While technology is making it easier than ever to launch campaigns across multiple platforms, Pierre Le Manh of the Project Management Institute tells The Drum that brands cannot rely on tech alone to get great creative campaigns delivered on time, on budget and on message.
Better campaign management will deliver better ROI says the PMI
AI may be helping brands build scale, efficiency and speed, but 97% of creative marketing campaigns faced significant delivery challenges in the last year, according to new research by the Project Management Institute (PMI). These new research findings, released during Cannes Lions 2025, point to an execution crisis at the heart of the creative industries - one that is potentially jeopardising campaign effectiveness, brand impact and commercial outcomes.
Over-budget delivery (55%), missed deadlines (54%) and constrained creativity (47%) topped the list of obstacles reported by agency and in-house marketing professionals as part of the study. Meanwhile, a third of creative campaigns failed to resonate with their target audience (34%) or generate new leads (35%).
In short, while the industry continues to champion bold ideas and brave storytelling, PMI’s data suggests those ideas are routinely undermined by poor project infrastructure. And in today’s complex marketing ecosystem, creativity alone is no longer enough - delivery is equally, if not more, as critical.
“Every dollar must drive measurable impact, and every great idea must scale,” said Pierre Le Manh, president and CEO at PMI. “That’s where project professionals become a force multiplier. They don’t constrain creativity, they operationalize it.”
Modern campaigns are increasingly multi-platform, multi-stakeholder, and time-sensitive. But the systems designed to support this complexity haven’t kept pace. PMI’s survey, based on responses from 130 US-based creative professionals, shows the fallout of that misalignment.
Despite 90% of respondents agreeing that “great creative campaigns do not happen without great project management,” teams continue to struggle with fundamental delivery issues. Tightening budgets, shifting briefs, fragmented teams and increasing client demands are creating bottlenecks that compromise execution before ideas ever reach the market.
“Today’s CMOs are juggling more platforms, priorities, and pressure than ever before - and it’s easy for even the strongest campaigns to lose focus and veer off-track,” said Menaka Gopinath, CMO at PMI. “Effective project management provides the structure and clarity creative teams need to drive momentum, work collaboratively, and deliver results that align with business goals.”
Project managers in the spotlight
Once viewed as back-office schedulers, project professionals are rapidly becoming strategic contributors to overall marketing success. According to the research, they’re not just managing timelines (60%) - they’re actively galvanising creative teams (52%), aligning essential campaign components (50%), and protecting long-term brand equity (52%).
The research showed that the skillset expected from project leaders is also evolving. Respondents ranked strategic thinking (67%), growth strategy (60%), and adaptability (57%) above traditional competencies like budget management (49%).
This shift mirrors the increasing complexity of modern marketing. As campaigns evolve from linear deliverables into ecosystems of creative assets, distributed production teams, and real-time optimisation, project managers are now required to lead, not just manage.
“By bringing order to complexity, project management empowers marketing leaders to stay focused on strategy and turn complexity into opportunity,” said Gopinath.
People over platforms
Interestingly, despite the rise of automation and AI, agencies are doubling down on talent - not tools. Nearly all respondents (98%) said they are investing in project management capabilities, primarily through hiring (28%) and training existing staff (32%).
This suggests a broader industry recognition that effective execution is still predominantly a human challenge - one that requires emotional intelligence, strategic alignment and real-time problem-solving. And while automation may streamline certain aspects of delivery, it cannot replace the integrative role of a skilled project leader.
Yet, nearly half (48%) of creative leaders admit project managers are the “unsung heroes” of the process—quietly steering campaigns through complexity without fanfare or industry recognition.
Certification delivers a performance edge
The research also highlights a marked performance advantage for teams led by certified project managers. According to PMI, these campaigns are significantly more likely to deliver measurable business impact and resonate with their intended audiences.
It’s a compelling argument for rethinking how agencies build and structure their delivery teams - particularly as clients demand more accountability, speed, and value for money.
“Project professionals fight waste, manage complex assets, teams, cultures, and tech stacks - and turn ideas into results,” said Le Manh. “Ultimately, they drive more execution efficiency and speed, which translates into more profit for both agencies and clients.”
As Cannes Lions celebrates creativity at its boldest and most brilliant, PMI’s findings inject a dose of realism into the festival’s euphoria. The message is clear - creativity can only thrive if supported by robust systems, skilled people, and aligned teams.
“Marketing doesn’t suffer from a lack of creativity - it suffers from a lack of orchestration,” said Gopinath. “It’s time we put as much strategic thought into how we deliver campaigns as we do into the ideas themselves.”