"While martech has clearly improved content velocity and cross-team collaboration, it has also introduced a risk many leaders overlook. We rarely measure whether our tools support the messy, non-linear process of creativity or merely prioritize volume over value. It's time to evaluate marketing technology not just by what it produces, but by how it affects the people doing the work."
"The last decade of marketing technology was shaped by a race for integration and speed. By standard operational metrics, the industry has won. Teams can produce more assets, personalize at scale and measure performance with remarkable granularity. Yet the landscape has ballooned to more than 15,000 specialized tools - and the cracks are starting to show. Companies continue to invest heavily in these tools, yet nearly 44% of the martech purchased goes unused, per Harvard Business Review."
"The most significant toll martech takes on creativity comes from cognitive load. Great creative work depends on flow - sustained focus that allows the brain to form unexpected connections. Martech stacks, however, are built for interruption, forcing creators to navigate login screens, tagging rules and fragmented dashboards. Up to 95% of marketers struggle to find or target their audiences effectively - not because they lack tools, but because data is disconnected, according to Hightouch."
Marketing technology has driven integration, speed and measurable efficiency, enabling teams to produce more assets and personalize at scale. The martech landscape has expanded to thousands of specialized tools, yet a large share of purchased tools remains unused, adding complexity without clear value. The primary harm to creativity arises from cognitive load and constant interruption, which disrupt creative flow and prevent unexpected connections. Disconnected data and fragmented systems make audience targeting difficult despite abundant tools. Evaluation of martech should include how tools affect the people doing the work, not only output metrics.
Read at MarTech
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