MARKETING R.O.I.

CMOs are still struggling to justify their spending to the CFO

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2025

CMOs are navigating unprecedented complexity and growing expectations for accountability. But demonstrating ROI isn’t always easy.

Relationships between CMOs and their Chief Financial Officer counterparts have traditionally been fraught.  

 

Even in the age of heightened reporting and more detailed measurement data, only 22% of marketers strongly agree they have the measurement insights needed to justify value to their CFO. 

CMOs and CFOs continue to wrestle over marketing ROI. Photo: Alexa Popovich from Pexels

In addition, just 21% of top marketers completely agree their CFO is aligned around marketing budgets and metrics. 

 

This is according to a study released by Perion Network Ltd, a technology company that provides advertising solutions, and Advertiser Perceptions, a business intelligence company serving the advertising, marketing and ad tech industries. 

 

“With more than three-quarters of marketers still lacking a unified measurement framework, there’s a tremendous opportunity for improvement,” says Erin McCallion, CMO at Perion.  

 

“CMOs are navigating unprecedented complexity and growing expectations for accountability. This research underscores how connected data and unified insights can strengthen marketing’s strategic role in driving business growth.” 

 

In other key finding from the study: 

 

  • Just over 60% of Chief Marketing Officers say they need better tools to clearly demonstrate marketing’s impact on the bottom line. 
  • Nearly three in four CMOs selected a unified tracking system as a ‘must-have’ for the future of marketing performance. 

 

Comments Lauren Fisher, GM of Business Intelligence at Advertiser Perceptions: “The CMO-CFO relationship has evolved, but many marketers are still flying blind.”  

 

“In the absence of clear, unified data, even the most sophisticated teams struggle to prove marketing’s financial impact. The standouts are those leveraging unified performance systems. These marketers report significantly higher alignment with finance leadership and stronger confidence in demonstrating ROI.” 

 

According to the researchers, marketers using a unified performance system report stronger collaboration with finance, outperform peers on key business metrics, and face fewer internal barriers to proving value. 

 

You can find out more about the study, titled ‘Bridging the Divide: Solving Fragmentation Between Marketing and Finance’, here. 

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Jason Lottering
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    Dr Kin Kariisa

    Group CEO - Next Media

    Dr. Kin Kariisa is an extraordinary force at the helm of Next Media Services, a conglomerate encompassing NBS TV, Nile Post, Sanyuka TV, Next Radio, Salam TV, Next Communication, Next Productions, and an array of other influential enterprises. His dynamic role as Chief Executive Officer exemplifies his unwavering commitment to shaping media, business, and community landscapes.
    With an esteemed academic journey, Dr. Kariisa’s accolades include an Honorary PhD in exemplary community service from the United Graduate College inTexas, an MBA from United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Huazong University in China, and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Makerere University.
    Dr. Kariisa pursued PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. As a dynamic educator, he has shared his expertise as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at both Makerere University and Radboud University.

    Dr Kin did his PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radbond University in Nigmegen, Netherlands. He previously served as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and Radbond University in Netherlands.

    Dr Kin did his postgraduate courses in Strategic Business Management, Strategic Leadership Communication and Strategies for Leading Successful Change Initiatives at Harvard University, Boston USA.

    • Other current and previous roles played by Dr Kin Kariisa:
    • Lecturer of e-Government and Information Security to graduate students at Makerere University, Kampala and Radbond University in the Netherlands
    • Director of Eco Bank Uganda Limited, one of the largest banks in Africa
    • Chairman of the National Association of Broadcasters, an umbrella industry association for all Television, Radio and online broadcasters in Uganda.
    • Chairman of Board of Directors of Nile Hotel International, that owns the leading hotel in Uganda, Kampala Serena Hotel.
    • Chairman of Board of Directors of Soliton Telmec Uganda, the leading telecom company in Optic fibre business managing over 80% of optic fibre in Uganda.