AI skills give marketers an edge, but data and cross-team communication lags, Dotdigital reveals

The secret lives of marketing teams - AI

Rohan Lock: ‘The key to future success will depend on stronger internal partnerships, greater skill development, and a renewed focus on aligning technology with people and creativity.’

One in three Australian marketers say AI skills now set employees apart within their teams, while nearly one in five believe their organisation values AI capabilities more than human input, new research from Dotdigital revealed.

The martech provider’s report, The Secret Lives of Marketing Teams, explores the current priorities, opportunities and internal dynamics facing marketers.

While concerns about AI persist, 43% of respondents say AI has made them more efficient, and 39% say it supports ideation and creativity in their work.

Brand awareness is the top priority for marketers (29%), with engagement now outranking traditional ROI metrics. However, senior leaders remain focused on profitability and lead generation.

However, this shift isn’t universal, according to the report, senior marketers and CMOs continue to seek a clear link between spend and outcomes that align with profitability and leads.

The research also highlights internal misalignment, particularly between marketing and finance teams.

When it comes to challenges, marketers reported internal barriers between other teams. The finance department was deemed the least understanding of marketers’ needs (28%), with 34% of marketers admitting to a lack of confidence in communicating their value with colleagues in the finance team

Addressing this conflict will be important for both teams to ensure effective collaboration, particularly for budgeting exercises.

The Dotdigital report found 29% of marketers experience “data guilt” from not fully leveraging available data. Meanwhile, 27% are focused on improving profitability and 26% prioritise customer retention and loyalty.

Rohan Lock, APAC GM at Dotdigital, said: “Australia’s marketers are embracing AI-driven change and despite the disconnect between some departments, optimism is, quite rightly, high.

“The key to future success will depend on stronger internal partnerships, greater skill development, and a renewed focus on aligning technology with people and creativity.”

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