How mid-market marketers are using AI to boost marketing effectiveness

New Delhi: A new report by WARC and Intuit Mailchimp, presented by LIONS Advisory, finds that mid-market marketers are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to strengthen competitiveness and sustain growth. 

The study, titled The Marketing Equalizer, Leveraging AI for Mid-Market Growth, describes AI as an “equaliser” for marketing teams facing budget constraints, talent shortages and fragmented media environments.

According to the report, mid-market organisations, those employing between 10 and 499 people, form a vital but often under-recognised segment of the global business ecosystem. 

After navigating the past five years of pandemic-related disruption, rising operational costs and the rapid evolution of marketing channels, these companies are adapting strategies and team structures to meet new challenges. With AI, they are beginning to find ways to do more with limited resources while sustaining performance across both paid and owned channels.

Lexi Wolf, Head of Advisory, WARC, said, “The Marketing Equalizer explores the state of marketing in the mid-market, the need for more effective marketing plans, and how technology can help these organizations compete on new terms. This report serves as both a mirror and a roadmap: a reflection of where the mid-market stands today, and a practical guide to how AI and martech can help close the distance between ambition and advantage.”

The research, conducted in January and February 2025, surveyed 1,205 marketing professionals from mid-market companies across the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Respondents represented a mix of business-to-consumer (54%) and business-to-business (46%) organisations. In addition to the survey, more than 20 in-depth interviews were carried out with marketing leaders and subject matter experts.

According to the findings, nearly all respondents, 98%, believe AI will improve marketing effectiveness. Yet despite this optimism, the technology remains an area where mid-market marketers report the lowest levels of in-house expertise. Many organisations are only beginning their AI journey, identifying the lack of AI literacy and implementation capability as a key challenge.

Jillian Ryan, Senior Manager, Content Marketing Strategy, Intuit Mailchimp, said, “We're at a pivotal moment. Our research for this report, conducted with WARC, shows that mid-market marketers are acutely aware of one major gap in their arsenal: AI literacy and capability. But they see AI as the equalizer and a powerful tool that must serve a solid strategy. This report outlines a clear, four-step roadmap for AI adoption. It breaks down the process from diagnosing the biggest pain points to strategically implementing AI so that it drives effectiveness, not just efficiency.”

The report notes that mid-market marketing budgets remain relatively strong but often spread thin across a limited number of channels. Many firms continue to rely heavily on short-term digital tactics, with paid search and social dominating spend. By contrast, owned media such as email and SMS, despite their proven return on investment, remain underutilised growth levers.

According to the report, marketing teams in this segment tend to operate with fewer specialists and smaller headcounts than larger organisations. AI and marketing technology (martech) solutions are therefore increasingly being used to automate repetitive processes, optimise campaigns and expand capacity.

The number of martech platforms deployed and the extent to which teams integrate AI were found to correlate strongly with competitive performance.

While enthusiasm for AI adoption is widespread, the report stresses that mid-market marketers must approach implementation as a structured process focused on effectiveness rather than efficiency alone.

Identifying where AI can best support existing workflows, particularly in connecting paid and owned channels with CRM systems, is seen as a critical step towards building a sustainable growth loop.