What New Research Demands of Comms Leaders

Hear more on this topic from Mike Neumeier, APR, in the July 2026 Strategies & Tactics Live.

Communications leaders have spent decades pushing for a more central role in business strategy. That effort is now paying off. 

Arketi Group’s inaugural CMO Signals & Shifts research, conducted in partnership with JM Search, shows that many senior marketing and communications leaders now have a seat at the table. In fact, 67% of respondents cited alignment with the CEO and executive team as the top driver of success.

That milestone matters because it comes with a question: What should marketing leaders do with their newfound influence? Winning a seat at the table was the first phase. The next step is to use that position to deliver measurable business value.

The findings below explore what this shift means in practice, with insights from communications leaders on how the role is evolving. 

Inclusion does not guarantee enablement.

Despite expanded influence, many leaders still don’t feel set up for success. Only 38% of respondents said the CMO role is fully enabled to deliver on its mandate, an insight that resonates across communications leadership more broadly.

This gap highlights an important distinction between being included and being enabled. Leaders may have broader responsibilities, yet still lack clear performance frameworks, sufficient resources, or alignment on what success looks like. 

Rather than viewing this as a limitation, however, communications leaders should see this disconnect as an opportunity. CMOs and VPs must define and advocate for the conditions that allow them to succeed, including how their function is measured and supported.

The comms mandate is business accountability.

With influence comes responsibility. Communications leaders can no longer rely on activity-based metrics alone. They must connect their work directly to business outcomes such as growth, trust, risk management, talent and customer relationships. 

This shift is already visible in how marketing leaders prioritize investment. When budgets tighten, 45% of those surveyed said they would protect revenue marketing and demand generation, underscoring how closely impact is tied to pipeline.

As Malinda Wilkinson, senior vice president of marketing at Aven Hospitality, observed, “The research reinforces a simple truth: Revenue marketing and demand generation are the clearest proof points of marketing’s value because they tie directly to pipeline.”

In constrained environments, those connections are defensible. The broader opportunity is to use those proof points to elevate how the entire marketing and communications function demonstrates value.

For PR practitioners, success requires speaking the language of leadership. That means reframing communications in terms of outcomes and using proximity to the C-suite to align expectations and performance.

AI adoption is expanding beyond efficiency.

All respondents reported using AI in some capacity, and 79% said they’re already reliant on it to achieve their 2026 objectives. Still, communicators agreed that AI must be integrated in ways that are credible and aligned with business goals. 

The data shows AI adoption is highest in content creation (80%) and research (57%), with growing use in analytics and ideation (both 45%). 

Gabriel Romero, chief marketing officer and global head of channels and alliances at AllCloud, said, “While using AI for content development and research undeniably saves time and is helpful, the real impact for marketing comes from being able to better predict behaviors. And to get there, analytics and reporting are key — as is ideation.”

The next phase will focus on capabilities such as analytics and predictive modeling, where AI can inform decision-making and shape strategy.

Todd Smith, assistant vice president, public relations and corporate communications at Cox Communications, described how teams are applying AI across planning and execution.

“Our marketing teams are thinking about AI in all aspects of planning and execution,” Smith said. “They’re using it to segment customers based on existing data, then create custom content and campaign plans to match those segments, resulting in more efficient and aligned tactics.”

These perspectives reinforce the thought that AI’s impact will depend on its ability to generate insight and inform strategy, not simply increase output.

Higher stakes and higher standards 

The findings also reflected the evolving role of communications in shaping corporate voice. Values-based positioning remains important, with greater expectations for credibility.

Seventy percent of leaders said companies must demonstrate credible, real-world action before taking a public stance, while 69% said organizations should only speak out when there is a clear business- or values-based reason.

Credibility depends on consistency between what a company stands for and what it communicates publicly. That means organizations must ground public positions in business relevance, authentic alignment, and observable action.

Mallard Holliday, head of corporate communications and public affairs at Cox Communications, reminds organizations not to respond to social pressure simply because others are doing so. 

“The only justification to jump in on a social issue is if you are known as the lead business advocate of that cause,” Holliday said. “Otherwise, the public will pounce and call you out for trying to be something you’re not.”

Keith Negrin, vice president of communications at Deluxe, distinguished between proactive and reactive positioning. Brands with a clearly defined purpose can take public stands more naturally. 

“Proactively, brands that bake purpose into their business model are reaping the benefits because customers know exactly who they are and can choose to support their most dear causes through commerce,” Negrin said. “For organizations without that foundation, public positioning requires a careful assessment of the business implications and likely stakeholder response.”

These perspectives point to a more disciplined approach. Communications leaders serve as strategic gatekeepers, ensuring alignment between messaging and business priorities.

A profession that still believes in its value.

Despite rising expectations, the research ends on a positive note: 85% of respondents said they would choose marketing again if given the chance.

That statistic signals confidence in the profession’s direction. Communications now sits closer to the center of business leadership, and practitioners remain committed to its future.

Taken together, the survey results point to a profession at an inflection point. 

Communications leaders have earned greater access to executive decision-making, but influence is only meaningful when it produces clearer strategy, stronger alignment, and measurable business value.

The seat at the table is no longer the goal. It is the starting point for communications leaders to shape business direction, build trust through credible action, and prove their impact. The opportunity now is to use that influence with greater intention, making communications a clearer driver of business progress.