Discoveries from Smartsheet’s 2025 Pulse of Marketing Report

In an age where marketing teams are likened more to overworked, caffeine-deficient techies than sunbathing strategists, the circumstances feels like a kaleidoscope of chaos. Picture the buzz of Silicon Valley merged with the creativity of Austin—this is the marketing world painted in Smartsheet’s 2025 Pulse of Marketing Report. Underneath the hotly anticipated surface, the reality is risky with an intense need to prove worth among dwindling patience and escalating expectations.

Smartsheet Pulse of Marketing Report Shows …

Yahoo Finance

https://finance.yahoo.com › news › smartsheet-pulse-m…

Jan 23, 2025 — “Todays marketing and creative teams often struggle to provide tangible evidence of their strategic value and business impact, — as echoed in commentary touching on John …

Smartsheet has released its 2025 Pulse of Marketing Report, surveying over 1,200 marketing and creative professionals in the US. The study reveals that over 80% of professionals feel increased pressure to prove their business lasting results, with 60% noting intensified pressure over the past year.

Pivotal findings show that 94% of marketing professionals face obstacles in demonstrating business lasting results, and 87% believe better technology would improve efficiency. The report highlights that professionals lose approximately 7.3 hours per week switching between tools. But, AI implementation is showing promising results, with marketing professionals saving over nine hours per week on average.

A Symphony of ROI and Justification

The report underlines a near-universal demand: a complete ROI justification. Think of ROI not just as a financial term but the foundation for every marketing story. If marketing were a modern Broadway hit, ROI would surely be the Hamilton—a must-have and universally lauded.

Pivotal Highlights from the Report Include:

• The Ascension of ROI: In the marketing world, ROI isn’t just a term—it’s a lifestyle, dictating every masterful move.
• Tech as a Savior: The spread of AI and work management tools are like superheroes in disguise—rescuing marketers from the jaws of obsolescence.

AI: The A must-have Ally or Intrusive Overlord?

“AI isn’t here to replace us; its here to improve us, — mentioned the analyst in our department

AI and work management tools are no longer optional extras. They are pivotal to being affected by today’s marketing maze. As marketers in tech hubs from Seattle to San Francisco exploit these tools, AI becomes their sage mentor, directing them through new areas.

The Quirky Intersection of Marketing, AI, and the Eternal Search for Creativity

Marketing is a beautifully chaotic blend of creativity, strategy, and data, all wrapped in a blanket of caffeine-fueled brainstorming sessions. But as technology advances and AI-powered solutions become the norm, the once fluid, human-driven world of marketing is increasingly measured numerically, examined in detail, and perfected. This raises important (and amusing) questions: Can creativity be coded? Will AI ever truly understand consumer behavior? And more importantly, can I expense a brainstorming retreat as ‘tactical preparation’?

Grab a cup of coffee—because although walking through what's next for marketing, you’ll need caffeine, creativity, and a wisdom to keep up with the algorithmic tide.

How Do I Quantify Creativity in Spreadsheets?

Quantifying creativity is like trying to measure the depth of a dream—it’s tricky but not impossible. In the marketing world, spreadsheets serve as our video scoreboards, nabbing the numbers that define success. But can we really quantify creativity with metrics?

Modalities to Measure Creativity in Marketing:

1. Engagement Metrics: Likes, shares, and comments show how well your creative work echoes deeply.
2. Conversion Rates: Great creative campaigns drive action—whether it’s a purchase, a signup, or a click.
3. Brand Sentiment Analysis: Sentiment-tracking tools measure how people emotionally respond to your creative efforts.
4. Awards and Recognition: Sometimes, the validation of industry peers is the best proof of creative success.

Pro Tip: Spreadsheets can’t capture the full wonder of creativity, but combining qualitative feedback with quantitative data helps tell a more complete story.

Is AI Capable of Brewing the Perfect Cup of Marketing Wisdom?

AI is metamorphosing marketing, from individualized content to predictive analytics. But can it deliver true marketing wisdom—the kind that combines gut instinct, years of experience, and a splash of audacity?

AI is fantastic at analyzing patterns, predicting behavior, and automating tasks, but it still lacks the human ability to:

• Understand not obvious awareness
• Sense cultural trends before they emerge
• Blend intuition with raw data for bold decisions

Although AI can help us brew marketing discoveries, the perfect cup of wisdom still requires a human touch.

