Half of marketing directors ( 52%) surveyed for the CIM report ‘The CMO 50’ felt that the marketing sector is currently stronger than it was five years ago.

Additionally, 71% of in-house marketers said that the pandemic has had a positive impact on the perception of their brand.

The 50 marketers who participated in the research were asked to rate the health of their own businesses, the economy and the wider marketing sector on a scale of 1-100, with 100 being in the strongest possible economic health.

Optimism for the economy was rated at an average of 62 out of 100, compared with 71 for the marketing sector generally and 81 for marketers’ own organisations.

Opinium interviewed 50 senior UK markers (chief marketing officers and marketing directors) on behalf of CIM. Two-thirds of participants hold in-house roles and one-third work at agencies. Each participant took part in a 20-minute interview conducted between March and May 2021.

The survey also explored marketers’ attitudes to regulation for alcohol, gambling, foods high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS products) and environmentally damaging goods.

Over two-thirds ( 76%) said they would support marketing restrictions for products that damage the environment, while 72% backed restrictions for gambling, 58% for products aimed at children, 54% for HFSS foods and 34% for alcohol.

The government recently confirmed it would put in place a ban on advertising HFSS foods online and on television before 9pm, by the end of next year.

Over half of respondents ( 54%) agreed there is too little regulation of social media, and 44% felt it is not the responsibility of marketers to protect the users of their social media channels.  

Chris Daly, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, said: “Marketing leaders calling for restrictions on marketing may seem counterintuitive, but it reflects a clear shift in our society towards purpose-driven marketing.

“Marketers have been at the forefront of helping the nation adapt to the strictures of lockdown, and in doing so have built stronger relationships with consumers. That hard-won reputational boost has the potential to accelerate economic growth as we emerge from lockdown, and professional marketers are rightly wary of loose regulatory controls allowing a few bad apples to sour the trust of consumers.”