Digital transformation is not just a competitive advantage—it’s a necessity for survival. The More 2 Marketing podcast episode with special guest product leader Joca Torres “Digital Transformation: Why Your Marketing Needs to Evolve” dives deep into why businesses must embrace this shift, what drives successful transformation, and how to overcome the challenges that come with it. Drawing on expert insights, real-world stories, and the latest industry statistics, this article unpacks the conversation and expands on the actionable steps your business can take to thrive in the digital age.
The New Imperative: Why digital transformation matters
Digital transformation in marketing refers to the shift from digital complacency to the active pursuit of digital excellence through the proper usage and optimisation of your digital channels. This isn’t just about adopting new tools—it’s about fundamentally rethinking how you engage with customers, leverage data, and innovate across every touchpoint.
The urgency is real. According to recent forecasts, global digital transformation spending is expected to reach $3.9 trillion by 2027, with the digital economy projected to account for over 20% of global GDP by 2026. Meanwhile, digital advertising spend is set to hit $843 billion in 2025, and social media users will approach 4.9 billion globally. These numbers underscore the scale and speed of change facing marketers today.
“Normally what drives digital transformation is some sort of threat—when companies see others going in that direction, especially tech startups moving fast and gaining attention. That’s what happened in our case at Lopez, the real estate company,” shared guest Joca Torres, highlighting the competitive pressures that force established businesses to evolve.
Key drivers of digital marketing transformation
Competitive pressure Startups and digitally native competitors are often the catalyst for change. As Joca noted, “Established companies are forced to adapt when new entrants move fast and gain customers and funding.”
Technological opportunity Emerging technologies like AI, automation, and cloud computing are opening new avenues for marketing efficiency and customer engagement. Integrating AI into marketing can increase ROI by 20–30%.
Customer expectations Consumers now demand seamless, personalised, and mobile-first experiences. Video content alone is projected to account for 82% of all internet traffic, and brands must meet audiences where they are.
Common challenges in digital transformation
Culture and mindset “The digital part is easy—it’s the transformation part that’s hard,” Joca observed. Changing how people behave, collaborate, and solve problems is the real challenge.
“Changing culture is not about saying, ‘Do this, do that.’ It’s about using examples of good and bad behaviours and calling them out wherever possible,” he explained.
Leadership gaps A lack of digital experience at the C-suite level can derail transformation. “The majority of the C-suite doesn’t have experience with digital products or transformation. Even CIOs often only know internal systems, not customer-facing digital products.”
Scope creep and overengineering Projects often balloon in size, losing sight of the real goal—delivering value quickly.
“When I joined Lopez, they’d been building an MVP for seven months. I told them, ‘That’s not an MVP.’ We ended up delivering the core result in just 10 days by focusing on what mattered,” Joca recounted.
Data privacy and regulation With privacy regulations tightening, marketers must pivot to first-party data and transparent practices.
Content saturation and rising costs The explosion of digital content and rising ad costs make it harder to stand out. Originality, storytelling, and authenticity are more important than ever.
Practical steps for successful transformation
1. Start small, prove value “You cannot start big. You need to start small and have small wins that prove themselves. That’s how you gain cultural traction,” Joca advised.
2. Empower product teams Business leaders should present problems, not solutions, to product and engineering teams. “Let the experts come up with the best solutions. That’s where innovation happens.”
3. Hire and train for digital skills Bringing in talent with experience in digital transformation is critical. “You need someone in the company responsible for the transformation—someone who’s been through it before.”
4. Embrace agile, but focus on outcomes Agility is about delivering value in small, meaningful increments—not just breaking work into chunks. “Agile is not enough. You need to deliver things that matter.”
5. Balance business and customer needs The best products serve both the company’s goals and the customer’s needs. “You have to deliver software that reaches the objectives of the company and solves the customer’s problem. That’s the main responsibility of the product manager and team.”
Real-world lesson
Joca shared both success stories and failures. For example, a furniture retailer built a marketplace for assembly services, only to discover most customers enjoyed assembling furniture themselves—a costly misstep that could have been avoided by talking to users first.
“They needed to talk with customers to understand the real problem, not just build what they thought was needed,” he reflected.
The human side of transformation
Transformation is about people as much as technology. Joca’s advice: “Call out and be honest—what are the bad behaviours we need to change? What are the good ones we need to build on? Training and outside expertise can help, but you need everyone on the same path together.”
There are many stats that show embracing digital transformation pays off:
- Global digital transformation spending (2027): $3.9 trillion
- Digital economy share of global GDP (2026): 20%+
- Global digital advertising spend (2025): $843 billion
- Social media users (2025): 4.89 billion
- Video content share of internet traffic: 82%
- AI productivity boost in marketing: 30%
- Email marketing ROI increase: 40%
- SEO drives share of online experiences: 68%
If your business is still relying on old-school marketing tactics, now is the time to evolve. The pace of change is only accelerating. Start small, empower your teams, and focus on delivering results that matter—for your customers and your bottom line. Don’t wait for a crisis to force your hand. Take the first step in your digital transformation journey today.
The question isn’t if your business should assess its digital maturity—it’s how soon you can start. Those who act now will be the ones leading their industries tomorrow. Contact us at info@fvadvisory.com
Article written by Susan Walsh.
This article draws on the More 2 Marketing podcast episode “Digital Transformation: Why Your Marketing Needs to Evolve,” industry research, and expert commentary to provide a comprehensive guide to modern marketing transformation. Listen now.
Joca Torres is a leading product management advisor and digital transformation expert with over 30 years of experience helping organisations bridge the gap between business and technology. He has held executive roles at major tech companies, authored multiple books on digital product management, and regularly coaches, consults, and trains leaders in driving successful transformation initiatives.
Sources: https://www.digital-adoption.com/digital-transformation-in-marketing/
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