Embracing agility and driving efficiency and effectiveness are the most important business considerations for brands this year, according to a study of CMOs from MediaCom clients. Contributor Sue Unerman, Chief Transformation Officer at MediaCom.

The survey, which asked clients to rank their top business concerns, found that agility in the workplace was by far the most important issue. Whether the brand has the right blend of science vs. art regarding data came second, and if AI was driving a competitive enough advantage for their business was ranked third.

Other notable concerns from CMOs included the threats and opportunities of GAFAM (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft), implementing an ecommerce strategy and the various challenges associated with Brexit.

Sue Unerman, Chief Transformation Officer at MediaCom, said: “We are now in an age where business transformation and the ability to adapt quickly are boardroom priorities – and these results from our clients reflect this. Being agile is of course not a new concept, but in an age of technological advancement and mass data collection, the need for agility is greater than it ever has been.

“How brands best use data as the second most important issue is no surprise either; data should be an enabler and insight-driver, but not all organisations are taking advantage of its capabilities. And similarly, brands are concerned about whether AI is actually helping their business thrive in a hugely competitive marketplace. Fortunately, the capability is now there to help brands of all stripes stay ahead of the game.” The top five concerns are: Agility; Data; AI/Robots; Creativity and E-commerce.