The debrief: insights from our latest report produced for CNN on the status of brand marketing.

In today’s hyper-competitive digital landscape—where consumer attention is fleeting, competition is global, and copycats are everywhere—brand marketing has become essential for survival and growth. To stand out and earn customer loyalty, brands need more than visibility. They need to deeply resonate with their audiences. Brand marketing isn’t just important: it’s vital to long-term success.

When CNN approached us in early 2024, they had a feeling this was true but wanted proof. The past few years have been rocky: COVID, economic downturns, the back and forth threat of third-party cookie deprecation, and new privacy rules. Companies everywhere were tightening budgets, cutting marketing spend, and letting staff go. If I had a pound for every LinkedIn post about “strategic budget use” and marketing cutbacks, I’d have enough to cover a lovely Mediterranean getaway for two, at the very least. A performance marketing and sales focus seemed to be winning—at least in the short term.

CNN wanted to dig deeper: what were marketers truly focused on in 2024, and what do these priorities signal for marketing strategies in the year ahead? To find out, we crafted a survey and reached out to 1,090 senior marketers across 12 global markets. The response we got back was loud and clear: brand marketing is back in the spotlight. We’re firmly in the era of brand power, and it’s here to stay.

So what did the survey data tell us?

1. Brand marketing is the #1 marketing priority for brands - Building awareness and reputation now rivals goals like acquiring new customers and driving sales. Brands are recognising that brand marketing isn’t just a seasonal boost—it’s a long-term growth driver that deserves consistent investment. Rather than limiting brand efforts to peak seasons, companies are shifting to an always-on approach as part of a sophisticated marketing strategy. In fact, many brands are planning to increase their brand marketing investment next year, committing to continuous, year-round engagement to truly elevate their market presence.
2. Brands are harnessing the power of storytelling, purpose and trust to supercharge their brand campaigns - American marketing guru Seth Godin may have been ahead of the curve when he said "Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell” in his bestselling 2012 title, All Marketers Tell Stories. But today, storytelling is at the heart of the smartest brand strategies. Consumers increasingly seek brands that align with their values and contribute positively to society, making the communication of core values and purpose essential. Our research shows that many brands recognise this shift and are investing significantly in storytelling and purpose-driven initiatives. Sustainability and ESG have become top priorities, which is unsurprising given that consumers actively support these values with their spending choices.
3. As audiences connect with brands across borders, the future of branding is undeniably global - With rapidly changing technology shaping vastly different formative experiences for each new generation, the generational divide is now more pronounced than ever. In fact, today’s audiences often have more in common with peers from the same age group across the globe than with people just a few years older in their own communities. This shift makes global marketing a natural fit for brands, as their audience is no longer limited to specific regions but spread worldwide. But beyond just expanding reach, global marketing also offers a key advantage—creating a unified, consistent brand voice that resonates across borders. Our research shows that advertisers are increasingly aware of this and plan to direct more of their budgets toward global strategies over the next year. 
4. The enduring power of TV for grabbing attention - Despite all the noise about the death of TV audiences, our research tells a much rosier story: TV as a format, especially with the boost from CTV, remains a prime choice for advertisers. In fact, it’s as popular as social media for ad spend over the next year. Why? It all comes down to storytelling. TV reigns supreme when it comes to delivering high-impact, visually powerful narratives that reach vast audiences. Advertising on TV isn’t just about reach—it’s about prestige. Brands benefit from the trust and love viewers have for TV content, amplifying the brand’s message and lending it unmatched credibility.
5. Aligning advertising with major international news events enhances brand credibility - We’ve all seen it firsthand - major news events, like the US election, drive massive engagement for top news outlets. But here’s the twist: contrary to some beliefs, our research reveals that advertising around these global events does not harm brand image; in fact, it strengthens it. Marketers report that aligning ads with international news media during significant events enhances brand prestige, fosters trust, and lends a unique credibility that other channels cannot replicate.
6. Brand works better when it's in sync with performance - A well-rounded, omni-channel strategy has been the gold standard for years, with marketers striving to connect every channel into a seamless 360-degree customer journey. But historically, brand and performance marketing have mostly operated in silos—performance teams laser-focused on sales and ROI, while brand marketers aimed to build awareness and loyalty. Our research, however, reveals a shift: marketers are now merging performance and brand marketing into a unified strategy, either by coordinating activities or combining elements of both in a single activation. This integrated approach delivers powerful benefits—it amplifies impact, drives long-term results, improves measurement, sharpens targeting, ensures consistent brand messaging, and maximises budget efficiency.

You can download our full report for CNN ‘Brand Power: Strategies for Instant Impact and Future Growth’ here.

For more information on our thought leadership work and capabilities, please visit our website or contact us at info@wearemtm.com.