May infoxication not discourage us, may it give us wings!
We already saw it coming, but today it is a reality and we are immersed in hundreds and hundreds of slides, data and new listening tools and constant reporting about every step that consumers take regarding our categories and brands. It is as if the data were a security blanket rather than a guide and we had lost a little of the ability to decide.
When we read about infoxication a few years ago, we did imagine hundreds of data and a bit of confusion; but we did not foresee the demotivation that this was going to cause us. Navigating rivers of data, contradictory descriptions of the target, hundreds of ways to relate to the category and our brands is extremely tiring… but come on, a little encouragement. If we think about it, it is something that machines have not stolen from us!
And this is where the role of a consultant becomes essential. Despite the advances in Artificial Intelligence, there still does not seem to be a reliable and truthful substitute that is responsible for analyzing the information, understanding what is most relevant and giving relevant suggestions to brands. The number of “data analysts” is growing in companies, but it seems that the number of true information analysts who will provide a point of view of said data does not grow at the same time.
The true strategists, the ones who really shine, will be the ones who overcome the soporific task of navigating hundreds of pieces of data. Be really brave and face the problem; That is, taking the step that no one else dares to take, leading the team towards the direction that their professional career outlines as the correct one.
True strategists will also be able to train and motivate these data analysts so that they themselves are the ones who “curate” the input information and dare to give hypotheses about why they see what they see. Why is the trend of the numbers like this, what is the reason for the growth, the decrease, the changes. And today the data part and the strategy part are sadly little talked about.
For this reason, we believe that technology, at least in our field, must be made more human. The analysis skills of a professional will never replace the most advanced tool. The selection criteria are within ourselves, and inviting the client to accompany us in this process, which remains 100% human, will also unite us as a team.
Let us therefore embrace the human aspect of the analysis process, let us once again stand tall as experts. Let's rethink the value that strategy and consulting give to marketing. And let's not let ourselves be drowned by excess data. We are waiting for you on the other side.