CMOs are optimistic about the development of the first half of this year, according to the results of Wave 27 of the Index of Expectations of Marketing Directors (IEDM). The Spanish Marketing Association (AMKT) and market research company GfK have shared those of the report, which on a biannual basis shows the perceptions and trends of marketing professionals.
On this occasion, the data has been obtained through interviews with 211 CMOs of large companies from different sectors, between December 11, 2024 and January 14, 2025. The report points to a positive evolution of expectationsace of marketing directors, despite a complex economic and geopolitical context.
The three indicators that the IEDM looks at to analyze the confidence of CMOs evolve positively for the first half of 2025. Thus, confidence of marketing directors can be seen in both the growth of sales (+3.7 points), as in the market evolution (+2.2 points) and in the increase in advertising investment (+1.2 points).
Marketing Investment Index
In this edition of the IEDM, the indicator of the marketing investment expectations. With this information, as stated by AMKT at the time, they are looking for “record all the activity carried out by this department and not exclusively that related to advertising, which represents only a fraction”.
It remains with the same 2.7 points as it premiered, which reflects the commitment to other actions, beyond advertising, to support brands and sales.
In addition, respondents were asked about the percentage that has represented marketing on total turnover in recent years, and a positive evolution is observed. In 2023 it accounted for 6.7% of the total, which grew to 7.5% last year and will reach 7.7% in 2025.
Moderate optimism for 2025
The report reflects a positive change in the opinion of CMOs, compared to the pessimism registered in the second half of 2024. 24% of marketing directors report having closed the semester below their expectations, which represents a decrease of five points compared to the previous wave of the study. Meanwhile, 44% indicate that they have closed said period better than expected, a figure that gains five points compared to six months ago. For their part, 32% share that they have done it as planned.
With regard to the evolution of market in which companies operatestability is appreciated. The same 27% of marketing directors as in the previous semester consider that the country’s economic situation will improve in the first half of 2025; while another 27% (+1% compared to the previous wave) believe it will get worse.
By sectors, the majority closed 2024 better than expected, with the exception of retail, media, education and marketing services, which did not reach their forecasts. On the other hand, the sectors that They expect greater growth in their own sales for the first six months of 2025 they are textile, insurance, energy and technology. According to AMKT, it is these same sectors that project a greater boost to advertising investment.
However, CMOs are aware that the economic and political situation continues to be marked by instability. Furthermore, Marketing Directors consider sales forecasts economic growth for Spain (78%), the inflation (77%) and the economic evolution of the European Union (64%) as the factors that most impact their activity. They also point to issues such as the variation in interest rates (61%) or the presidency of donald trump and the measures that can be implemented (51%).
Investment in digital
Regarding the type of advertising investment, marketing directors continue to focus on online media. 63% of professionals declare that they allocate more than 40% of their budget to digital advertising, a figure that rises twelve points compared to the previous edition of the report. 16% allocate between 20 and 40% of the budget.
This makes the advertising investment in online media maintain its gradual growth in the last five years. In 2021, 71% of professionals said they allocate 20% or more of their budgets to online media. The figure has grown 8% since then.
For its part, sales through e-commerce they remain stable. 36% of companies claim to sell more than 5% of their products through online channels. However, this does not satisfy marketing professionals, since only 40% of CMOs consider their level of sales in this channel satisfactory.