James Pinchbeck, partner at Streets, dissects the often-misunderstood art of marketing. Marketing remains one of the most misunderstood and at times, undervalued functions within a business. When it’s working well, it can drive growth, build brand reputation, and support long-term success. But when it’s not working, when it fails to deliver results or meet expectations, it’s often questioned, sidelined, or seen as a cost rather than an investment. But what do we mean when we say marketing isn’t working? In simple terms, it’s when marketing fails to achieve the outcomes the business needs, be that leads, awareness, engagement, or revenue. The issue, however, often runs deeper than the campaign or channel in question. More often than not, the root cause lies in the business itself. Here are some of the common reasons why marketing underperforms and what businesses need to do about it.

1. No strategy, no direction

A surprising number of businesses don’t have a clear and detailed business strategy. Without this foundation, any marketing plan is being built on sand. If the business doesn’t know where it’s going or what success looks like, how can marketing align itself and support the journey? Equally, Boards and senior leaders can struggle to articulate what they want from marketing. Vague expectations such as “raising our profile” or “generating more leads” are commonplace, but without clarity, marketers are left guessing.

2. A lack of defined marketing objectives

While financial and operational KPIs are usually well understood, marketing objectives are often less clearly defined, even missing altogether. This leads to inconsistent activity and an inability to measure what really matters. Likes and followers may feel good, but they rarely tell you if marketing is truly adding value.

3. Gaps in marketing understanding

Those making decisions about marketing whether internal stakeholders or external advisers may have limited knowledge or experience of the discipline. This can lead to unrealistic expectations, poor hiring decisions, or confusion over what good marketing looks like. In many cases, businesses employ junior or inexperienced marketers without providing the guidance or leadership they need to succeed. Perhaps more critically, marketing often doesn’t have a seat at the Boardroom table. It’s not uncommon for marketing to be overlooked during key strategic conversations, or for its potential contribution to be misunderstood entirely. Without representation in leadership discussions, marketing risks being reduced to a tactical support function rather than a driver of business value.

4. Misplaced faith in agencies

Outsourcing marketing to an agency can feel like a silver bullet but without clear briefs, proper oversight, or shared understanding, agencies are often left to second-guess what a client wants. The result is activity that may be creative but lacks strategic impact. Businesses also often lack the know-how to manage and evaluate agency performance effectively.

5. Too much noise, too little focus

With so many tools, platforms, and trends, marketing has become increasingly complex. It’s tempting to chase the latest digital trend or stick to familiar tactics, even if they’re no longer effective. Without informed decision-making, marketing risks becoming a scattergun exercise with little connection to commercial goals.

6. Marketing struggles to demonstrate its value

Finally, marketing professionals themselves aren’t always great at evidencing the impact of their work. Whether through unclear reporting, lack of commercial language, or an overemphasis on vanity metrics, marketing can struggle to win the confidence of senior leadership. So, what can be done? To turn things around, businesses need to invest in the foundations. That means aligning marketing with a clearly defined strategy, setting meaningful objectives, employing or accessing the right level of marketing expertise, and creating a culture of communication and accountability between leadership, marketing teams, and any external partners. Crucially, marketing needs a voice in the Boardroom. It must be part of the strategic conversation, not an afterthought. When leadership understands and embraces marketing as a core business function, it’s far more likely to deliver meaningful, measurable value. Marketing doesn’t work in isolation—it needs to be integrated into the very fabric of the business. When that happens, marketing becomes not just a cost centre, but a powerful driver of growth and competitive advantage.   See this column in the July issue of East Midlands Business Link Magazine here.

