It’s not news to say that the use of data and technology to define and drive marketing strategy is now standard operating procedure among advertising agencies, digital firms and marketers themselves.
And in today’s marketing environment, where people’s attention is splintered and segmented across a vast array of media, devices and experiences, the customer insights derived from data and analytics allow marketers to reach customers with astonishing precision and to deliver just the right mix of paid, owned and shared content across an optimal set of digital, traditional and social channels.
A post earlier this week on Ad Age went as far as to say that 2017 will be a turning point for agencies — and that those agencies that aren’t singularly focused on technology may find themselves up for review.
I can’t argue that point, but I cringed a bit when the author spoke of a singular focus on technology.
From my perspective, the problem with solely relying on data is that the human dimensions of audiences become a secondary consideration. While data will tell us precisely when and where to target audiences for maximum reach and engagement, it alone will not guide the content and creative of what we are communicating or, more importantly, how that content will be received.
I read an interview several months ago with Richard Edelman, CEO of Edelman. In it, he talked about the value small data. He defined small data as knowing the consumer on a nuanced and granular level, understanding what motivates and excites them, what makes them tick, what they aspire to, and what makes them concerned or fearful. These kind of characteristics (and many others) provide a clear picture of who you are trying to influence, the things that matter to them, and how they make decisions. It will steer you to the right messaging to effectively move them to action. Edelman’s point was that this kind of insight must be of equal importance in establishing marketing and communications strategy as the kind of knowledge derived from big data.
I couldn’t agree more, especially as we move into 2017, a year that is shaping up like no other in the wake of the U.S. election, Brexit and a rise in nationalism in many countries and regions. Understanding consumers’ mindset has never been more important. To varying degrees, people are shell-shocked. Futurist Faith Popcorn sees a desire in people for “safety, privacy and compassion” as they come to grips with a sense of unease and foreboding. She went on to say that consumers will look for those qualities in the brands they favor.
I would add that, as marketers and communicators, we must reckon with the reality that many of our customers sense that their lives are about to become upended in some way; that the life they took for granted a year ago is somehow going to change. This is a fraught environment in which to be marketing.