As AI reshapes how consumers search, discover, and decide, demand is forming in less predictable ways – often faster than traditional planning cycles can accommodate. The brands gaining momentum aren’t simply those with bigger budgets or more channels, but those able to read signals early, act decisively, and adapt in real time.
This shift is driving a movement towards demand-led growth – a mindset that prioritizes responding to live demand over rigid, channel-first plans. Instead of pushing spend into pre-set structures, demand-led organizations flex budgets, adjust activation, and follow consumer intent as it emerges.
To unpack this, Google invited Raconteur’s Director of Commercial Content, Tom Watts to sit down with Katie Gillard, Head of Digital Marketing at Marks & Spencer and Damien Bennett, Chief Strategy Officer at Incubeta.
Why Traditional Planning is Changing
Consumer behavior has changed dramatically. Search queries are longer, more visual, and increasingly multimodal. Trend moments appear suddenly, driven by social platforms, media exposure, or cultural relevance. In this environment, fixed budgets and static plans can delay response and limit growth.
AI-powered campaign formats now make it possible to capture demand across evolving behaviors – but only if organizations are structured to use them effectively. Responsiveness is no longer a tactical optimization – it’s a strategic capability.
Demand-Led Growth Starts with Culture, and Then Technology
For M&S, the move toward demand-led growth wasn’t only about acquiring new tools or skills. It required a cultural shift in how teams planned, aligned, and measured success.
Historically, weekly performance targets encouraged short-term resets rather than longer-term value creation. The shift involved stepping back, aligning teams around shared objectives, and creating planning rhythms that allowed both agility and strategic intent to coexist.
Monthly planning sessions now bring marketing, agency, and internal stakeholders onto the same page – aligning budgets, growth opportunities, and performance expectations before demand appears, not after.
Why Partnership and Alignment Matter
Demand-led growth depends on trust and transparency. M&S and Incubeta secured outcomes because objectives are clear, future priorities are shared early, and strategies are built collaboratively.
Importantly, this alignment extends beyond marketing. Finance, analytics, and data teams are actively involved, ensuring decisions are grounded in business reality – from profitability and stock considerations to incremental growth. When marketing and finance present unified recommendations, credibility increases and decision-making accelerates. Investment is no longer justified on instinct, but on shared commercial logic.
Creative, AI, and Credibility at Scale
As automation expands, creative remains a primary performance driver. AI is only as effective as the inputs it receives, making relevance, quality, and adaptability essential. By connecting data, insight, and production, creative can respond dynamically to emerging intent while maintaining brand standards. This is where demand-led growth becomes scalable – not just reactive.
Looking Ahead
Demand-led growth is still evolving. The next frontier lies in connecting richer signals – including profit, stock, and customer value – and applying these insights across channels. As AI matures, the ability to align growth strategy across the business, not just within marketing, will define the next generation of high-performing brands.
Visit Raconteur for the full conversation and video.