South Africa, Feb. 24 -- You spent three weeks with your agency strategist building it. Allocated every line item. Got sign-off. Went into December feeling like you had a plan for the new year.

It's now February. You're about to start the new financial year. And your CEO has just told you to cut 25%.

Not the targets. Just the budget.

The strategy deck is still open on your second screen. The one with the bold positioning statement and the distinctive brand voice and the 12-month rollout plan. It was built for the budget you had in November.

Nobody is telling you to throw it out. They're just telling you to deliver it with less.

You're not alone in this. According to Gartner's 2025 CMO Spend Survey, 59% of marketing leaders say they d...