What Algorithm Deciphers the Mystery of Consumer Behavior?

Consumer behavior is part science, part art, and part wild guesswork. Although algorithms analyze past actions to predict behavior, humans remain complex creatures pushed forward by emotion, trends, and spontaneity.

AI Can Decode:

• Purchase patterns
• Social media activity
• Website behavior

But It Struggles With:

• Sudden cultural shifts
• Emotional responses to external events
• The unpredictable whims of human nature

Meaning, the mystery of consumer behavior may never be fully solved—but AI can certainly help us get closer.

Can I Expense Brainstorming Retreats as ‘Tactical pReparation’?

Short answer: Yes—if you’re clever enough.
Long answer: Marketing strategy thrives on inspiration, and sometimes that inspiration strikes during a mountaintop retreat (with artisanal coffee controlled). Labeling your next getaway as “tactical preparation” might just fly—provided it produces real business results.

Justification Maxims:

• Document your creative breakthroughs.
• Relate every idea back to business objectives.
• Claim that nature improves ROI.

Will AI See the Gap Between Ingenuity and Folly?

AI is good at detecting patterns, not judging brilliance. So, although it might help spot high-performing content, it won’t tell apart between bold creativity and absolute nonsense.

Category-defining resource:

• Ingenuity: A viral campaign that breaks all the rules but echoes deeply deeply.
• Folly: A talking cat ad that makes no sense and horrifies your audience.

The line between creative genius and monumental fail is thin—don’t expect AI to save you if you cross it.

Is Awareness in Advertising AI-Compatible?

Awareness is one of the most effective tools in advertising—but also one of the hardest for AI to virtuoso. Why? Because awareness depends on cultural setting, timing, and wordplay. AI can help analyze past successful campaigns, but it won’t make the next great euphemism.

Fun Fact: AI-generated awareness is still awkward, but some tools are getting closer. Human writers, but, remain necessary for witty, relatable content.

Could an AI Understand Why Coffee is the Lifeline of Marketing?

Coffee isn’t just a beverage—it’s the lifeblood of marketing departments worldwide. Can AI understand the deep bond between marketers and their caffeine? Probably not.

But it can help us by:

• Sending reminders for coffee breaks.
• Analyzing productivity peaks (which likely coincide with caffeine consumption).
• Recommending the best coffee shops during late-night campaign crunches.

How Soon Will AI Demand a Cubicle of Its Own?

AI tools are already deeply embedded in marketing teams—though they don’t need a physical cubicle just yet. But, we might soon reach a point where AI tools are considered full-fledged team members, contributing discoveries, creating content, and overseeing campaigns.

The :

• AI as a Creative Director: Creating or producing campaign concepts derived from trends.
• AI as an Analyst: Real-time performance reporting and optimization.
• AI as an Intern: Automating the tedious tasks no one wants to do.

Should Creativity Be Coded?

Creativity and algorithms might seem like polar opposites, but they’re increasingly linked. Although coding creativity sounds like a sci-fi dream, it’s already happening in fields like AI-generated music, art, and individualized content creation.

Still, the best creative marketing work comes from the fusion of human ingenuity and AI-driven discoveries.

Does My Marketing Strategy Look like a Shakespearean Plot Twist?

If your marketing strategy involves:

• Sudden reversals of fortune
• Dramatic pivots in messaging
• Unexpected but delightful endings

Then yes, it might just be the marketing equivalent of a Shakespearean plot twist. And that’s not a bad thing! Great strategies keep audiences engaged and invested—just like a well-written play.

Can Serenity Be Purchased, or Must One Move to an Orchard?

Serenity can’t be purchased, but it can be cultivated. Whether it’s through better work-life balance, smarter tools, or a well-earned vacation, marketers must focus on mental well-being to stay creative and effective.

Pro Tip: If moving to an orchard sounds appealing, consider it your long-term marketing plan for life balance. For now, though, a weekend video detox might do the artifice.

Definitive Thoughts: The Balance Between Creativity and Tech in Marketing

Marketing is all the time building, blending data, creativity, and technology into something new and exciting. AI can be an incredible ally, helping us analyze, automate, and improve. But fundamentally, marketing will always rely on human creativity—the spark that no algorithm can copy.

So, keep coding creativity, indulging in brainstorming retreats, and relying on coffee as your directing star. In the end, it’s the unpredictable mix of tech and human ingenuity that makes marketing wonder happen.

