6 Years of the
State of Agile Marketing

Report

For six years, AgileSherpas has surveyed thousands of marketers to keep our finger on the pulse of marketing agility. This year, we went global, surveying a diverse group of 776 marketers throughout Europe, Latin America, and North America.

Below, track Agile marketing's evolution by accessing the 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 editions of the report and the latest findings from the 2023 edition – now available! 

Get State of Agile Marketing 2023
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Half a dozen years
of data...

This year, we increased our scope to include marketers in Europe and Latin America, making this report a truly global benchmark of Agile's role in modern marketing processes. We'd like to share an overview, garnered from six years of collected data: the what, why, and how marketers are using Agile frameworks. Here's a sneak peek…

Strong Interest in Agile Marketing in 2023

82% of non-Agile marketing departments plan to implement Agile within the year

In 2023, a year already marked with economic uncertainty, the majority of marketers feel the need for process agility. Per the report: 51% of marketers are using Agile marketing today, and of those that aren’t but plan to, 82% intend to implement the framework within the next twelve months!

When asked how the current economic climate impacts their decision to adopt Agile, 51% of respondents said it makes them more likely to adopt.

Barriers to Agile Marketing Adoption

38% of marketers cite lack of training or knowledge as the biggest barrier to adopting Agile

A lack of training or knowledge is consistently a significant barrier preventing marketers from more fully adopting Agile ways of working.

In 2023, 38% cite this as their biggest struggle, and, in conjunction, 21% say they don’t have the right tools to support the approach. Insights like these help us determine where to focus our efforts in Agile transformations moving forward. 

Spot the Trends
Year-Over-Year

2023 opened up new avenues of inquiry as marketers mature in their adoption. This year, we’re grateful to have been able to include data from not just North America, but Latin America and Europe, too. From barely one third of marketers using Agile six years ago, to the rise of hybrid frameworks, to the continued struggles with education, the path has been long and winding.

Check out these key findings from the previous five reports:

Key Findings from Previous Reports

Key Findings in 2018:

  • 37% of marketing teams were using an Agile process
  • 61% of traditional marketers reported plans to go Agile within 12 months
  • 37% of marketers pointed out lack of training or knowledge about Agile approaches as their biggest adoption barrier
Explore the State of Agile Marketing in 2018

Key Findings in 2019:

  • 32% of marketing teams were considering themselves Agile
  • 50% of traditional marketers were planning to adopt Agile within a year
  • 31% of marketers were citing lack of education as the top barrier to adopting Agile
Explore the State of Agile Marketing in 2019

Key Findings in 2020:

  • 42% of all marketers were working in an Agile environment
  • 42% of traditional marketers were intending to adopt Agile within a year
  • 44% of marketers pointed out lack of training or knowledge about Agile approaches as their biggest adoption barrier
Explore the State of Agile Marketing in 2020

Key Findings in 2021:

  • 51% of all surveyed marketers were using Agile
  • 93% of marketing teams were planning to adopt Agile within the next 12 months
  • 43% of all surveyed marketers were citing lack of training or knowledge about Agile approaches as their biggest adoption barrier
Explore the State of Agile Marketing in 2021

Key Findings in 2022:

  • 91% of non-Agile marketing departments planned to implement Agile within the year
  • 40% of marketers cited lack of training as the biggest barrier to adopting Agile
  • 63% of Agile marketers were able to better manage changing priorities
Explore the State of Agile Marketing in 2022
1st Annual State of Agile Marketing Report
2nd Annual State of Agile Marketing Report
3rd Annual State of Agile Marketing Report
4th Annual State of Agile Marketing Report
5th Annual State of Agile Marketing Report

Watch: 6th Annual State of Agile Marketing Webinar

Watch the recording

Short on time? Get a brief recap of the State of Agile Marketing report by watching our webinar. Hosted by Founder and CEO of AgileSherpas, Andrea Fryrear, and Agile marketing experts Melissa Reeve and Jim Ewel of the Agile Marketing Alliance, this interactive webinar will provide you with key insights on the report. 

We Get By With Help
From Our Friends

Since 2018, AgileSherpas has released the first and only definitive report on marketing agility. The Sixth Annual State of Agile Marketing Report was produced in partnership with our friends and partners at the Agile Marketing Alliance. Through interpreting data gathered from respondents across the globe (and the thousands from previous years), we can continue to improve our understanding of Agile ways of working:

  • Where Agile is going
  • How marketers best adopt and adapt Agile
  • How they're putting Agile into practice
Thank you to our previous report partners: Upland Kapost, CoSchedule, Aprimo, Forrester, Adobe Workfront, and IBMiX.

Register now for the State of Agile Marketing Report Webinar: April 2nd at 11 am EDT