If it’s not applied creatively, data becomes a commodity. It needs to be applied strategically, not just algorithmically to get the best results for brands, but creatives as well as marketers need to be on board, the head of a leading US data marketing agency has warned.
Speaking at the ADMA Forum yesterday, Dr Lauren Tucker, senior vice president of US-based data marketing group The Martin Agency, said that while the debate around creative versus data persists, she hopes it will run its course soon as the debate is holding back progress and she’s bored of talking about it.
Brands, marketers and agencies need to be thinking about how to use data strategically and creatively, not just to “avoid the dreaded future” she said.
“Whatever way you look at it, creativity that is not inspired, supported or optimised by data will face death by the longtail. Agencies who do not get this will face death by the long tail. Data won’t kill creativity, only fear will. However, on the other side of this, I’d like to think that us data geeks are the new creative – we’re all creative. Data that’s not isn’t creativity used it’s just a commodity.
“If you want to return value to a company, creativity can transform a company, but data can leverage it. Use data strategically, as business intelligence to identify the opportunity – sometimes we get lost on that,” she said.
The Martin Agency presented case studies from three US brands that achieved sales uplifts of between 5 and 13% when they applied data strategically to help shape a brand campaign, rather than using it “algorithmically.”
US Tire firm BFGoodrich (pictured) used its data to find the insight that it’s hardcore fans were interested in more than just cars, but also other outdoorsy “tough” pastimes that they used their cars to get to like rock climbing, fishing and kayaking. BFGoodrich’s marketing had always been “cars, cars, cars” but using that data applied to the creative strategy, the brand opened up the creative idea beyond cars to include the other interests its customers had. Under the “Playground Earth” brand idea it created a series of short films starring professional athletes doing those sports and puttng the tires to the test at the same time.
The campaign achieved 50% uplift in site visits, a 25% uplift in positive mentions online and the videos have achieved 1 million views so far.
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