Nordic study finds AI boosts marketing productivity, but proving business value remains a key challenge – research spotlight

Brand Marketing Sweden, ANFO (Norway) and Dansk Annoncørforening (Denmark) have partnered with Kapero on "MarknadsAvdelningen'26" ("The Marketing Department '26"). The report draws on responses from 336 marketing directors, senior leaders and agency representatives at large companies across Sweden, Norway and Denmark. While AI is helping teams work more efficiently, the report suggests that demonstrating business value, simplifying growing complexity and strengthening strategic focus remain the biggest challenges facing marketers.

Key findings include:

• Proving business value: 84% of CFOs and 56% of CEOs disagree or are unsure that they receive clear reporting on how marketing contributes to business goals.
• Complexity is rising faster than resources: net headcount growth in marketing departments has slowed from 42% in the 2023 study to 6% in 2026, while specialist roles, channels and content continue to increase.
• Fragmentation: 88% of B2C and 53% of B2B companies use more than 11 channels, and 84% of marketing directors say their department is organised around channels at least to some extent.
• AI: nine in 10 marketing directors say AI has saved time or improved efficiency, but 62% have experienced quality issues, and the time saved is mainly used to increase output.
• Processes and approvals: 78% of marketing directors consider their briefs good enough, compared with 18% of agencies. Four in ten agencies report seven or more rounds of revisions, and 70% say getting a campaign approved takes as long as or longer than developing it.

The findings give associations a reference point for discussions with members on how marketing teams in other markets are resourced, how they use AI and how closely they connect to the wider business.

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