Half of marketers expect restructures in 2012 amid staff cuts

More than half (53%) of marketing departments will be restructured in 2012 as companies lower headcount and cut marketing spend in the wake of continued uncertainty over the state of the economy, according to the findings of the annual Marketing Week/Ball & Hoolahan salary survey.

Staff cuts (16%), changes to marketing budgets and mergers with other departments (14%) will be the main drivers behind structural changes, the survey finds.

Gloomy forecasts about economic prospects and falling consumer confidence led to almost two-thirds (62.9%) of marketing departments being restructured in 2010.

Companies including British Gas, News International, Everything Everywhere and ITV were among a slew of companies to undergo restructures in 2011 in a bid to improve the efficiency of their operations.

Economic uncertainty also hit salaries for director or manager level marketers, which were either flat or down in real terms last year.

The survey, the biggest of its kind in terms of number of responses, found that the average salary for marketing directors increased 4.2% year on year over 2010 against inflation running at almost 5%. Marketing managers saw average salary drop 10.7%.

Of those that did see their salaries increase, digital marketers and insight experts enjoyed the biggest pay bumps as companies invested more in online activity and research. Heads of digital and ecommerce saw average salaries rise 5.2%, while insight/research heads enjoyed a 5.6% bump.

For marketing directors, the financial services sector offers the greatest rewards with an average salary of £107,000. Retail marketing bosses are second on £98,409, while marketing directors of FMCG companies are third on £95,155.

The total of 3,357 marketers ranging from marketing director to graduate trainee answered the online poll in November 2011.

To find out exactly what your colleagues are earning, plus more in depth analysis, comment, and viewpoints on the 2012 Salary survey see Marketing Week cover feature (12 January).

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