Over 50% of manufacturers to outsource marketing in 2025

In 2024, 46% of UK companies outsourced some element of their marketing, with the figure rising to 50% for companies in the business-to-business (B2B) segment, including firms in manufacturing, engineering and technology, according to leading B2B marketing agency Full Mix Marketing. With the forthcoming increase in employer national insurance contributions and businesses keen to use marketing to boost competitiveness, the company believes this level could increase beyond 50% in 2025.

Managing director Sarah West said: “Outsourcing marketing offers a number of benefits, including more flexibility and access to greater skills and experience. With the rising costs of employment, businesses may seek to get more from their budget by enlisting the help of a skilled marketing agency.”

Full Mix Marketing specialises in supporting companies and organisations across the UK who work with other businesses (B2B). Its clients operate in sectors including manufacturing, engineering, technology, logistics, construction and business services. The statistics on the prevalence of outsourcing marketing were gathered in a 2024 survey of 3,000 UK businesses and published by global data and business intelligence platform, Statista.

The marketing agency’s founder believes the data demonstrates that B2B organisations, such as those that manufacture or engineer products and solutions, are increasingly seeing the value of outsourcing marketing which they previously delivered in-house.

Depth of capabilities
Sarah West said: “Many agencies have a depth of capabilities and experience that internal marketing teams can find hard to replicate. Though they still work very closely with clients, agencies can be less distracted than internal teams and often deliver marketing quicker, better and more cost-effectively.”

The statistics also show that B2B companies are almost 25% more likely to outsource than B2C (business-to-consumer) companies, with 41% of consumer-facing businesses and brands utilising external marketing partners.

Sarah West added: “B2C companies often sell lower value goods in higher volumes, so marketing is possibly more intrinsic to what they do. B2B products and services tend to be higher value and more complex, so companies choose to focus on what they do best and get expert support with their marketing.”

As well as providing individual elements of digital, non-digital and strategic marketing, Full Mix Marketing often acts as its clients’ entire outsourced marketing department. Established in 2016, the firm has grown to become one of the UK’s leading B2B marketing agency, supporting a number of businesses in manufacturing, engineering and technology.

In 2024, Sarah West won a prestigious Great British Entrepreneur Award for the innovation the agency has shown in specialising in the marketing needs of B2B companies. She concluded: “Businesses typically buy things and respond to marketing quite differently to consumers. Manufacturers and engineers told us they struggled to find a marketing agency which understands what they do, so we established one which does.”