For those lucky few that have been able to experience and enjoy all that the recent Data Strategy Symposium had to offer, we all know – data is so hot right now. And no, that’s not just due to the Brad Pitt of Data(licious) being spotted at the conference. We got to really delve deep into the buzz topic of the moment, discuss what the hell it means and how can it really add value to our respective businesses.
The new cool
When I dreamt of a career in advertising (living the dream people, living the dream) who would have thought we should have really sat up and taken notice in maths class? Propensity modelling, regression analysis, algorithms. This is the new cool. Didn’t we all envisage brainstorming ads where gorillas drum to classic rock tunes?
For those that missed out, what did we learn? I learnt that Americans can be persuaded to swear in presentations, Optus are doing a great social listening job and scones do melt in the heat. And my favourite fact, there is real spy data and the methods we use in marketing are actually helping government intel. Perhaps if you get really good at it, one day we can save the world for real.
Technology, tools and platforms
Technology, tools and platforms came up a lot, there are of course about 413 tools we should all understand and if they don’t suit your needs, how about building your own? Once your tools are built, we must all make sure that we have cleansed, mined, centralised, organised and most importantly, owned our own data. You can follow the recipe in any order – just don’t miss the last ingredient.
Just get started!
A key takeout was to GET STARTED! If you don’t, your competitors already have. And you will be behind. It really hits home when you see how many brands of all sectors are attending the conference, people are sitting up and listening and there is a role data can play in any business.
Saying that, one really important point to note is that some businesses are already one step ahead – this isn’t due necessarily to talent, budget or company performance. It is due to the nature of the business. Not everyone is inherently data driven.
Sectors such as Service, Banks, Telco’s were always data driven and customer led. They are right at home with 1 2 1 communications so the evolution is a natural step. Other industries are struggling to know where to start. And that is OK. As per the step before, just get started! Data won’t solve all your business needs, but why not dip a toe into the data pool?
Count yourselves lucky
The real highlight for me was Chris Savage from STW’s inspirational and motivational speech, which wasn’t about data at all. He told us all how to work smarter, be more effective and stay relevant. And he made a great point. Anyone working in our industry sector right now is lucky; we are in a growth area where change, innovation and opportunity is on our doorstep. We should all count ourselves lucky and embrace the potential. Many people are unfortunately unable to state honestly that this is the case for their industries or sectors.
So in summary. Make friends with IT, get budget from your CMO’s and start proving the power of data. Every little bit counts.
About Jessica Woodward - Digital Marketing Manager, Nestle Purina
Jessica has worked with major Entertainment, FMCG and Electronics brands such as Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, HBO and Samsung in both the EMEA and APAC regions and is now Digital Marketing Manager for Nestle Purina. Jessica has an indepth understanding of consumer touchpoints leading to physical purchasing in the retail space and digital purchasing via devices and ecommerce enabled websites and apps.
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