The latest KPMG and REC, UK Report on Jobs survey, compiled by S&P Global, indicated that the Midlands saw a renewed reduction in permanent placements at the end of the second quarter. Furthermore, the rate of decline was the strongest since January and marked overall. At the same time, temp billings rose only fractionally. Meanwhile, recruiters signalled steeper upturns in candidate availability for both permanent and temporary roles, but rates of pay growth softened during June. In fact, the latest increases in permanent salaries and temp wages were the softest in six and seven months, respectively. The KPMG and REC, UK Report on Jobs: Midlands is compiled by S&P Global from responses to questionnaires sent to around 100 recruitment and employment consultancies in the Midlands. Sharpest fall in permanent placements since January June data pointed to a renewed reduction in permanent placements in the Midlands that was the twelfth recorded in the past 13 months. The rate of decline was steep and the most pronounced since the start of the year. According to respondents, a range of factors dampened permanent staff hiring, including lower vacancies, reduced business confidence and a lack of suitable candidates. The Midlands recorded the second-softest reduction in permanent placements across the four monitored English areas, behind the North of England. For the second consecutive month, temp billings rose in the Midlands at the end of the second quarter. Where an increase was reported, recruiters mentioned stronger demand for temporary staff. That said, the rate of expansion was only fractional overall. Nevertheless, the Midlands was the only monitored English region to record an uplift in temp billings in June. Demand for permanent workers in the Midlands declined during June and to a greater extent than that seen in May. The rate of reduction was solid overall, though the Midlands posted the softest fall of the four monitored English regions. Demand for short-term staff, on the other hand, rose for the second successive month in June. The rate of increase was solid, and the most pronounced since April 2024. The Midlands was the only region to post an uptick in temp vacancies. Sharper increase in permanent candidate numbers Redundancies reportedly led permanent staff availability to increase markedly in June. The number of candidates rose for the twenty-seventh month running, with the latest upturn the strongest since December 2023. The increase in the Midlands was the second-softest of the four English regions monitored by the survey, after the North of England. The rate of increase in temporary candidate numbers strengthened in June and was rapid overall. As was the case for permanent labour supply, the upturn in candidate availability for temporary positions was mainly linked to redundancies. The rise in the Midlands was slightly softer than that seen across the UK as a whole, however. Permanent salaries rise at softer pace As has been the case since March 2021, starting salaries for permanent workers in the Midlands rose at the end of the second quarter. Panellists reported that the increase partly reflected competition for scarce candidates. The rate of inflation was moderate, however, and the softest in 2025 to date. That said, only London saw a steeper rate of starting salary inflation than the Midlands. Hourly pay rates for temporary staff increased for the seventh successive month during June. That said, the rate of wage inflation eased sharply from May and was the softest seen over this period. The rate of temp pay growth in the Midlands was also slower than the average seen at the UK level. Commenting on the latest survey results, Kate Holt, people consulting partner at KPMG in the Midlands said: “The Midlands saw a renewed drop in permanent placements in June – the sharpest since January – as reduced vacancies, economic uncertainty and candidate shortages continued to weigh on hiring decisions. “Temporary hiring held firmer, with the Midlands being the only region to record an uptick in temporary billings and vacancies. This suggests employers are leaning on flexible staffing while holding back on permanent headcount growth. Meanwhile, increased redundancies have led to rising candidate availability, in turn broadening the talent pool and easing pay pressures. “For employers in the Midlands, this is an opportunity to re-evaluate recruitment strategies and tap into a growing supply of skilled candidates amid shifting market dynamics.” Neil Carberry, REC chief executive, said: “The labour market is sending mixed messages month to month, suggesting employers are taking a practical and conservative approach, hiring more when they need to, rather than when they want to. Much of that hesitation stems from the scar tissue left by the Spring tax hikes. That same uncertainty is helping temp billings to rise in the Midlands, and demand for short-term staff was up for the second successive month in June. “Across the UK, this turn to temps is benefitting people looking for work in construction, blue-collar roles, engineering, and healthcare. But even so, the picture for retail jobs is difficult, and there is still no bounce-back in IT hiring. “Clarity and transparency from government is vital to build trust with business and drive recovery. The new roadmap for the Employment Rights Bill allows for full and frank consultation on how the new rules will be shaped and gives breathing space to embattled businesses. Updating workplace protections is important, but striking the right balance with the business growth ambitions is the crucial part.”

A £97 million investment has been allocated to advance lithium-sulfur battery research, a potential game-changer for the transport sector. This funding forms part of a broader initiative aimed at tackling major industry challenges, spanning sectors from artificial intelligence to cybersecurity.

Among the 23 new research collaborations funded through the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is a project led by the University of Nottingham’s School of Chemistry. The research will focus on overcoming the challenges associated with lithium-sulfur batteries, which are lighter and potentially more efficient than current lithium-ion batteries but face issues with rapid degradation.

The University of Nottingham’s project, headed by Professor Darren Walsh and in partnership with Gelion plc, aims to extend the lifespan of these batteries. Researchers will employ advanced analytical and electrochemical methods to mitigate the chemical reactions that cause degradation, ultimately striving to create a lab-scale battery that can withstand hundreds of charge cycles without losing energy storage capacity.

This initiative is part of a broader £41 million EPSRC investment, matched by an additional £56 million from academic and industry collaborators, aiming to drive innovations across key sectors. These partnerships ensure that academic research aligns closely with business needs, supporting both economic growth and practical advancements in technology.

The Marketing and Leadership Academy (TMLA) has launched a new initiative aimed at helping entrepreneurs enhance their digital marketing skills. The intensive 12-week bootcamp, which is part-funded by the Department for Education, offers a valuable opportunity for self-employed individuals, those seeking employment, and businesses to improve their digital marketing strategies.

This in-person course, based at the University of Derby’s Enterprise Centre, covers essential digital marketing topics, including branding, SEO, and content marketing. The programme is designed to help participants build a solid foundation in digital marketing, with the added benefit of guest lectures from industry experts. At the end of the course, attendees will also have the opportunity to sit for a CIM Level 4 Content Marketing module exam.

TMLA, Derbyshire’s only training provider accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), aims to provide accessible, practical education to individuals at various stages in their marketing careers. The programme, starting September 10, is open to a range of participants, with free places available for the self-employed and unemployed, while businesses are asked to contribute a portion of the costs for their employees, depending on the size of their organisation. This move comes as part of TMLA’s ongoing efforts to expand its offerings, which also include Level 4 and Level 6 CIM qualifications in Professional and Digital Marketing.