Magic Numbers: How Data Can Lead to a Creative Idea with James Northway

James has always been involved in roles which use data to create better communications, originally with DunnHumby focused on loyalty card data, and for the past 20 years with media agencies (Dentsu, IPG, WPP). For the last ten years he has worked in regional or global roles, the last eight years at Wavemaker. 

Currently global head of data, his role is to advise our clients and teams on creating data strategies that will enable deeper insight, smart audience builds, and connection into activation and measurement. 

In particular the last two years have focused on the seismic changes occurring within the digital identity space, and how this is reshaping our industry and creating new opportunities. 

LBB> What’s the number one question that clients are coming to you with when it comes to how they can better use data to enhance the creativity of their content and experiences?

James> This really is the number one question! We could break it down into a few areas: How can we use our combined experience across clients to accelerate a brands adoption of data driven creative? How can we use a brand’s historic results to build intelligence on data driven creative? How can we use data to stitch together the personalised experience across paid and owned properties?

LBB> How can you make sure that data is elevating creative rather than forming a windtunnel effect and knocking all the interesting or unique edges off that make something distinctive?

James> My experience is often the opposite of this. When we are using data to deliver more personalised or relevant creative the challenge is to find the right balance of variations to complexity and cost. 

LBB> Can you share with us any examples of projects you’ve worked on where the data really helped boost the creative output in a really exciting way?

James> A campaign executed by our Wavemaker India team, which looks to deploy personalised ads in a purely contextually-relevant scenario; power outages are identified from government data feeds, localised to a geographic area, and users with eligible mobile devices with activated features (e.g. torch-light on, ascertained through partnerships with Airtel & Mobinet) are targeted in the DSP to be shown an appropriate creative for the client’s at-home uninterruptible power supply products. It is the ingestion of the trigger data, the activation on specific devices with a specific feature, the implementation in the DSP, and the technology partnerships to achieve it which make this a great way to sharpen the creative cut-through at the moment which matters to the consumers, elevating creative relevance.

LBB> More brands are working to create their own first party data practice - how can a brand figure out whether that’s something that is relevant or important for their business? 

James> The value of First Party data has probably been overstated as a response to the demise of many Third-Party data sources. First Party as a classification can be unhelpful, referring only to ownership rather than type or use. I would encourage brands to start with an overarching Data Strategy, and within that building the case (or not) for First Party data. At a more tactical level, it’s possible to test a wide range of First Party use cases without incurring large, fixed costs or building a practice, to help establish and prove out value for a business case.

LBB> We talk about data driving creativity, but what are your thoughts about approaching the use of data in a creative way?

James> Data can lead to a creative idea, or an idea can lead to the creative use of data. The challenge here is that to use data well you need rigour, process, standardisation and so on. And these can all be the enemies of creativity. We try to overcome the challenges by working in small groups with a blend of very different skill sets, and use short (sometimes just a day) sprints to collectively find innovative ways to use data

LBB> "Lies, damned lies, and statistics" - how can brands and creative make sure that they’re really seeing what they think they’re seeing (or want to see) in the data, or that they’re not misusing data?

James> This is probably the oldest challenge in data! It’s one thing to minimise data bias, another to remove it from yourself or your teams. In a world where everything seems to need to move very fast, there is no substitute for an analyst or data scientist really spending time exploring the data and ensuring they understand what it does and doesn’t mean.

LBB> What are your thoughts about trust in data - to what extent is uncertainty and a lack of trust in data (or data sources) an issue and what are your thoughts on that?

James> Lack of trust in data is becoming a much bigger issue in the industry. Much of this has been driven by regulation changes (e.g GDPR) and ecosystem changes (e.g IDFAs in 14.5), ripping a hole in many of the core data systems we use to create insight, target, and measure. We see organisations clinging to old approaches and trying to stretch what is left across the wounds as sticky plasters. This results in a lot of estimations, fusions, extrapolations and so forth. Very rarely is this transparent, and it seems to be getting worse, rather than switching to different (albeit maybe less useful) approaches. I would rather have less data which was accurate, than more which is of murky provenance. 

LBB> With so many different regulatory systems in different markets regarding data and privacy around the world - as well as different cultural views about privacy - what’s the key to creating a joined up data strategy at a global level that’s also adaptable to local nuances?

James> We have run research on this topic recently, which shows that data works in very different ways in different markets. The role of global is too free up local markets to experiment with different tactics, but also to establish and maintain the overall data philosophy of the brand. This would encompass responsible data practice (see below) and is both internal and consumer facing. In addition, whilst regulation varies from market to market, we would be seeking to operate at the global high-water mark, which is often seen as GDPR.

LBB> What does a responsible data practice look like?

James> Beyond of course being legally compliant, to me it means thinking ethically. Are you explaining clearly and simply to consumers how you are using the data they give you? Would you be comfortable explaining to a journalist how you use data? Are you thinking about the carbon emissions associated with storing and processing data?

LBB> In your view, what’s the biggest misconception people have around the use of data in marketing?

James> That you must use AI, or advanced analytical approaches to create value. Yes, sometimes these can unlock data’s potential, but its just as likely that some simple analysis will turn up something magical.

LBB> In terms of live issues in the field, what are the debates or developments that we should be paying attention to right now?

James> We all know that we are in the eye of the identity disruption storm. What is the future for individual level IDs given the compounding pressures of both data and competitive legislation, combined with a desire from brands to become more ethical in how they use data? What kind of a role does individual data have in the future, and how will we adapt to the non PII products and approaches that are emerging?