Gartner defines MRM as:
“Set of processes and capabilities that aim to enhance an enterprise's ability to orchestrate and optimize the use of internal and external marketing resources.”

It is a holistic system, capable of serving the whole of the marketing enterprise including both internal and external agencies.

Marketing resource management (MRM) helps with the planning of a marketing function and the coordination and collaboration of marketing resources. MRM products help marketing organizations create their strategy, define objectives, and devise their budgets. In a overall view, MRM products add value to your brand by helping you to control the brand management activities and streamline the marketing programs.

The system consists (few, but may be not all) of the following functionalities:

1. Planning and budgeting
2. Process Management - allowing access to the appropriate people to update progress and to view the planned collateral
3. Approval of collateral - using electronic transmission of images and comments complying with the defined management hierarchy.
4. An integrated DAM storing all multimedia collateral, and associated documentation providing the required level of functionality to promote and support the re-use of existing collateral.
5. Competitive procurement to reduce costs and ensure consistent quality
6. Print and delivery functions
7. Reporting on all aspects of the services managed, including marketing efficiency, and the basis for marketing effectiveness.

Gartner estimated n 2003, that the MRM space was around $130 million and that by 2005, more than 30 percent of Global 1000 organizations would have implemented MRM at least at the business unit or geographic level.

Key Benefits

• Increased efficiency by automating the entire marketing process
• Repurpose digital assets into different file formats and sizes
• Re-use the same collateral in multiple formats across multiple channels and hence retain the same messaging and branding throughout the enterprise
• Effective collaboration among employees for using digital resources