The optimization paradox: How CMOs can achieve more with less

Published: 4/17/2025

Chief marketing officers face a relentless demand to drive revenue while often operating under budget constraints. The natural instinct is to stretch resources, covering as many campaigns and channels as possible. Yet, counterintuitively, the best results often come from narrowing focus. This paradox begs the question, how can CMOs and their marketing teams achieve more by doing less?

The illusion of scale

Many marketing professionals equate success with volume: more campaigns, more channels, more content. The assumption is that broader reach equals greater impact. However, spreading resources too thin often leads to inefficiencies. Performance data consistently shows that businesses that reallocate resources toward high-impact efforts earn more than businesses that don’t. Identifying these impactful initiatives and focusing time and effort on driving them is the key to optimization.

Consider a global enterprise running simultaneous campaigns. Their marketing team needs to determine how effective their efforts are. However, measuring marketing impact isn’t always straightforward. Some initiatives, like digital ads, are easy to track, while others, such as brand or sports sponsorships, leave a less obvious footprint. Traditional attribution models often fail to capture the full picture, particularly when it comes to long-term brand impact.

Take high-profile campaigns like Super Bowl commercials or Olympic sponsorships. Unlike digital ads, you can’t A/B test them, and their effect isn’t immediately apparent. Yet, these campaigns generate significant awareness and influence consumer behavior over time. AI-powered marketing data analysis, offered by platforms like Alembic, reveals these hidden connections. For example, when a major airline sponsored the Paris 2024 Olympics, its branding appeared during medal ceremonies. Even though the company didn’t run direct ads, Alembic was able to track how these moments influenced customer engagement, brand perception and airline ticket sales.

Alembic helps marketers uncover the full halo effect of campaigns that would otherwise be difficult to quantify. By identifying impact across all marketing efforts, including those that traditional tools overlook, CMOs can make informed decisions that optimize their marketing investments for both short-term performance and long-term brand growth. Having all your data in one place makes it easy to identify what’s working and, thus, where efforts should be focused.