Emma Okonji A report by Project Management Institute (PMI)) has highlighted that more agencies, as much as 97 per cent face mounting pressure to deliver bold, fresh experiences that boost brand awareness and keep customers engaged in an increasingly saturated market. The online survey was commissioned by the Project Management Institute (PMI), but was conducted by PSB Insights from April 28 to May 6, 2025, among creative campaign professionals in the United States working at an advertising, marketing, creative, PR agency, or in-house agency/department. In a statement released by PMI at the ongoing Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2025, the institute said: “PMI highlights that 97 per cent of respondents faced at least one major campaign challenge in the last year, including: going over budget – 55 per cent, overdue deadlines – 54 per cent, and constraints on creativity – 47 per cent.” The survey, which was conducted among 130 US marketing and advertising agency professionals, also found that a third of campaigns – 34 per cent do not resonate with their target audience or generate new leads – 35 per cent. Analysing the survey, Chief Marketing Officer at PMI, Menaka Gopinath, said: “In a tough marketing climate, with rising demands, tighter budgets, and shorter timelines, the execution side of creativity has never been more critical. The survey reveals that 10 (90 per cent) creative professionals agree that great creative campaigns do not happen without great project management.” Creative leaders also said project management professionals could allow the organisation’s leaders to focus on driving growth (52 per cent), ensure campaigns contribute positively to the brand over time (52 per cent), get all the different parts of the campaign working together (50 per cent), manage increasingly complex campaigns (45 per cent) and ensure campaigns are long-lasting (45 per cent). President and CEO of PMI, Pierre Le Manh, said: “Marketing matters more than ever, but it also has to perform, in spite of its increasing complexity. “Every dollar must drive measurable impact, and every great idea must scale. That’s where project professionals become a force multiplier. They don’t constrain creativity, they operationalise it. They fight waste, play an essential role in managing complex assets, teams, cultures, tech stacks – and turn ideas into results. Ultimately, they drive more execution efficiency and speed, which translates into more profit for both agencies and clients.”