Brand-side marketers say they are “stuck in survival mode” according to new research from Optimizely, spending their time reacting to short-term fixes over strategy.

Original research of 100 UK marketers in its report showed that 74% felt the industry is stuck in ‘survival mode’, with nearly two thirds (64%) admitting they spend most of their time reacting to short-term requests and firefighting rather than planning ahead.

This, the report suggests, can be attributed to AI yet delivering on its promise to lighten the load, leaving marketers trapped in a cycle of reactive execution with little time for creativity or long-term strategic thinking.

Over half (54%) say they currently move from campaign to campaign without enough time to properly evaluate performance, while a further 51% feel trapped in a cycle of constant execution.

“Operating in survival mode might get a campaign over the line, but it’s not how great marketing gets made,” said Tara Corey, SVP, Marketing at Optimizely. “What this research shows is that the ambition is still there, and so is the creativity. But too often, teams are stuck in ways of working that leave very little room for either. Businesses need to build the conditions for their marketing teams to thrive, not just survive.”

Marketers are, however, actively looking to change how they work, with 85% saying a unified platform for content, personalisation and experimentation would dramatically improve productivity.

Another 43% see better integration of AI with marketing tools as the biggest opportunity for improved efficiency and 44% have introduced more automation to reduce manual work.