In a world where technology is evolving faster than human adaptability, marketing has been dragged into increasingly tactical, reactive, and anxious territory. Artificial Intelligence hasn’t just arrived—it has redefined the standard. As we enter the second half of 2025, marketing leaders can no longer afford to improvise or chase short-term goals. It’s time to lead with executive vision and strategic discernment.
According to HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report 2025, 55% of marketing teams now prioritize adaptability over efficiency, while 61% admit they still don’t know how to integrate AI effectively into their strategic processes. This reveals a systemic misalignment: we talk a lot about technology, but we rarely act with depth. In Latin America especially, there’s still hesitation. While in the U.S., 71% of CMOs plan to invest over $10 million in AI this year (Business Insider, Cannes Lions 2025), the region continues to take a reactive approach with no clear roadmap in sight.
Why urgency no longer cuts it
Because urgency equals sales. And when marketing is reduced to a mere sales engine, it loses direction and purpose. Nielsen’s Annual Marketing Report 2025 shows that overinvesting in performance marketing can reduce ROI by 20% to 50%, while combining branding and performance strategies can boost it by up to 100%. The paradox is clear: sales aren’t sustainable without a solid structure. That’s why many brands are rediscovering the essentials—narrative clarity, conceptual coherence, creativity with purpose. Less synthetic content, more communication with substance.
The new CMO and their hybrid team
Today’s Chief Marketing Officer must be an integrator. Gartner warns that the biggest risk for CMOs is tactical thinking without long-term vision. Neither the tech purist nor the change-averse veteran can lead the kind of hybrid marketing team the moment demands. The key lies in harmonizing human and artificial intelligence, internal talent and external capabilities, creative thinking and analytical discipline. According to PwC’s 2025 insights, the most effective CMOs work closely with finance, invest in loyalty, and—above all—elevate the strategic conversation inside their organizations.
Rethinking metrics, budgets, and priorities
Standard metrics are no longer enough. OpenText reports that intangible assets now represent over 80% of shareholder value for many companies, with brand equity alone accounting for up to 19% in B2C firms. Measuring only conversions is like driving while watching just the speedometer. Today, a more holistic, adaptive approach is required. Each product, each strategy deserves its own set of metrics. And budgets must shift toward what strengthens the foundation: technology, training, and thought leadership. Because without thinking, execution is just noise.
What signals should we watch for?
IAB Spain and Adevinta identify key 2025 signals: contextual AI, large-scale personalization, social interaction, sustainability, and a return to immersive physical experiences. Companies like Ulta Beauty, according to Axios (SXSW 2025), have been using AI since 2018 to personalize every user interaction. But this isn’t about chasing trends—the key is discernment. In marketing, not everything that shines is insight, and not everything new is innovation.
This edition of Garage Marketing is a call to reclaim control, strategic thinking, and long-term vision.
To stop chasing urgency and start building what truly matters.
Because real leadership in marketing doesn’t lie in fast answers—but in asking the right questions. And those, we’re just beginning to ask.
