The martech paradox: why your stack is breaking your marketing

Acxiom is a Business Reporter client

Piling on tools isn’t progress – here’s how to modernise with purpose

In the relentless arms race that is modern marketing, brands are bombarded with the promise of new technologies – each claiming to keep you ahead of the curve and revolutionise your business. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: more tech doesn’t mean better marketing.

Yet nearly all (99 per cent) of more than 200 business leaders we surveyed across the US and UK plan to overhaul their marketing technology (martech) stacks within the next year. However, many will soon discover that digital transformation is far more complex than just layering on the latest tools. Outdated systems, scattered data and internal talent gaps are creating bottlenecks, leaving brands scrambling to catch up to their own ambitions.

What really matters is how well your martech works together, how seamlessly it operates and whether it delivers real results. The companies that thrive in the future won’t be the ones with the flashiest new tech. Those that modernise with purpose and clarity will lead the pack.

Businesses today are pouring money into martech, chasing the promise of transformation. But here’s the catch: 21 per cent still don’t have a clear strategy to modernise. They’re simply adding tools, hoping a bigger stack will solve their marketing challenges. The reality? It doesn’t. It creates new ones.

Without a cohesive blueprint, these tools turn into a jumble of disjointed systems. Data silos multiply, workflows get tangled and marketing teams spend more time troubleshooting than driving impact. It’s like bolting random parts onto a car, hoping it magically turns into a Ferrari.

Our research tells a stark story: 66 per cent of businesses report overlapping functionalities, and more than half (53 per cent) say these redundancies directly undermine their marketing performance and bleed their budgets dry. But the martech itself isn’t the problem – it’s the lack of a strategy to make it all work together. The solution? Start with a clear roadmap prioritising integration, scalability and long-term efficiency over a pile-up of tools. This means building a connected martech ecosystem where every tool plays a role in a bigger, streamlined picture. Get the strategy right and you’ll see the results.

The days of static, all-in-one martech systems are numbered. Sixty per cent of the brands we surveyed are shifting to composable martech, where they handpick the best tools and can swap them out as needs change and business evolves.

Why the shift? Composable martech offers the agility to integrate new, cutting-edge tools as they emerge. This flexibility allows brands to pivot quickly, stay nimble and avoid the operational chaos of ripping out entire systems when something new comes along.

Brands that embrace this modular approach are setting themselves up for long-term success by future-proofing their operations and staying ahead of market trends.

It’s no secret that artificial intelligence (AI) is marketing’s buzzword du jour, and for good reason. It promises to elevate everything, from crafting personalised customer journeys to driving engagement at scale. Yet the reality is that most companies aren’t prepared for AI’s transformative potential, with less than half (46 per cent) of companies meaningfully using AI in their marketing.

The biggest roadblock? The problem isn’t AI, it’s the data and martech infrastructure behind it. AI might be able to crunch numbers, but if it’s working with fragmented, outdated and inconsistent data, it won’t get you very far. AI thrives on seamless, high-quality, real-time insights, but too many businesses are still working with disjointed legacy systems that choke its capabilities.

The brands starting to crack the AI code have realised it’s not about flipping a switch. It’s about laying the groundwork: integrating martech systems, breaking down data silos and giving AI the fuel it needs to be truly intelligent. If your martech stack is stuck in the past, no amount of AI can save you. But get the foundation right and AI will finally live up to the hype.

As the race to modernize martech accelerates, many companies quickly find themselves overwhelmed by its complexity. That’s where martech service partners come in – experts who bring order to the chaos, helping businesses fully leverage their tech and data investments.

With 70 per cent of marketers managing six or more tools, martech stacks often become bloated and inefficient. Service partners identify what works and eliminate what doesn’t. For the 85 per cent of marketers shifting to composable martech solutions, these experts guide the process, selecting, integrating and optimising tools for maximum agility, coherence and efficiency. They also tackle fragmented data and outdated systems, paving the way for the 61 per cent of marketers eager to unlock AI’s full potential.

But service partners do more than implement tech. They build lean, connected ecosystems that boost impact, ROI and growth. The proof? Almost all companies working with service partners (82 per cent) report better marketing performance and faster tech adoption.

The real revolution in marketing won’t come from stockpiling more tools – it’ll come from understanding how to use them wisely. The future lies in building connected martech ecosystems that are agile, adaptable and purposeful, integrating seamlessly, empowering teams and enabling more intelligent decision-making.

In the end, it’s not about chasing the latest technology; it’s about making it work for your brand. Those who master this won’t just stay ahead – they’ll set the pace for the next digital transformation.

For a closer look at how today’s leading brands are navigating martech modernisation, download the full report here.