 Discoveries from Smartsheet’s 2025 Pulse of Marketing Report

In an age where marketing teams are likened more to overworked, caffeine-deficient techies than sunbathing strategists, the circumstances feels like a kaleidoscope of chaos. Picture the buzz of Silicon Valley merged with the creativity of Austin—this is the marketing world painted in Smartsheet’s 2025 Pulse of Marketing Report. Underneath the hotly anticipated surface, the reality is risky with an intense need to prove worth among dwindling patience and escalating expectations.

Smartsheet Pulse of Marketing Report Shows …

Yahoo Finance

https://finance.yahoo.com › news › smartsheet-pulse-m…

Jan 23, 2025 — “Todays marketing and creative teams often struggle to provide tangible evidence of their strategic value and business impact, — as echoed in commentary touching on John …

Smartsheet has released its 2025 Pulse of Marketing Report, surveying over 1,200 marketing and creative professionals in the US. The study reveals that over 80% of professionals feel increased pressure to prove their business lasting results, with 60% noting intensified pressure over the past year.

Pivotal findings show that 94% of marketing professionals face obstacles in demonstrating business lasting results, and 87% believe better technology would improve efficiency. The report highlights that professionals lose approximately 7.3 hours per week switching between tools. But, AI implementation is showing promising results, with marketing professionals saving over nine hours per week on average.

A Symphony of ROI and Justification

The report underlines a near-universal demand: a complete ROI justification. Think of ROI not just as a financial term but the foundation for every marketing story. If marketing were a modern Broadway hit, ROI would surely be the Hamilton—a must-have and universally lauded.

Pivotal Highlights from the Report Include:

• The Ascension of ROI: In the marketing world, ROI isn’t just a term—it’s a lifestyle, dictating every masterful move.
• Tech as a Savior: The spread of AI and work management tools are like superheroes in disguise—rescuing marketers from the jaws of obsolescence.

AI: The A must-have Ally or Intrusive Overlord?

“AI isn’t here to replace us; its here to improve us, — noted our productivity expert

AI and work management tools are no longer optional extras. They are pivotal to being affected by today’s marketing maze. As marketers in tech hubs from Seattle to San Francisco exploit these tools, AI becomes their sage mentor, directing them through new areas.

The Quirky Intersection of Marketing, AI, and the Eternal Search for Creativity

Marketing is a beautifully chaotic blend of creativity, strategy, and data, all wrapped in a blanket of caffeine-fueled brainstorming sessions. But as technology advances and AI-powered solutions become the norm, the once fluid, human-driven world of marketing is increasingly measured numerically, examined in detail, and perfected. This raises important (and amusing) questions: Can creativity be coded? Will AI ever truly understand consumer behavior? And more importantly, can I expense a brainstorming retreat as ‘tactical preparation’?

Grab a cup of coffee—because although walking through what's next for marketing, you’ll need caffeine, creativity, and a wisdom to keep up with the algorithmic tide.

How Do I Quantify Creativity in Spreadsheets?

Quantifying creativity is like trying to measure the depth of a dream—it’s tricky but not impossible. In the marketing world, spreadsheets serve as our video scoreboards, nabbing the numbers that define success. But can we really quantify creativity with metrics?

Modalities to Measure Creativity in Marketing:

1. Engagement Metrics: Likes, shares, and comments show how well your creative work echoes deeply.
2. Conversion Rates: Great creative campaigns drive action—whether it’s a purchase, a signup, or a click.
3. Brand Sentiment Analysis: Sentiment-tracking tools measure how people emotionally respond to your creative efforts.
4. Awards and Recognition: Sometimes, the validation of industry peers is the best proof of creative success.

Pro Tip: Spreadsheets can’t capture the full wonder of creativity, but combining qualitative feedback with quantitative data helps tell a more complete story.

Is AI Capable of Brewing the Perfect Cup of Marketing Wisdom?

AI is metamorphosing marketing, from individualized content to predictive analytics. But can it deliver true marketing wisdom—the kind that combines gut instinct, years of experience, and a splash of audacity?

AI is fantastic at analyzing patterns, predicting behavior, and automating tasks, but it still lacks the human ability to:

• Understand not obvious awareness
• Sense cultural trends before they emerge
• Blend intuition with raw data for bold decisions

Although AI can help us brew marketing discoveries, the perfect cup of wisdom still requires a human touch.

