Stop Chasing Shiny Objects and Do This Instead

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Introduction

# Kathryn Rathje, Partner at McKinsey & Company, reveals why marketing leaders are failing to drive meaningful transformation in the age of AI. With deep expertise in data-driven marketing and sustainable growth transformations, Rathje challenges the industry's obsession with pilot programs and vendor solutions, advocating instead for a fundamental rewiring of marketing functions that starts with strategy, not technology.#n#n1

The Shiny Object Syndrome Crisis

# Marketing leaders are drowning in a sea of vendor pitches and conference-inspired pilot programs. Rathje observes a troubling pattern: executives returning from industry events with a collection of new tools to test, each promising revolutionary results. "I have so many of my clients right now that have all of these little mini, 'I'm going to pilot with this one vendor because somebody else told me about them,'" she notes. This scattered approach creates organizational chaos without addressing core marketing challenges.#n#n1 The real problem isn't the tools themselves—it's the backwards approach to transformation. Instead of starting with fundamental questions about what marketing needs to achieve, leaders are plugging in solutions hoping something will stick. This reactive strategy wastes resources and prevents organizations from building the integrated systems necessary for sustainable growth in today's data-driven landscape.#n#n1

AI as the Ultimate Distraction

# Artificial intelligence has become marketing's biggest distraction, with vendors slapping the AI label on everything from basic automation to simple analytics. Rathje identifies this as a continuation of the shiny object problem, noting how the industry jumped from "the year of generative" to "the year of agentic" without fully understanding or implementing either approach effectively.#n#n1

The Real Value of AI in Marketing

# Despite the hype and mislabeling, AI does offer genuine value for marketing organizations. Rathje highlights three key areas where AI can drive meaningful impact: automating existing workflows, integrating previously unusable data sources, and creating personalized experiences at scale. The challenge lies in identifying where these capabilities align with strategic objectives rather than implementing AI for its own sake.#n#n1

Building a Vision-First Transformation Strategy

# The solution to marketing's leadership gap starts with developing a clear vision for the future state of the marketing function. Rathje emphasizes the importance of "clean sheeting" current workflows—mapping how marketing operates today, identifying automation opportunities, and imagining what could be possible with the right technology foundation.#n#n1 This approach requires distinguishing between one-way and two-way doors in decision-making. One-way doors represent irreversible commitments that lock organizations into specific paths, while two-way doors allow for experimentation and course correction. By maximizing two-way door decisions, marketing leaders can test and learn without compromising their ability to adapt as new technologies emerge.#n#n1

Conclusion

# Marketing leaders must resist the temptation to chase every new technology or vendor solution that crosses their path. Success in today's complex marketing environment requires starting with strategy, developing a clear vision for transformation, and then selecting technologies that enable that vision. As Rathje's insights reveal, the organizations that will thrive are those that fundamentally rewire their marketing functions for the age of AI and data, rather than simply layering new tools onto broken processes. The path forward isn't about having the most pilots or the latest technology—it's about having the clearest vision and the discipline to execute against it.#n#n1