Analytics versus Creativity

Posted by admin updated on 14 Oct, 2009

This is an interesting article by Mark Ritson of Branding Strategy Insider. It debates whether businesses are ignoring the qualitative and going too far with data-driven decision making?

Mark Ritson argues that data dulls creativity. The rising emphasis on using analytics to guide marketing decisions could be stifling marketers’ creativity. Creativity should be at the root of all marketing campaigns. The analytical route is more suited for an established brand. The article debates that creative and analytical skills are at opposite ends of the spectrum and should be applied depending on the stage of the product life-cycle.

I would suggest that this is not an either-or question; rather the two go hand-in-hand. Marketing is a blend of art and science. It requires both out-of-the-box thinking as well as the capacity to analyze a campaign’s results and tailor strategies based on those insights. It is about ‘focused creativity’. Analytics are required to mine the right markets, products, customers, and competitors; Art is required to develop a creative that resonates with the customer’s mindscape.

In recent years, there is a pronounced shift towards incorporating data into the decision making process. A recent report from Aberdeen provides evidence that the marketers are increasingly seeing analytical expertise in a whole new light. Companies looking to survive this uncertain economy cannot afford to spend their marketing budget on inspiration, without attending to the bottom line.

With an explosion in choices, the fierce battle for consumer attention can only be won by strategies driven by both creativity and analytics.

From the article: 30 Seconds on…Analytics Versus Creativity

  • ‘A big part of our innovation process is iteration. We try something, get a lot of feedback, then try something new. We let the math and the data govern how things look and feel.’ Marissa Mayer, vice-president of search, Google
  • ‘You can’t just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new.’ Steve Jobs, chief executive, Apple
  • ‘Long-gone is the day of the gut-instinct management style. Today’s business leaders are adopting algorithmic decision-making techniques and using highly sophisticated software to run their organizations.’ Ian Davis, worldwide managing director, McKinsey
  • ‘Let me suggest an alternative trend – the rise of heuristics over algorithms; qualitative over quantitative research; judgment over analytics; creativity over crunching. Smart executives are recognizing that the analytic approach to business has overreached.’ Professor Roger Martin, dean, Rotman School of Management.

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Mark Ritson is an associate professor of marketing and consultant to some of the world’s biggest brands.