Balancing Finance and Creativity is More Than Just ROI and Marketing Spend 

Marketing is feeling the squeeze as we enter the era of less: in both ROI and marketing spend. According to Gartner’s report, marketing budgets have taken a hit, dropping from 9.1 percent of company revenue in 2023 to just 7.7 percent in 2024—a 15 percent year-over-year dip. Alarmingly, only 24 percent of CMOs feel confident they have enough budget to pull off their strategies. Ouch. 

This situation highlights a constant tension between finance and creativity within the marketing departments. Playing the blame game is easy: finance is the villain cutting creativity short. But there are better approaches than that. Instead, it’s about finding harmony. Finance and creativity might have different roles, but when they work together, ROI and ad projects can soar.

So, Let’s explore how CMOs and creatives can strike the right chord between money and ideas, bringing harmony back to the boardroom. 

Everyone’s caught in the finance vs. creativity showdown

On one side, finance focuses on numbers: return on investment, cost control, stats that show growth (hello PowerPoints) and anything that can limit the budget. It’s a department that thrives on quarterly reports and measurable outcomes. In stark comparison, creativity paints the sky with unicorns and rainbows—big ideas that are brimming with possibilities. Creativity doesn’t like to hear the word “limitations.”

It’s a classic clash between practical execution and boundary-pushing vision. Yes, the finance dept asks for realistic ROI and marketing spend for the strategies and innovation creative brains are bringing in for marketing.  

It is a common misconception that the marketing department always has a back-and-forth with finance because they always have something to say about creative planning. However, in a broader sense, this dynamic is essential for growth and keeps everyone on their toes. 

Creativity can be strategic and out-of-the-box—but only if we bring the right tools to the table 

First, let’s pull that imagination onto a clear, structured canvas. Creativity knows no limits, but it’s important to remain grounded in realism. Writing brilliant copy, building visual narratives, and crafting a compelling story are vital steps in the creative process. However, anticipating the outcome and shaping the results are just as crucial. 

Creativity becomes more effective when it aligns with clear expectations. That’s where strategy steps in. To form a strategy, you need to examine current market trends, consumer behavior, and competitors’ digital footprints and how they’re leveraging similar approaches. 

Take a hypothetical product launch campaign, for example. After your team brainstorms and comes up with a killer story for the product, the next move should be backed by research and data. You’d need to predict how this campaign will resonate with your audience. Should it flood social media, take over digital billboards, or venture elsewhere? Data analysis tools, CRM insights, and market research will help clear the road ahead. 

While the creative process shouldn’t be boxed in by concerns like ROI and marketing spend, the team must be open to understanding those factors. Creativity is most potent when it’s supported by thoughtful strategy. 

Let’s return to finance vs creativity because that is the main subject.  

Keep financial responsibility and creativity at equal positions

Regarding marketing strategies and campaigns, finance and creativity must go hand-in-hand without taking the lead. Finance deals with numbers, not creativity.  

Finance should offer insights into achievable expectations versus reality. They can be key players in allocating budgets, helping set campaign KPIs, and dictating the whole marketing process, but that’s a no-go. 

Campaign performance should be accountable to the creative team, not the finance department. Creativity needs space to breathe and perform, but it should also embrace data-driven strategies to keep things focused. 

Here’s where things get interesting—data analysis and result-driven creativity come into play. With data, you can back up the big ideas with concrete insights. Market trends, consumer behavior, and engagement patterns should fuel the creative process, allowing for targeted campaigns that don’t just look good but perform. The more data-driven your creativity is, the more likely you will hit the mark with your audience. 

Short-term ROI can be measured through immediate results like engagement, clicks, and conversions. In contrast, long-term ROI focuses on the larger picture—brand awareness, customer loyalty, and market share growth. Both types of ROI are crucial, but they shouldn’t weigh down the creative process. Instead, they should serve as benchmarks for success. 

The creative department needs room to innovate, while finance can help ensure it stays within a reasonable budget. Creativity can thrive and deliver measurable results by using data analysis, understanding market trends, and keeping an eye on both short-term and long-term ROI. 

Cut to the chase  

The long-running debate between finance and creativity over what should lead to marketing needs to be ended. Finance and creativity are equally important, as ROI and marketing spend are critical, while human-interest strategies resonate with the market and consumers.