Maturity variation — startups 12-20%+; mature firms with referral engines 3-5%

Claim: Startups / early-stage: 12-20%+ of (often projected) revenue. Mature firms with referral engines: 3-5%. Competitive intensity is the dominant swing factor.

Gartner's "budget-conscious vs big spender" divide: low-budget CMOs (≤4% of revenue) pour digital spend into search/performance and underinvest in data, brand, and transformation; big spenders (>10.5%) diversify.

Confidence: Industry-consensus + Gartner.

Why this matters for Candid: Maturity and competitive posture both shift the appropriate tier. The widget's tiering should reflect "what should you spend RELATIVE to where you are in your maturity," not a universal benchmark.