It’s not unusual for creatives to think that the data revolution doesn’t apply to them. Having been on the creative side of business for many years, I understand firsthand the importance of following the instinct, inspiration and gut feelings that come from experience and talent. But really, the science of data can do a lot to enhance the art of marketing. If you want to amp up your creative success, make sure to open the door to data.
Don’t let the term “data-driven creative” mislead you: it doesn’t mean turning off the creativity and letting algorithms churn out a stream of soulless messaging. Instead, it’s about powering your creative with detailed intelligence, so that your efforts—and the results—are more targeted, relevant and effective.
Data doesn’t drive
“Data-informed creative” is a more accurate way to define this powerful opportunity.
You’re not putting numbers and charts behind the wheel and relegating human inventiveness to the back seat. Data can be a passenger—one who helps with navigation, saving you wrong turns and unnecessary tolls. Data might even take you on a journey you didn’t expect, but that is rewarding just the same.
And here’s the thing: This is not entirely different from what you’re already doing. The decisions you make are influenced by data—in the form of the experiences stored in, and processed by, that computer in your head. You’re constantly using information you’ve gathered over a lifetime to analyze situations, draw conclusions and dream up campaigns that delight and influence audiences.
Smart, reliable data from the outside just helps make your internal computer smarter.
Location data = IRL insights
Consumer behavior can be widely mapped online—that’s not news. But despite how much time consumers spend swiping, browsing, and clicking on laptops, desktops, and mobile devices, they still live in the real world. They drink real coffee, shop for real clothes and (sometimes) do real workouts.
Location data now offers brands the ability to “see” that offline activity. Companies are no longer limited to being able to understand online visits. Now they can discern where customers are going IRL: when and for how long, whether they’ve been there before, and what other places they like to go. Combining those insights with your know-how makes for powerful results.
Location data can tell you whether customers buying gas on their commute to work or on the way home. Are they first-time visitors for a store or loyal repeat customers? Are shoppers hanging around for seconds or for hours?
Knowing how people are interacting with a brand allows you to segment and engage with them more appropriately. What is the most effective way to sell them breakfast on the way to work. How to get them to stick in your brick-and-mortar stores—or recognize that what they want is an in-and-out experience.
Understanding the audience more deeply lets you focus more on the quality of the creative and less on guesswork.
Beyond your brand
Knowing where customers go can also reveal valuable brand affinities. After that evening workout, are they hitting Sweetgreen or Dunkin Donuts? (And does it depend on the day of the week?) With the answer in your hands, you can build your messaging around the rewards of healthy eating—or the desire for indulgence.
Location information can help you situate campaigns for maximum impact, in the physical world and across platforms. Based on data, you might locate an ad outside that gym—or the local branch of a bank your customers visit.
Used wisely, data also cuts down on waste. When you know customers are visiting a coffee shop on a daily basis, you can steer away from competitive messaging. Instead of trying to convert people, you can focus your vision on increasing their spend and boosting referrals.
Data allows for A/B testing—in some cases in real time—which lets creatives be more efficient with their talents. If you know a campaign failed to encourage foot traffic, while another drew customers into a store, you can focus more tightly on the successful avenues. Digging deeper into the data can reveal which media channels worked best, at what time of day and on which kind of customers.
Information isn’t the enemy of creative, but an ally. Make sure to take data for a spin.
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Valentina Marastoni-Bieser (@VBieser) is the SVP of marketing at Cuebiq.
