New Propolis research finds a “blind spot” at the board level: CEOs value marketing, but overwhelmingly see it as a support function rather than a genuine driver of business growth.
Three-quarters (75%) of B2B CEOs and senior business leaders don’t believe marketing drives business growth, even though they acknowledge it plays an important role in their organizations.
That’s according to The CEO Blind Spot, a new report launched today by Propolis, which surveyed 150 UK CEOs and business leaders at B2B organizations to explore how they perceive marketing’s contribution to commercial success.
The report identifies what it describes as the “CEO blind spot”: a tendency for organizations to attribute growth to the point at which revenue is recognized, while overlooking the months of demand creation and brand building that often make that sale possible.
The findings reveal that 84% view marketing as a support function rather than a driver of commercial growth. That perception is reflected in how business leaders compare marketing with sales: 77% believe sales is a bigger driver of growth than marketing, while 67% believe marketing is less accountable for business results than sales.
The research also suggests these perceptions are beginning to influence investment decisions. More than a third (35%) of business leaders believe marketers are being held back at the board level because investment is increasingly being directed toward innovation and AI.
Richard O’Connor, CEO of Propolis, said: “Too many CEOs say they value B2B marketing, but our research suggests they still don’t value it as a commercial growth function. If you believe marketing matters but doesn’t drive growth, it’s difficult to argue you’re recognizing its full contribution to the business.
Also Read: AI Should Remove Friction, Not Human Connection
“The challenge is that much of marketing’s commercial contribution happens long before revenue appears on a dashboard, making it far less visible than that of functions operating closer to the point of sale. As CEOs face growing pressure to deliver short-term results while increasing investment in AI, there is a real risk that a critical engine of sustainable growth becomes an easy target for budget cuts unless this blind spot is addressed.”
The full CEO Blind Spot report is available for download here, offering further insight into why marketing continues to struggle for recognition as a commercial growth driver and what that means for B2B organizations.
