In today’s high-stakes marketing landscape, where bold ideas must also deliver real results, creative leaders are increasingly turning to project management professionals to help bring their visions to life.
According to a new global survey by the Project Management Institute (PMI), 90 percent of creative professionals agree: “Great creative campaigns do not happen without great project management.”
Released ahead of PMI’s presence at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the survey sheds light on the mounting pressures marketers face from tighter budgets and shorter timelines to rising expectations for originality—and how skilled project managers are quietly driving success behind the scenes.
The study reveals that 97 percent of creative professionals experienced at least one major campaign challenge over the past year. Among the most common hurdles were budget overruns (55 percent), missed deadlines (54 percent), and restricted creative freedom (47 percent). Notably, more than a third of campaigns (34 percent) failed to resonate with their target audiences, while 35 percent did not generate new leads.
Amid these challenges, project managers have emerged as crucial allies in delivering impactful marketing. The survey found that they help:
Free up leaders to focus on driving growth (52 percent)
Ensure campaigns positively contribute to brand value (52 percent)
Align various parts of complex campaigns (50 percent)
Manage multifaceted and fast-evolving projects (45 percent)
Support long-term brand engagement (4 percent)
“Today’s CMOs are juggling more platforms, priorities, and pressure than ever before,” said Menaka Gopinath, Chief Marketing Officer at PMI. “Effective project management provides the structure and clarity creative teams need to drive momentum, work collaboratively, and deliver results that align with business goals.”
The role of project managers is evolving from back-office support to strategic leadership. While most agencies still depend on them to keep timelines intact 60 percent over half of respondents 52 percent say project managers are critical to energising creative teams. Modern marketing teams now prioritise strategic competencies such as innovative thinking 67 percent, growth strategy 60 percent and adaptability 57 percent surpassing traditional skills like budgeting and scheduling 49 percent
Despite growing reliance on artificial intelligence and automation tools, nearly all agencies surveyed 98 percent are investing in human talent. A significant 32 percent are training existing staff in project management, while 28 percent are hiring new professionals underscoring a belief that skilled people are essential to campaign success.
However, the vital role of project managers often goes unnoticed. Nearly half 48 percent of creative leaders describe them as “unsung heroes”—quietly steering complex campaigns, aligning cross-functional teams, and ensuring flawless execution.
According to Pierre Le Manh, President and CEO of PMI, “Marketing matters more than ever, but it also has to perform, in spite of its increasing complexity. That’s where project professionals become a force multiplier. They don’t constrain creativity they operationalise it.”
He added that certified project managers consistently outperform their non-certified counterparts, delivering sharper, audience-aligned campaigns and greater impact on business outcomes.
As the creative world gathers at Cannes Lions, PMI will be on the ground to showcase how project professionals are turning complexity into opportunity transforming brilliant ideas into profitable, scalable realities.