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March 2007 - Strategy Magazine
Marketer Survey

Survey says...Strategy's third annual look at the industry

Our survey of Canadian marketers yielded, as always, some salient revelations about the state of the marketing nation. Tidbits include: You're planning to put more dollars into broadbroad advertising in 2007;

PR is the hot ticket to supplement your current agencies; and almost 70% of you value your media agency's strategic insights as much as your AOR's, with 35% saying that the involvement of your media agency will be increased over 2007. Nonetheless, things with your principal AOR remain rosy, with 87% describing the relationship as "good," "very good" or "excellent."

Also promising: Over 58% say your marketing budget has increased over the past 12 months. And over 60% say your brand's image is improving.

And when it comes to your company, most of you rank your level of job satisfaction as high, but when considering a career move, almost half are looking for an "opportunity for professional development." Also important: The company's reputation for innovative marketing (15.6%) and chemistry with your boss (11.9%). Oddly, more money received no votes.

What's going on at my brand?

The number of people in my marketing department is:

Increasing 48.6%

Remaining the same 43.1%

Shrinking 8.3%

When it comes to new marketing media, in 2007 I will spend the most money on:

Broadband advertising 33.0%

Social media (online communities, CGM) 19.3%

Other 17.4%

Viral marketing 12.8%

Mobile (SMS, podvertising) 6.4%

WOM 5.5%

Blogs 3.7% Advergaming 1.8%

Which partner's support is increasingly important to my brand?

PR 17.4%

Media agency 14.8%

Retail agency 14.7%

Promotional 12.8%

Interactive agency 11.9%

Design 7.3%

Direct marketing agency 6.4%

Research agency 6.4%

Other 6.4%

The influence of marketing in the overall company is:

Growing 64.2%

Remaining the same 25.7%

Shrinking 10.1%

In the immediate future, to reach the consumer, the priority for my brand development will be:

Better execution of existing programs 30.3%

Better product innovation 20.2%

Build a better retail environment 18.3%

Have a social strategy 17.4%

More innovative research (beyond focus groups) 10.1%

Other 3.7%

Procter & Gamble: socially speaking

While having a social strategy ranked fourth, there's little debate that the approach is now a necessary part of any brand's DNA.

"In the short term, having a social strategy represents an opportunity for brands to differentiate themselves and create a competitive advantage," says Tony Pigott, JWT Canada president/CEO. He's also the brains behind Ethos, a four-year-old division of the agency that helps corporations develop more synergistic CSR programs. "[Soon] most consumers will actually expect brands to have a social strategy and stand for something. And shortly after that they will demand it. So, the question to ask is whether your brand is future-ready."

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