A recent survey conducted by Canva and MMA Global has shed light on the evolving priorities of senior marketers and Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) from the U.S. and the U.K. The study reveals that creative output is now more crucial than ever, with 77% of respondents acknowledging its importance.

The survey, which involved nearly 100 CMOs and senior marketers, found that 69% of respondents consider creative a top marketing priority in their organisation. Furthermore, 68% believe that the importance of creative will increase in their organisation over the next 12 months.

Adding value to customers' lives through creative output is a belief held by 72% of those surveyed. However, investment in creative varies, with 55% of respondents investing 10 to 25% of their total marketing budget in creative, while 18% invest less than 10%.

Interestingly, 41% of respondents feel they are not making the right level of investment in creative tools, systems, and technologies. Managing resources and budgets, maintaining consistency of output, and managing systems and tools are now more challenging than they were five years ago, according to 46% of those surveyed.

When it comes to beneficial tools, collaboration platforms (54%), photo/video editing tools (54%), and generative AI tools (35%) are seen as the most beneficial.

Despite the emphasis on creative output, only 34% of respondents believe their creative output is better than their competitors, while 53% believe it’s on par. Managing a creative process that optimises for speed, efficiency, and flexibility is a struggle for 45% of respondents.

The survey also highlighted a shift towards in-house work, with 30% of respondents moving more work in-house in the last 12 months, and 31% expecting to do the same in the next year.

Canva CMO Zach Kitschke commented on the findings, stating, “Producing stellar creative output while optimizing for resource efficiency is a massive challenge for every modern marketer today. How brands show up has gotten more competitive, there is a lot of tech to wade through, and the talent pool is narrowing.”

MMA Global CEO Greg Stuart also weighed in, saying, “Marketers face a pivotal moment where embracing AI and the challenge of managing the Brand via what can be thousands of executions will redefine creativity’s role and brand communication, demanding a new and updated focus to managing the creative process.”

The survey results suggest that while creative output is a top priority for marketers, there are significant challenges to overcome, including resource management, consistency, and the effective use of technology.