The global B2B marketing industry is struggling with deepening fragmentation across teams, processes and technology, undermining business performance and placing growing strain on staff and buyers alike, according to new research published by tmp.

The report, based on responses from 1,000 marketers and technology buyers in the UK and US, paints a picture of a sector operating below its potential. More than half of marketers surveyed described their working environment as chaotic, while around a third reported burnout, fatigue and heightened stress. Nearly three-quarters said they were not sleeping properly, citing long hours, skipped breaks and a lack of time for long-term planning.

The pressures extend beyond people to the way marketing functions are organised. Product, partner and demand teams were identified as the most disconnected parts of the organisation, with fragmentation linked to stalled deals, inconsistent quality of output and missed commercial opportunities. Almost a third of marketers said deals were being delayed as a direct result.

That internal misalignment is being felt by buyers. According to the research, technology purchasing decisions now typically involve 11 or more stakeholders, increasing complexity and the need for clarity. Instead, buyers report being overwhelmed by excessive content, confused by inconsistent messaging and deterred by a lack of trust in vendors.

The report includes commentary from senior industry figures including Nathalie Dorricott of Palo Alto Networks, Tricia Stinton of Capgemini and Claire Louise Green of Adobe, all of whom point to a sector grappling with complexity but recognising the need for structural change.

Ali Hussain, chief strategy officer at tmp, said many organisations were treating symptoms rather than causes. “CMOs and revenue leaders are playing whack-a-mole,” he said. “An increasingly chaotic environment is pulling teams, brands and customer journeys apart. Marketers are losing sleep, teams are misaligned and buyers are struggling to reach consensus.”

He warned that current pressures to “do more with less”, adopt AI tools and move faster risk compounding the problem. “In many cases, teams are scaling fragmentation,” Hussain said. “Instead, the focus needs to be on coherence across data, strategy, creative, media and sales — from reputation through to revenue and retention.”

According to the research, 97 per cent of buyers believe a more coherent marketing approach would improve their purchasing experience. The message for the industry, Hussain added, was clear: “Scale chaos, and you scale pain. Scale coherence, and you scale revenue.”