The Association for Data-Driven Marketing and Advertising (ADMA) has joined forces with marketing academic Mark Ritson and industry CMOs to launch Capability Compass.

It is described as a tool designed to identify knowledge gaps among marketers. The tool's creation comes in response to recent research revealing significant knowledge gaps among Australian marketers, with only 32% able to name the four Ps of Marketing and a mere 16% able to calculate ROAS (Return on Advertising Spend).

Mark Ritson, founder of the Marketing Week Mini MBA, has over two decades of experience as a marketing consultant and educator. He played a crucial role in developing the ADMA Capability Compass. The tool evaluates 13 key marketing capabilities and 65 underlying skills across three distinct phases: strategy, execution, and analysis.

ADMA CEO Andrea Martens and Mark Ritson spoke at the ADMA Global Forum in Sydney, emphasising the need for continuous skills development in the marketing industry. The ADMA Capability Compass is designed to help marketing leaders identify strengths and areas for development in their teams, aligning with their strategic goals.

"Marketing is evolving at an unprecedented pace and it can be hard to identify where the genuine gaps are in a marketing team’s skills and empower marketing leaders to build teams ready for the future of marketing. Capability Compass isn't just a tool; it's a powerhouse for any business that wants to foster a culture of continuous improvement and excellence.

"It provides a 360-degree view of functional marketing skills and enables leaders to pinpoint strengths and areas for development aligned with their strategic goals. This is a major leap forward in marketing training and development, empowering marketing leaders and their teams to take charge of their own destiny." said Martens.

According to Ritson,"The skills gaps uncovered in the research are nothing short of alarming and demand immediate action. I’m not surprised—I've been saying this for years. Experience and confidence alone won't cut it; marketers need proper training. While some areas of marketing are evolving and require new skills, the fundamentals remain constant and should be the bedrock of every strategy. Right now, we're not even getting the basics right. The ADMA Capability Compass will arm leaders with the data needed to pinpoint skills gaps in their teams, enabling us to build better marketers.” - Mark Ritson

"Skills don’t stay stagnant, especially not if you want to remain relevant in this industry. Our Capability Compass will identify valuable insights enable your team to adapt and thrive in this ever-changing landscape.” - Andrea Martens, ADMA CEO