New Report from Aprimo and AgileSherpas Reveals Key Findings Related to the State of Agile Marketing in 2020

As Agile marketing adoption accelerates, companies are experiencing improved productivity and innovation 


CHICAGO, March 31, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aprimo, an industry-leading provider of digital asset management and work management software, today announced the results of the third annual State of Agile Marketing survey, in conjunction with AgileSherpas. Sponsored by Aprimo, the State of Agile Marketing in 2020 survey aims to measure marketers’ implementation of, and success with, Agile marketing.

According to the survey results, marketers across the globe are implementing Agile practices at an accelerated rate and twice as many Agile marketing teams have experienced improved productivity as a result. Yet even with Agile adoption rising, some are more comfortable maintaining the status quo of their operations, showing one of the biggest hurdles to adopting a new way of working is organizational inertia.

“We’ve seen an uptick in interest in Agile adoption over the past few years, but as an industry, marketers are still in the early stages of implementation,” said Ed Breault, CMO, Aprimo. “As Agile marketing becomes the de facto way of working for digital and marketing operations teams, we are also seeing that each company adopts Agile uniquely to their way of working, requiring a flexible core of agile technology - not a single template - to make it work.”

Key findings from the survey include:

  • Marketers’ interest in Agile is stronger than ever, with many perceived benefits.
    • 41% of marketers report currently using Agile and, of non-users, 42% plan to adopt it.
    • Marketers cite improved productivity (58%), enhanced ability to manage changing priorities (54%), and increased innovation (49%) as the top reasons for implementing Agile.
    • Twice as many Agile marketing teams reported improved productivity in 2020, and those enjoying better prioritization nearly doubled as well.
    • Among marketers not already using Agile marketing, there is a strong sense of urgency to implement it in the next six months (46%). Last year, only 32% of non-Agile marketers said they’d make the switch within that timeframe.
  • Agile marketers are more likely than other groups to be satisfied with how their teams are working and the results they can achieve.
    • 74% of Agile marketers are satisfied with their teams and results, compared to just 58% of traditional marketers, and 34% of ad hoc marketers.
    • Ad hoc marketers, those who operate without a long-term plan and struggle with incoming requests, are deeply dissatisfied with how they work. Yet, they report the lowest likelihood to transition to Agile in the immediate future.
  • Although two-thirds of Agile marketing teams have been practicing for at least three years, many admit they are “still maturing” with Agile practices and a few key barriers remain in the way of full adoption of Agile Marketing.
    • Proper training remains critical in successful Agile adoption. In-person and online training are cited as some of the most valuable elements in an Agile marketing transformation.

“In some ways, the journey toward marketing agility is just beginning,” said Andrea Fryear, co-founder of AgileSherpas. “It will be critical to educate non-Agile marketers about the value of agility, then support them as they implement its practices. With this support, we may see quicker adoption and a stronger marketing business unit fully embracing and understanding of its benefits.”

For complete details on the State of Agile Marketing in 2020, visit this link: https://www.aprimo.com/state-of-agile-marketing-in-2020/

About Aprimo – Aprimo provides digital solutions for content, operations, and performance that enable enterprises to optimize their brand experiences and the resources they use to deliver them. Our platform gives enterprises the advantage by streamlining and governing all the behind-the-scenes activities – from ideation to distribution – involved in delivering exceptional brand experiences.

Visit Aprimo.com to learn more.

About AgileSherpas – AgileSherpas is the world’s leading Agile marketing training, consulting, and coaching organization. We guide marketing departments toward high performance by translating successful Agile practices to work inside the marketing profession.

Our highly-trained coaches take organizations from zero to Agile in less than 18 months using the Marketing Agility Ascension©, our proprietary transformation model proven with over a thousand marketers at dozens of organizations.

This journey blends AgileSherpas’ coaching and consulting expertise with world-class certifications from the International Consortium for Agile (ICAgile), so every member of the transforming organization receives opportunities for professional development while discovering more effective ways of working together.

Visit AgileSherpas.com to start your own ascent toward marketing agility.

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aprimo@finnpartners.com