Isobar Creative Experience Survey 2020 Reveals Marketer Innovation Priorities 

Global Experience Agency Isobar has published the results of an exclusive study of over 1,350 global CMO’s assessing the evolution of customer experience design in the age of Covid-19. 

It has discovered that 64% of CMOs have 'completely or moderately' changed their CX strategy in response to the Covid-19 crisis, with 1 in 5 having ‘completely’ changed their approach. Among those CMOs who have changed their strategy, investment in innovative new products and services is the most popular strategy among businesses of every size and scale, adopted by 45% of all CMOs, and 49% of CMOs of larger organisations.

Download Isobar Creative Experience Survey 2020 here. 

The report reveals that we are witnessing the continued rise of ‘Creative Experience’, a new approach to customer experience focused not only on eliminating friction but on engineering delight and building differentiation. It describes the first wave of ‘Customer Experience’ or ‘CX’ as focussing heavily on removing friction and eliminating pain points, emphasising that in a one-click (or no click) world, brands risk becoming increasingly indistinct - and increasingly invisible.

Further insights reveal:

• CMOs are placing their bets on innovative use of technology (58%) and the importance of a galvanising organisational idea (50%) as key ingredients for building differentiated customer experiences. 

• Commerce has emerged as a clear priority with 39% of CMOs having made commerce a greater focus and 36% having implemented Direct-to- Consumer approaches 

• Alongside creative ideation / thinking (36%), innovation capabilities (35%) and the ability to create new products (33%) were listed among the top 3 requirements of an agency partner in order to deliver superior CX strategies.

• CMOs in the technology sector have proved most responsive to the impact of Covid 19, with over 1 in 3 having completely changed their CX strategy as a result, followed by those in the Energy (29%) and Finance Sectors (26%). Those in Leisure, Media and Entertainment are least likely to have changed their approach.

• CMOs in the Automotive and Telecoms industry are most likely to have invested in innovative new products and services, at 65% and 64% respectively.


Deep dive insights into Innovation strategies show:

• AI is currently the most used emerging technology by some 36% of CMOs, rising to 50% of CMOs from large companies

• Voice and Chat-based interfaces follow closely behind at 29% and 28% adoption respectively

• Virtual and Augmented Reality are also entering the mainstream, with 28% and 27% adoption respectively among CMOs.


Jean Lin, CEO, creative, Dentsu Aegis Network and Isobar global chairman, said: - “We have all seen incredible creativity and resilience around the world in response to Covid-19. In our CMO survey too we see a renewed commitment to the power of ideas and innovation, proving that the next generation of winning through experience is to embrace creative experience.”

Authored by Isobar’s global teams of creative and innovation experts, the report is specifically designed to provide insight into the strategic direction of the marketing industry today and identify the key tools and technologies required for distinctive and delightful experiences of tomorrow. The report also includes case case studies from Isobar’s global clients including Cisco, KFC and Cadillac, as well as a deep-dive into Road Tales for Volkswagen, the Cannes Lions and D&AD award-winning work from Isobar and dentsumcgarrybowen.

As a global experience agency, Isobar continues to partner with its clients to engage consumers and provide products and services of value. The report is the latest in a series of papers focussing on Customer Experience, arguing that a strategic blend of creativity and technology is critical to business growth. Find other reports here.