40% of CMOs Who Push for Larger Brand Budgets Will Lose Influence With the C‑Suite

By 2027, over 40% of CMOs who push for larger brand budgets will lose influence with the C-suite because they will be unable to demonstrate sufficient returns, according to Gartner, Inc, a business and technology insights company.

A Gartner survey of 426 senior marketing leaders responsible for brand strategy and senior leaders from other functions conducted in September through October 2025 found 84% of companies are stuck in a brand “doom loop”, a cycle in which underfunded measurement leads to unclear impact, rising skepticism and tighter budgets.

Companies caught in this “doom loop” were found to be half as likely to exceed organizational growth targets as those that can successfully evaluate brand value.

“Underfunded measurement breeds C-suite skepticism, which deprives brand of the investment it needs to drive growth,” said Sharon Cantor Ceurvorst, VP, Research in the Gartner Marketing Practice. “CMOs who break that loop with a clear, decision‑ready ROI story keep budgets at the level they need – and their C‑suite influence.”

Brand Strategy Is Stronger When CMOs Lead

Developing a strong brand strategy requires strong leadership, but many CMOs do not lead core responsibilities, such as brand positioning and messaging. To make brand a true foundation for growth, CMOs must influence the product, pricing and go‑to‑market decisions that define the value proposition.

Where marketing does lead these activities, organizations are more likely to report strong brand strategy performance, defined as brand being fully aligned with business strategy, consistently executed across functions, and recognized by executive leadership as critical to both past and future growth (see Figure 1).

“CMOs earn influence not by asking for bigger budgets, but by shaping the value proposition.” – Julie Reeves, Senior Director Analyst, Gartner Marketing Practice

Still, expectation gaps persist: only 32% of executives say their CMO makes compelling business strategy recommendations based on market or customer data, and only 34% say their CMO effectively identifies the marketing initiatives that will contribute most to company growth.

“CMOs earn influence not by asking for bigger budgets, but by shaping the value proposition – product, pricing and commercialization – and proving impact,” said Julie Reeves, Senior Director Analyst in the Gartner Marketing Practice. “Lead the decisions that drive differentiation, and brand performance and enterprise growth will follow.”