The Great Unbundling of Marketing
In this episode, we explore the "great unbundling" of marketing and what it means for the future of the industry. The marketing landscape is experiencing significant shifts, from hiring patterns in product marketing to the decline of the traditional CMO role.
Join us as we discuss how economic pressures are reshaping B2B SaaS companies, impacting everything from revenue growth strategies to gender diversity in leadership. We'll unpack the data showing how experienced marketers are being prioritised while junior talent is left behind, and why DEI initiatives are being de-prioritised despite their proven link to profitability.
What does this mean for your career?
We'll cover key takeaways, including why marketers need to "get out of a defensive crouch," advocate for diversity, and build their personal brands to navigate this transitional period.
Tune in to understand the forces fracturing the marketing world and how we can all "tell a better story" to build a more inclusive and effective future.
Research links discussed in this podcast:
Product Marketing
1. Sharebird Product Marketing Jobs Report 2024
Data: +47% senior PMM roles, +150% technical PMM roles
https://www.sharebird.com/product-marketing-jobs-report
2. Corporate Visions / Emblaze Growth Research
Data: 54.5% buyer-seller misalignment
https://corporatevisions.com/blog/b2b-buying-behavior-statistics-trends/
3. Forrester State of Business Buying 2024
Data: 81% buyer dissatisfaction
https://www.forrester.com/blogs/state-of-business-buying-2024/
CMO Fracturing & Gender Divide
4. Spencer Stuart CMO Tenure Study 2025
Data: 34% of Fortune 500 no longer have enterprise CMO, only 40% have "CMO" as sole title
https://www.spencerstuart.com/research-and-insight/cmo-tenure-study-2025
5. Russell Reynolds Associates - The New Face of Activation: Growth Leaders
Data: Chief Growth Officer 73% male, women's share of growth roles dropped below 30%
6. LinkedIn Jobs on the Rise 2024
Data: Chief Growth Officer is the #1 fastest-growing role in the US
DEI Rebrand & Industry Response
7. LSE Business Review / Catalyst / Meltzer Centre (August 2025 )
Data: 78% of leaders rebranding DEI, 70% of consumers prefer companies that support DEI
8. ANA Diversity Report (February 2024 )
Data: Marketing industry ethnic diversity "took a step backwards"
https://www.ana.net/miccontent/show/id/rr-2024-02-diversity-advertising-marketing-industry
9. MM+M / Campaign UK - WPP Removes DEI References (April 2025 )
Data: WPP removed all references to "diversity, equity and inclusion" from 2025 annual report
https://www.mmm-online.com/news/wpp-removes-references-to-dei-in-latest-annual-report/
10. Sustainability Magazine - Ogilvy Faces Backlash (June 2025 )
Data: Ogilvy cut 700 jobs, dissolved global DEI team
https://sustainabilitymag.com/news/wpps-ogilvy-faces-backlash-after-replacing-people-with-ai
11. Ad Age - Publicis Groupe Chief Diversity Officer Exits (January 2025 )
Data: Publicis removed Chief DEI Officer, cut DEI teams
12. Ad Age - Ad Agencies Lay Off Chief Diversity Officers (November 2024 )
Data: Chief diversity officer role "in troubling decline" across advertising industry
13. NPR / Revelio Labs - Black Women Pushed Out of Workforce (May 2025 )
Data: 300,000 Black women pushed out of workforce in 3 months (Jan-March 2025)
https://www.npr.org/2025/05/27/nx-s1-5307319/dei-jobs-trump
Total Sources: 13
