosing what not to do.
Insights in Context
Our survey provided the framework of the APAC CMO experience , but the numbers alone don’t tell the full story. In-depth CMO interviews revealed the lived reality behind those data points: a more complex, often contradictory landscape where progress is rarely straightforward. Here’s what we found:
- Autonomy isn’t binary. Leaders describe both gains and losses, sometimes simultaneously, depending on whether they’re looking at campaign execution, budgets, or agency selection.
- Doing more with less means tough trade-offs. Beyond resource strain, leaders talk about geopolitical prioritisation, abandoning some markets or leaving smaller geographies behind.
- Global–local disconnects have real consequences. The issue isn’t just lower relevance; some missteps actively damage brand equity in-region.
- Local case studies aren’t always the fix. Analyst validation, contextualised research, and thought-leadership events can sometimes resonate more than local customer stories.
- Budgets follow context, not categories. Some leaders reinvest outside marketing, while others channel spend into different levers depending on market needs.
- AI is more than efficiency. Leaders are weighing ethical, operational, and access concerns, even as they explore short-term productivity wins.
The interviews don’t overturn the data findings; they explain them, revealing the nuance behind the numbers.
From pressure to progress: the CMO Playbook
A new mindset: 6 thought-shifts to change the game
1. From local execution to local influence
Centralisation may not reverse, but APAC CMOs can still earn influence and advocate for their region. The most significant unmet need in our survey was access to customer insights and research (29%), giving leaders the evidence they need to shift global mindsets. Influence is built over time through visibility and persistence.
Another leader described using:
- annual regional summits,
- quarterly reviews, and
- internal communications channels
to expose global leaders to APAC complexity: a slow but effective way to influence HQ.
The lesson: Execution alone isn’t enough. APAC leaders must use data and storytelling to shape decisions made from across the globe.
2. From mass to meaningful
Generic global campaigns rarely resonate. Our survey showed 74% of CMOs rate local customer stories as the most effective content, while only 9% believe adapted global assets deliver the same impact.
Credibility is built on voices that matter locally, say our interviewees. For example:
- Analyst reports often outperform branded content as proof points.
- Partner and customer voices are considered non-negotiable in APAC campaigns.
- Short-form local video outperforms other formats, especially when backed by global data for credibility.
The lesson: In APAC, meaningful always beats mass. Local relevance is what earns buyer trust.
3. From content fatigue to content fit
The challenge isn’t lack of content, but lack of fit. Regional teams have ample access to global assets, yet they fail to resonate. The real role of APAC marketing is to curate and adapt, not just produce.
Interviewees described success as wrapping global research in localised landing pages, spokespeople, and proof points tailored to each market. They say orchestration, not volume, drives results: choosing what to adapt, what to contextualise, and what to reject is key.
The lesson: Fit, not output, determines impact. CMOs who master orchestration create the greatest leverage.
4. From channel siloes to journey thinking
In APAC, no single channel carries all the weight. Events remain critical in ANZ, while digital-first dominates across Asia. The winning formula is integration: weaving all channels into a coherent buyer journey.
Orchestrated journeys matter more than single-channel hits. Rather than focus on events or digital alone, all channels must reinforce each other, not compete for budget.
The lesson: CMOs must think in terms of journeys, not siloes, stitching fragmented touchpoints into a unified buyer experience.
5. From reactive to proactive ROI
In today’s climate, APAC CMOs can’t wait for marketing’s impact to be “discovered”. They must proactively frame outcomes in commercial terms and show clear contribution to business growth.
- Close alignment with sales to ensure marketing impact is visible and credible.
- Shared KPIs across commercial teams to reinforce accountability.
- Consistent reporting that links marketing activity directly to growth outcomes.
The lesson: CMOs must prove impact in business language, not marketing metrics.
6. From resistance to AI readiness
AI has shifted from hype to everyday reality in APAC marketing. Nearly all CMOs we surveyed are experimenting with it, though most remain in early stages. Current adoption leans heavily on efficiency, and for smaller teams under pressure, these productivity gains are welcome.
But our interviews revealed a more nuanced picture. Alongside enthusiasm for speed and scale, leaders voiced unease about overcentralisation, governance restrictions, and the risk of treating AI as a silver bullet.
The lesson: AI is no longer optional. CMOs must move beyond surface-level experiments to build readiness, including the appropriate skills, governance, and strategy to capture AI’s potential without compounding existing risks.
