Background
Mendix, a Siemens business, is a global leader in low-code application development. Its marketing teams rely heavily on Adobe Marketo to drive demand generation, events, and regional marketing at scale. With a lean Campaign Operations team of just three people (two specialists and a manager), the company faced mounting pressure: 25 to 40 email promotions and 15 to 20 event programs per month, all needing flawless execution across global markets.
Campaign Operations was the backbone of this effort, but the existing model created bottlenecks. Every copy update, design change, or brand adjustment had to flow through the Campaign Ops team. Campaigns took longer to launch, minor errors crept into assets, and morale started to dip as repetitive tasks left little room for higher-value projects like A/B testing, custom nurtures, and integrations. Mendix needed a way to scale campaigns without doubling headcount or burning out the ops team.
Challenges
- Manual Execution Bottlenecks
Every copy and design update had to be entered into Marketo by Campaign Operations. The constant back and forth between marketers and operations consumed time and slowed campaigns down. - Slow Campaign Velocity
Launching an email averaged 30 minutes, while event programs could take up to 90 minutes. Marketers often waited days to see updates, making it difficult to stay agile with campaign planning. - Quality and Consistency Risks
Frequent manual adjustments increased the risk of errors. Brand inconsistencies and incomplete campaigns also impacted customer experience and downstream reporting accuracy. - Team Scalability and Morale
Rising campaign volume would ultimately lead to double the Campaign Operations team size. Meanwhile, repetitive work was demotivating and left little time for Marketing Operations to focus on higher-value contributions.
Solutions
Mendix tackled its campaign execution challenges through a mix of process redesign, governance, and technology adoption. A key part of this transformation was introducing Jeto as the campaign execution co-pilot for Adobe Marketo, a change that reshaped how campaigns are built, approved, and launched across global teams.
Redefining Campaign Templates and Governance
Implementing Jeto required Mendix to rethink how campaigns were structured in Marketo. Because every Jeto form connects to a Marketo program template, the team adopted a more modular approach, defining which elements marketers could customize and which had to remain fixed to maintain brand consistency. Each campaign type (email, event, webinar, etc.) was standardized with a clear bill of materials outlining the required assets, such as the number of promotional and follow-up emails or landing pages.
This shift not only streamlined execution but also formalized a robust governance model: marketers have creative freedom within controlled boundaries, while brand standards and technical integrity remain fully protected in Marketo.
Integrating Jeto into the Workflow
Early adoption revealed that successful rollout depended on making Jeto part of Mendix’s existing workflow, not an extra step. The team integrated Jeto directly into their Asana-based campaign intake process using automation through Zapier. Now, when a marketer submits a campaign request, Asana automatically links the correct Jeto form, complete with pre-populated fields such as campaign name and tracking IDs.
For example, if a marketer requests a new webinar project for the German vertical team, the automation generates the full asset list, assigns the right Jeto form, and attaches it to the Asana task. The marketer simply clicks “Submit Jeto” from within Asana to add their copy and design, without ever needing to navigate Jeto manually.
Driving Adoption and Training
To support adoption, Mendix created detailed documentation and recordings within Confluence and hosts an annual Campaign Execution Learning Call. These sessions walk new joiners through the full process from campaign request to launch, ensuring consistency across regional teams.
Evolving the Role of Campaign Operations
By offloading repetitive build work to Jeto, the Campaign Operations team gained hours each week to focus on strategic contributions. They now partner with marketing managers on planning, optimization, and innovation, building advanced nurtures, testing new campaign structures, and implementing custom programs.
The team has evolved from an execution function into a tactical partner that drives campaign strategy across Mendix’s global organization.
“Jeto streamlines campaign execution. What used to take 30 minutes for an email now takes 10, and event programs that took 90 minutes are ready in 30. That gives marketers control and frees Campaign Operations to focus on more complex programs.”
– Lonneke Kroes, Manager EMEA Regional Marketing
Outcomes
Three Times Faster Campaign Velocity
Email setup dropped from 30 minutes to 10 minutes, while event program setup fell from 90 minutes to 30 minutes. This tripled overall campaign execution speed without requiring additional headcount.
Error and Rework Reduction
Manual fixes that once consumed more than 20 hours each week now take only 1 to 2 hours. With previews and approvals handled in Jeto, brand consistency and campaign completeness have improved significantly.
Improved Team Productivity and Morale
Campaign Operations reallocated time from repetitive tasks to higher-value projects. such as AB testing, custom nurture builds, and advanced integrations. Marketers also gained the ability to manage their own content, which reduced frustration significantly.
Cost Efficiency at Scale
Mendix expanded its global campaign output while keeping its Campaign Operations team lean. By avoiding additional headcount, the company contained costs while improving both speed and quality.
Looking Ahead
Mendix is looking ahead to richer personalization, including GIFs, emojis, and dynamic content. The team also anticipates eventually leveraging Jeto with Marketo’s new email and landing page editors. Above all, they aim to keep Campaign Operations lean while continuing to scale campaign sophistication and strategic innovation.
“By integrating Jeto into our workflow, we have achieved a threefold improvement in campaign speed, quality, and efficiency. Weekly manual fixes dropped from over 20 hours to just 1 or 2, while marketers now manage content independently and Marketing Operations delivers more targeted programs.”
– Tom Liolios, Campaign Operations Manager
Five Strategies for Scaling Adobe Marketo Campaign Operations
The Mendix experience points to clear lessons for other global marketing teams looking to scale without burning out operations or sacrificing quality.
- Empower Marketers with Self-Service Tools
Give marketers ownership of campaign content and design through structured templates. This reduces Campaign Ops workload while increasing agility and campaign completeness. - Standardize and Preview Before Build
Enforce governance and quality by requiring previews and approvals in a central system before assets reach Marketo. This slashes error rates and rework. - Integrate Campaign Intake with Project Management
Mendix’s Asana integration ensured every request was automatically tied to the right Jeto form. This eliminated confusion, duplicate requests, and manual data entry. - Reallocate Operations to High-Value Work
By offloading repetitive tasks, Marketing Operations can focus on A/B testing, nurture strategies, personalization, and integrations. These activities drive measurable business growth. - Measure and Communicate Results
Track time savings, error reductions, and output increases. Mendix demonstrated three times faster campaign velocity and a 90 percent reduction in manual rework, making the business case undeniable to leadership.
Conclusion
By adopting Jeto, Mendix did not just streamline campaigns, it redefined how marketing and operations collaborate. Marketers are now in the driver’s seat, Campaign Operations delivers more strategic value, and the business scales globally without adding headcount. For organizations facing rising campaign demand, Mendix’s success offers a practical playbook for scaling Adobe Marketo campaigns with speed, quality, and governance.
