Managing marketing budgets to drive profitable growth While marketing spending is expected to be resilient over the next two years, pressure remains on CMOs to prove the value of marketing investments. CEOs and CFOs often demand evidence of marketing being more than a cost center and that it contributes to key business objectives, as custody over customers becomes more fragmented and other functions are increasingly involved in customer journeys. The implementation of stringent MROI measurement systems is a critical step in quantifying and proving the value of marketing, but this must not happen in a vacuum. Close alignment between CMO and CFO is Exhibit 11 Key areas for increased marketing spend,¹ % of respondents mentioning among top 3 1 Question: Where do you expect the greatest increase in marketing-related spend over the next year? (Ranking of top 3 areas.) 2 Marketing return on investment. Source: State of Marketing Europe Report 2026, McKinsey, n = 500 senior marketing leaders across France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom Surveyed marketers aim to increase investment in areas that clearly link to improved efficiency and effectiveness. McKinsey & Company Gen AI-enabled marketing MROI² measurement Consumer insights Digital media Product innovation and R&D Content and creative production Data foundations and analytics Martech/adtech Point of sale marketing Influencers Sponsorships Traditional media 50 42 38 36 28 28 23 20 13 9 7 5 100 29 State of Marketing Europe 2026