What Algorithm Deciphers the Mystery of Consumer Behavior?

Consumer behavior is part science, part art, and part wild guesswork. Although algorithms analyze past actions to predict behavior, humans remain complex creatures pushed forward by emotion, trends, and spontaneity.

AI Can Decode:

• Purchase patterns
• Social media activity
• Website behavior

But It Struggles With:

• Sudden cultural shifts
• Emotional responses to external events
• The unpredictable whims of human nature

Meaning, the mystery of consumer behavior may never be fully solved—but AI can certainly help us get closer.

Can I Expense Brainstorming Retreats as ‘Tactical pReparation’?

Short answer: Yes—if you’re clever enough.
Long answer: Marketing strategy thrives on inspiration, and sometimes that inspiration strikes during a mountaintop retreat (with artisanal coffee controlled). Labeling your next getaway as “tactical preparation” might just fly—provided it produces real business results.

Justification Maxims:

• Document your creative breakthroughs.
• Relate every idea back to business objectives.
• Claim that nature improves ROI.

Will AI See the Gap Between Ingenuity and Folly?

AI is good at detecting patterns, not judging brilliance. So, although it might help spot high-performing content, it won’t tell apart between bold creativity and absolute nonsense.

Category-defining resource:

• Ingenuity: A viral campaign that breaks all the rules but echoes deeply deeply.
• Folly: A talking cat ad that makes no sense and horrifies your audience.

The line between creative genius and monumental fail is thin—don’t expect AI to save you if you cross it.

Is Awareness in Advertising AI-Compatible?

Awareness is one of the most effective tools in advertising—but also one of the hardest for AI to virtuoso. Why? Because awareness depends on cultural setting, timing, and wordplay. AI can help analyze past successful campaigns, but it won’t make the next great euphemism.

Fun Fact: AI-generated awareness is still awkward, but some tools are getting closer. Human writers, but, remain necessary for witty, relatable content.

Could an AI Understand Why Coffee is the Lifeline of Marketing?

Coffee isn’t just a beverage—it’s the lifeblood of marketing departments worldwide. Can AI understand the deep bond between marketers and their caffeine? Probably not.

But it can help us by:

• Sending reminders for coffee breaks.
• Analyzing productivity peaks (which likely coincide with caffeine consumption).
• Recommending the best coffee shops during late-night campaign crunches.

How Soon Will AI Demand a Cubicle of Its Own?

AI tools are already deeply embedded in marketing teams—though they don’t need a physical cubicle just yet. But, we might soon reach a point where AI tools are considered full-fledged team members, contributing discoveries, creating content, and overseeing campaigns.

The :

• AI as a Creative Director: Creating or producing campaign concepts derived from trends.
• AI as an Analyst: Real-time performance reporting and optimization.
• AI as an Intern: Automating the tedious tasks no one wants to do.

Should Creativity Be Coded?

Creativity and algorithms might seem like polar opposites, but they’re increasingly linked. Although coding creativity sounds like a sci-fi dream, it’s already happening in fields like AI-generated music, art, and individualized content creation.

Still, the best creative marketing work comes from the fusion of human ingenuity and AI-driven discoveries.

Does My Marketing Strategy Look like a Shakespearean Plot Twist?

If your marketing strategy involves:

• Sudden reversals of fortune
• Dramatic pivots in messaging
• Unexpected but delightful endings

Then yes, it might just be the marketing equivalent of a Shakespearean plot twist. And that’s not a bad thing! Great strategies keep audiences engaged and invested—just like a well-written play.

Can Serenity Be Purchased, or Must One Move to an Orchard?

Serenity can’t be purchased, but it can be cultivated. Whether it’s through better work-life balance, smarter tools, or a well-earned vacation, marketers must focus on mental well-being to stay creative and effective.

Pro Tip: If moving to an orchard sounds appealing, consider it your long-term marketing plan for life balance. For now, though, a weekend video detox might do the artifice.

Definitive Thoughts: The Balance Between Creativity and Tech in Marketing

Marketing is all the time building, blending data, creativity, and technology into something new and exciting. AI can be an incredible ally, helping us analyze, automate, and improve. But fundamentally, marketing will always rely on human creativity—the spark that no algorithm can copy.

So, keep coding creativity, indulging in brainstorming retreats, and relying on coffee as your directing star. In the end, it’s the unpredictable mix of tech and human ingenuity that makes marketing wonder happen.