A report from the Institute for Real Growth, in collaboration with the University of Oxford, compiles analyses on AI, behavior, culture, and brand value building.
The study was compiled from a review of more than 250 analyses on consumption, technology, and behavior — Photo: Unsplash
The marketing sector will face simultaneous challenges in the coming years, such as advancing personalization without overstepping privacy boundaries, incorporating artificial intelligence without losing human judgment, and balancing immediate results with brand building.
This scenario is outlined in the Marketing2030 report, released this Monday (1st) by the Institute for Real Growth , a non-profit organization that assists marketing executives and other leaders in driving growth, in collaboration with the University of Oxford.
Based on a review of over 250 recent research studies and analyses on consumption, technology, and social behavior, the study brings together these tensions into six paradoxes that should guide the reorganization of marketing in the future.
The first issue concerns the balance between short-term goals and brand building. According to the research, companies continue to direct a large portion of their investments towards performance, but are beginning to recognize that this model is losing efficiency as media algorithms become more similar to each other.
IRG founder Marc de Swaan Arons states that this type of dilemma also appears in other areas analyzed in Phase 1. “These paradoxes have always existed, but the opposing forces have moved apart. Companies will have to deal with dimensions that advance together, and no longer as mutually exclusive choices,” Arons told Valor .
Another point highlighted by the report is the relationship between global presence and local relevance. The analysis shows that, while operations, data, and technology tend to become standardized, consumers value specific cultural codes, leading multinationals to combine more uniform core structures with profound adaptations at the market level, especially in language, experience, and software.
The study also indicates that companies that have grown based on performance—such as digital platforms and native e-commerce businesses—are reconsidering their exclusive reliance on this model. Differentiation is becoming more dependent on brand strengthening, since automated mechanisms make the competition for attention more uniform and reduce the tactical advantage of those who invest only in optimization.
These movements have implications for training and leadership. According to IRG, profiles specializing only in metrics and operations may not meet current demands, which require a combination of analysis, cultural understanding, storytelling, and coordination across areas. For Arons, marketing will have to assume a more transversal role. "The area needs to help the organization interpret what different audiences value and guide innovation in that direction," he stated.
The project will continue throughout 2026. The next phase, scheduled for March, will involve interviews with over 200 global marketing and business leaders to identify how companies are reorganizing processes, teams, and indicators in the face of these tensions. In June, an international quantitative survey will validate the findings and should indicate which skills, organizational models, and leadership styles will be considered "essential" for marketing executives. The full report can be accessed at the link