97% of Agencies Report Major Creative Campaign Challenges, PMI Survey Reveals

A recent survey conducted by the Project Management Institute (PMI) reveals that an overwhelming 97% of creative agencies experienced significant hurdles in executing their campaigns over the past year. The survey highlights mounting pressures to produce innovative, engaging campaigns that elevate brand visibility amid a saturated market.

Commissioned by PMI and carried out by PSB Insights from April 28 to May 6, 2025, the survey polled 130 marketing, advertising, and creative professionals across the United States working in agencies, PR firms, or in-house marketing teams.

Announced during the ongoing Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2025, PMI’s statement emphasized key challenges faced by agencies: over half (55%) reported going over budget, 54% faced missed deadlines, and 47% struggled with creative constraints.

The survey also uncovered that 34% of campaigns fail to resonate with target audiences, and 35% do not generate new leads, underscoring the difficulty in achieving impactful results.

Menaka Gopinath, PMI’s Chief Marketing Officer, emphasized the critical role of project management in today’s complex marketing environment. “With rising demands, tighter budgets, and shorter timelines, effective project management is essential for creative success,” she stated. “90% of creative professionals agree: great campaigns don’t happen without strong project management.”

According to Gopinath, project management professionals enable organizations to focus on growth, ensure campaigns contribute to long-term brand value, coordinate diverse campaign elements, manage increasing complexity, and extend campaign longevity. “By aligning teams, engaging stakeholders, and maintaining timelines, project managers turn innovative ideas into impactful brand activations,” she explained.

She further noted that modern CMOs juggle multiple platforms and priorities, making structured project management more vital than ever. “It provides the clarity and order needed to sustain momentum, foster collaboration, and deliver results aligned with strategic goals,” she added.

Pierre Le Manh, PMI’s President and CEO, highlighted that despite the growing complexity of marketing, the importance of project professionals has never been greater. “Every dollar must deliver measurable impact, and every idea must scale efficiently,” he said. “Project managers operationalize creativity—reducing waste, managing assets, and turning concepts into results—driving efficiency and profitability for agencies and clients alike.”

The survey indicates that project managers are increasingly recognized as strategic leaders and motivators within creative teams. While most agencies rely on them to keep projects on track (60%), more than half (52%) believe their greatest impact is energizing teams and fostering innovation.

Expectations for project managers are evolving beyond resource management; skills such as innovative thinking (67%), growth strategy (60%), and adaptability (57%) are now highly valued over traditional tasks like budget control (49%). Agencies are investing in talent development—nearly all (98%) are expanding their project management capabilities, primarily through training (32%) and hiring (28%).

Despite their vital contributions, project managers often operate behind the scenes. Almost half (48%) of creative leaders describe them as “unsung heroes”—key to steering complex campaigns, uniting teams, and maintaining momentum.

The survey concludes that enhancing project management skills gives marketing teams a competitive edge, with certified project managers delivering stronger, audience-focused results compared to those without certification.