The role of the Chief Marketing Officer is more difficult than ever: ‘business as usual’ is no longer an option and the future is clouded by uncertainty. Although no one could have predicted the pandemic, some marketing leaders report feeling better prepared for the road to recovery than others. The U.S. report from our 2020 CMO survey examines the top challenges and strategies for navigating this new normal. Through the lens of ‘preparedness’, we also investigate which marketers feel better prepared to navigate the crucial months ahead and, importantly, uncovering why they feel that way.