The second meeting of the Mosaic Project, a consortium of marketing technology leaders, took place in London in May 2025. Organised by Clevertouch Consulting and chaired by Professor Rob Angell of University of Stirling, the think tank brought together executives from leading B2B organizations across multiple sectors to discuss pressing issues in the martech space and identify actionable insights for marketing professionals.
Ten Key Considerations for Effective Martech Utilization
Based on the discussions and insights shared during the Mosaic Project meeting, here are ten critical considerations for marketers seeking to utilize martech effectively today and plan for better implementation in the future:
1. Address the “AI Paradox” with Strong Foundations. What Rob Angel termed “the AI paradox” – the tension between enthusiasm for AI’s potential and the significant challenges around implementation – requires marketers to focus on fundamentals first.
While AI capabilities are increasingly embedded in martech platforms, their effectiveness is limited by data quality and system integration. Research presented showed only 40-60% of core systems are currently integrated, creating significant barriers to realizing AI’s potential.
“AI can power stuff, but it can’t solve the fundamental issues of what is your business strategy and what is your marketing strategy,” noted one senior marketing technology executive.
2. Prioritize Data Quality Over Data Quantity. Participants emphasized that organizations should focus on understanding critical data points rather than trying to manage overwhelming volumes of information.
As one participant put it: “Let’s not look at all the data and focus on the breadth of data that we have, but understand those critical data points within our systems that enable us to measure more effectively.”
This focused approach allows marketers to build AI implementations on the most valuable data elements first, gaining confidence and demonstrating value before expanding.
3. Evaluate Vendor AI Claims Critically. The meeting revealed scepticism around major vendors’ recent AI announcements. One participant outlined one vendor’s concept of “B2B 3.0,” which represents a mindset shift toward focusing on buying groups rather than just leads or accounts.
“They’re literally talking about it as another object to go out and market and target – these contacts, accounts, and buying groups,” they explained.
However, participants warned about unclear pricing models. One participant noted: “The problem is they’re still saying, ‘Right, how much is it going to cost?’ And you’re like, ‘Well, is it double, or is it triple or quadruple?’ It’s probably triple or quadruple.”
4. Be Strategic About Platform Migration. Research findings indicated that 70% of organizations have migrated their core martech platform in the last three years, up from 51% a year ago. This acceleration is largely driven by the desire to better integrate systems and leverage AI capabilities.
However, participants emphasized that migrations should be driven by clear business objectives rather than fear of missing out.
Adam Sharp, from CleverTouch, noted that many companies are using AI as a catalyst for platform migration – but that they quickly felt they must first tackle overdue system integration and data remedial work.
“People rather than just asking ‘what is AI happening?’ are looking forward to it in the platforms… but they realize they’re also going to be exposed by the level of integration or quality of the data the AI is working with.”
5. Measure ROI Beyond Campaign Level. The data showed increasing confidence in martech’s business impact, with 72% of organizations now measuring ROI beyond just campaign level – a significant increase from previous years. This shift from tactical to strategic measurement is critical for securing continued investment.
Adam emphasized: “If marketeers just carry on talking about campaigns and click-throughs, then they’re irrelevant to the board. If they start talking about the impact on the business of either making money, saving money, or driving insight… then they’re going to have everyone’s ear.”
6. Address Emerging Skills Gaps. A recurring theme was concern about how entry-level marketers will develop fundamental skills in an increasingly AI-driven environment. While AI might accelerate output, the challenge lies in evaluating results and understanding underlying principles.
“The process of getting to an output will be enhanced, but the quality or direction won’t be understood to critique. And I think that’s the worry,” observed one participant.
Organizations should develop training programs that ensure marketers understand both the strategic principles and technical capabilities of their martech stack, rather than just becoming tool operators.
7. Reframe Martech as a Business Enabler, Not a Marketing Tool. Participants stressed the importance of positioning martech investments in terms of business outcomes rather than as marketing-specific tools. One senior marketing leader suggested:
“We need to get away from calling it Martech because it’s enabling the business to do the work. Put Martech in front of the CFO or the IT guys, they go, ‘that’s marketing.'”
Rich from CleverTouch noted that this reframing helps build collaborative relationships with other departments: “It’s not the power between sales and marketing. It’s sales and marketing versus IT.”
8. Invest in Cross-Functional Collaboration. The group discussed the evolving relationship between marketing, sales, and IT departments, with several noting a shift in power dynamics around data ownership and technology decisions. Successful martech implementations require strong partnerships across these functions.
One participant emphasized the need for partnership: “Marketing data, consumer data cuts over so many different elements. There can’t be a single owner. There’s got to be a partnership of ownership and understanding.”
9. Establish a Structured Assessment Framework for Continuous Improvement. The discussion highlighted the importance of establishing a structured framework for assessing martech maturity and performance over time. This approach allows organizations to identify capability gaps, track progress objectively, and align teams around shared improvement priorities.
“Different teams within the same organization often have vastly different perceptions of their martech capabilities,” noted one participant. “Without an objective assessment framework, it’s difficult to have productive conversations about where to focus improvement efforts.”
Participants emphasized that assessment shouldn’t be a one-time activity but rather a cyclical process that drives continuous improvement.
Regular evaluation against a consistent framework helps organizations measure the impact of their initiatives, adjust priorities based on changing business needs, and maintain momentum across longer-term transformation efforts.
It also helps bridge perception gaps between different departments about current capabilities, creating a shared understanding that facilitates cross-functional collaboration.
10. Integrate Change Management into Martech Implementation. Several participants highlighted that change management is chronically underinvested in martech projects, contributing to implementation failures. One senior marketer noted:
“Nothing transformational or integrative within martech can be done without change management. It is so underinvested in, and that is sometimes why projects don’t work.”
Successful martech initiatives require not just technical implementation but fundamental shifts in how teams work, how they measure success, and how they collaborate. Building change management capabilities should be a priority for organizations seeking to maximize martech ROI.
Looking forward
As the Mosaic Project discussion concluded, participants recognized that martech has reached a critical inflection point. While AI offers significant opportunities to enhance marketing effectiveness, organizations must address fundamental challenges around data quality, system integration, skills development, and cross-functional collaboration to fully realize its potential.
The team at CleverTouch will continue to build on these insights through the MarTech IQ platform and further research, with the next Mosaic Project meeting scheduled for September 2025.
The Mosaic Project is a consortium led by Professor Rob Angel of the University of Stirling in partnership with CleverTouch, bringing together industry leaders to discuss martech developments, challenges, and opportunities. The group aims to create a repository of papers, research, and new opportunities that benefit the martech space.
