The ‘failure’ of big data

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In a May 2011 special research report, Big data: The next frontier for innovation, competition, and productivity, the management consulting firm McKinsey put forth the case that “Big data will become a key basis of competition, underpinning new waves of productivity growth, innovation, and consumer surplus.” The McKinsey report went on to note that, “The amount of data in our world has been exploding. Leaders in every sector will have to grapple with the implications of big data, not just a few data-oriented managers. The increasing volume and detail of information captured by enterprises, the rise of multimedia, social media, and the Internet of Things will fuel exponential growth in data for the foreseeable future.”

General usage of the term “Big Data” can be traced to the McKinsey report and similar reports from IBM that ensued around this time. The McKinsey report was prescient in its observations that “Leaders in every sector will have to grapple with the implications of big data, not just a few data-oriented managers.” In retrospect, this was the key insight. From this point forward, interest in data would no longer be limited to the purview of “a few data-oriented managers,” but rather would become the purview of “leaders in every sector.” The McKinsey report went on to describe the advent of the era of Big Data as heralding “new waves of productivity growth, innovation, and consumer surplus.” The report contained one important caveat however, noting that these advances were all predicated “as long as the right policies and enablers are in place.”

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How AI is reshaping marketing

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Machine learning software and artificial intelligence have come a long way since their inception – and is only continuing to intensify. Taking over many industries, AI is swiftly changing the way professionals go about their business. So, what does this mean for marketing?

Artificial intelligence (AI) has come a long way since its inception. The rise in AI-powered marketing is taking the load off many marketers, and delegating to machines, allowing marketers to refocus their efforts onto marketing that matters and giving marketers more time to address any challenges that come their way.

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Why fraudulent ad networks are thriving

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When an advertising network is turned off and traffic plummets (top) while conversions stay steady (bottom), investigators have pinpointed fraudulent ad traffic. Source: Augustine Fou

A brand manager at a medical device company was examining a chart of daily traffic to his website. On the chart he saw that one day in August, web traffic plunged, and locked in at a new normal about half of its previous level. For someone responsible for a website’s traffic, the scale and swiftness of the drop should have made him gasp, but the manager nodded knowingly.

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The 5 trends that will change how social media is used in 2015

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According to a recent Duke University study, social media spending at companies, currently represents 9% of marketing budgets, and that’s forecast to rise to nearly 25% within five years, but half of marketers interviewed said they couldn’t show what impact social media had on their business – at all.   Continue reading… “The 5 trends that will change how social media is used in 2015”

Top 7 social media psychology studies that will make us better marketers

Social media is changing the way we relate to each other.

Social media is still a young and new form of communication. It’s too early to take anything as a given, so we’re all experimenting, testing and learning together. New studies and research are showing us more about how social media is changing the way we relate to one another, share information and even form our identities.

 

 

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The science of viral content: Why people share?

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Campaigns that succeed are those that carefully consider what makes content go viral. Does your marketing to-do-list include creating the next viral hit? If you’re in the marketing or social media industry, the answer is probably “Yes!” (and if you’re not, and the answer is probably still “Yes!”).

 

 

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Millennials are the consumers who will change the marketing landscape

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To sell to Millennials, you have to understand them.

The Millennial generation is the newest target audience for many brands. Their purchasing power is increasing and the Millennials will continue to drive consumer demand. Brands will need to reevaluate this generation and develop strategies for engaging them.

 

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Marketing isn’t really marketing anymore

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The role of a CMO today isn’t what it used to be.

When it comes time to hire a head of marketing, many tech entrepreneurs imagine bringing on someone who’s a master of SEO and A/B testing, who will drive millions of new visitors to their website. They may see a role for the CMO beyond this — perhaps they’ll ask their job candidates “How will your marketing take advantage of big data?”

 

 

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3D printing is Hollywood’s smartest new marketing tool

“The Key to Erebor”

Hollywood is embracing 3D printing in a big way. Warner Bros. will offer fans digital blueprints of “The Key to Erebor” to help market he Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug.  “The Key to Erebor” is a key item from the series, which fans can 3D print on their own or send to a company like Shapeways to print for them.

 

 

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