Marketers Struggled to Maintain Strategic Focus
A new study reveals that most marketers abandon core objectives when faced with growth pressure.
Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Marketing
Live Poll
Do you believe concentrating on fewer priorities is more effective than pursuing multiple goals?
Bensimon Byrne and Ipsos released a study showing that while 95% of marketers claim to prioritize focus, 79% pursue all objectives when growth pressure increases. Although 91% of respondents agree that fewer priorities drive better returns, 89% cite significant obstacles to maintaining such focus.
Why it matters
The study suggests that organizations often choose to pursue more objectives rather than making hard strategic choices when facing the pressure to deliver business impact. This gap between theoretical agreement on the benefits of focus and actual implementation creates significant inefficiencies in marketing effectiveness.
A survey of 212 marketing decision-makers found that 94% agree focusing on a primary audience improves effectiveness, yet only 21% actually allocate 80% or more of their budget toward fewer priorities. Furthermore, 60% report that existing priorities are rarely or never dropped when new ones are introduced.
The players
Bensimon Byrne
This is a Toronto-based agency that recently announced a corporate transformation and new brand identity.
Ipsos
This is a global market research and consulting firm that partnered with the agency to conduct the study.
The details
The research highlights a recurring disconnect where 93% of marketers claim comfort with making trade-offs in theory, yet struggle to act on them in practice. Consequently, 64% of respondents admitted that having greater focus would have yielded improved results for their organizations.
Timeline
September 30, 2026: The study results were released by Bensimon Byrne and Ipsos.
Market Landscape
This research follows a pattern set by the paradox of choice in organizational management by demonstrating how decision-makers struggle to limit objectives when faced with pressure. It highlights a common struggle where firms expand their scope to satisfy stakeholders at the cost of overall efficiency.
For the average consumer or client, this trend indicates that marketing campaigns may frequently feel fragmented or inconsistent due to shifting corporate priorities. Businesses that fail to focus their strategies may ultimately struggle to provide clear value propositions or stable customer experiences.
The takeaway
Marketing leaders can improve outcomes by building formal review processes that mandate the removal of low-value tasks before adding new initiatives. Implementing a 'one-in, one-out' policy for objectives may help organizations overcome the psychological and political barriers to maintaining focus.
Further reading
For more industry insights, explore the Marketing section.
Live Poll
Do you believe concentrating on fewer priorities is more effective than pursuing multiple goals?
