CMO Barometer reveals: Dutch CMOs hold the most optimistic view of the future
These are the most important marketing trends for 2025!
Dutch Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) are better preparing themselves for significant changes driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI), as shown by the latest CMO Barometer from the Serviceplan Group. The trend study is based on a global survey of 835 CMOs, including 111 in the Netherlands. Compared to their international counterparts, Dutch CMOs place AI developments higher on their agenda. The majority expects rising budgets and focuses on meaningful AI integration, while the power of emotional brands remains a central theme.
Prospects for 2025 are mixed worldwide, but Dutch CMOs show striking optimism about the economic outlook in their sector. Nearly half of Dutch CMOs (48%) expect an improvement, with another 37% anticipating conditions to remain more or less the same. Only 15% foresee a deterioration.
Christiaan van Betuw, CEO of Serviceplan Group Netherlands, explains: “The optimism of Dutch CMOs aligns perfectly with the Serviceplan Group’s focus for 2025, #FuturePositive, which challenges both the market and ourselves to change our perspectives through innovation. We are not only implementing this internally in our own services, but also supporting our clients’ teams in this transition—driven, among other things, by AI. The fact that Dutch CMOs are so forward-thinking confirms that together we are ready to ride the wave that 2025 offers us toward an innovation-rich future, and beyond.”
Internationally, results vary widely by country. While CMOs in the Netherlands and the Middle East are the most positive about the future, pessimism prevails among CMOs in Austria and France. Only in the Netherlands and the Middle East do optimists outnumber pessimists.
When it comes to marketing budgets, more than half of the Dutch respondents expect an increase in 2025, as shown in the chart “Development of Marketing Budgets in the Netherlands 2025.” About one-third believe that budgets will remain stable, indicating a readiness to invest in new technologies and strategies.
Artificial intelligence takes the top spot on the CMO agenda
Dutch CMOs view artificial intelligence as the most important theme for the marketing year 2025 (86%). They emphasize that this isn’t about passing fads or gimmicks, but about the meaningful and effective use of AI tools to improve marketing performance. Alongside AI, content creation (85%) and the personalization of the customer journey (85%) are also prominent trends for 2025.
Susanne Damen, CMO Marketing & E-commerce at AGU and a participant in the study, explains: “AI will remain a hot topic next year for creating hyper-personalized shopping experiences, because everyone is experimenting in 2024 and 2025 will be the time for true integration.”
Robert van Geffen, CMO Global Marketing & Commercial Excellence bij Straumann Group stelt: "2025 vereist een sterke focus op de klantreis door marketing, sales en klantenservice naadloos te integreren. Door te focussen op klantgerichtheid en het benutten van inzichten en AI, zorgen we dat elk contactpunt nuttig, gemakkelijk en plezierig is. Deze holistische aanpak versterkt het merk en stimuleert groei door differentiatie en innovatie—wat voor ons in de tandheelkunde uiteindelijk resulteert in een glimlach."
Internationally, AI is also widely mentioned and is, in fact, the most frequently cited theme across all markets, with the Netherlands scoring highest alongside Germany and Spain. In addition, “customer journey management & personalization,” “content creation & marketing,” “marketing ROI/controlling/analytics,” and “emotional brand building” are named by international CMOs as the most important trends for 2025.
Menno Westinga, Managing Director of the Serviceplan Group media agency label Mediaplus Netherlands, states: “These findings underscore what we experience daily in the market. Dutch CMOs are highly aware of AI’s potential not only to increase efficiency, but also to build deeper customer relationships through personalized content and experiences. The strategic use of AI and marketing automation helps optimize marketing performance.”
Emotion remains important, but processes and efficiency gain ground
Successful marketing in the future will bridge artificial and emotional intelligence. While emotional branding still ranks in the global top five, the focus in many countries is shifting toward processes and efficiency. Optimization, professionalization, and automation are gaining importance. The same applies to Dutch CMOs: AI in marketing processes ranks #1 at 86%. Marketing ROI is also highly placed at 83%, as is marketing automation at 73%. The emphasis is on the functional aspects of marketing; brand building remains important, but increasingly it’s about effectively bringing products to market.
Conclusion
Despite the uncertainties and numerous challenges that 2025 may bring, Duch CMOs remain positive. They are ready to embrace new technologies without losing the human aspect of marketing.
About the CMO Barometer 2024
The CMO Barometer is an annual survey of top marketers from leading companies in Europe and the Middle East. This is the fifth time the study has been conducted by the Serviceplan Group, and this year it also took place in collaboration with the University of St. Gallen (HSG).
Based on an online survey of marketing managers from companies of all sizes and across all sectors, 835 CMOs participated in September 2024 from the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium & Luxembourg, France, Spain, Italy, the UK, Switzerland, Austria, and the Middle Eeast. They shared their exclusie assessments for the 2025 marketing year.
Detailed results of the CMO Barometer, along with expert rankings from the Serviceplan Group and further CMO insights, are available in the attached presentations:
CMO Barometer NL
CMO Barometer International