McKinsey Warns: CMOs Risk Losing Boardroom Relevance

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A McKinsey & Company report released at Cannes Lions 2025 has triggered sharp introspection across the marketing world. The core finding: CEOs and CMOs are becoming increasingly misaligned on marketing’s role in business growth and the gap is widening.

Based on global interviews with more than 100 C-suite leaders, the study reveals a troubling divergence in how top executives view the value of marketing. While 56% of CMOs believe their function plays a “central” role in driving company performance, only 28% of CEOs agree.

McKinsey’s warning is clear: marketers risk being sidelined if they cannot translate brand investment into business language. “Marketing needs to close the expectation gap,” said Brian Gregg, Senior Partner at McKinsey. “Too often, CMOs speak in brand metrics while CEOs are looking for impact on P&L.”

The report identifies three key disconnects — around shared objectives, accountability frameworks, and measurement systems. As companies navigate AI disruption and increased pressure for performance-led growth, marketers are being urged to rethink how they frame their value.

The implications go beyond Cannes. In an era where marketing budgets are under scrutiny, CMOs who fail to align with CEOs on strategy, customer outcomes, and financial impact may find themselves edged out of executive influence.

To reverse the drift, McKinsey recommends restructuring marketing KPIs to reflect revenue contribution, deeper collaboration with finance and product teams, and clearer internal storytelling around impact.

The message for CMOs: brand alone is not enough. The seat at the table now depends on how convincingly marketing can prove its business value.