Global Perspectives is my new regular voyage through the best marketing ideas and perspectives to inform and inspire. Here’s what’s grabbed my attention this week…
Do tech companies need to be regulated?
We think so, but as always we must regulate with care. These are two articles informing my thinking this week.
#1: Antitrust scholar, Dina Srinivasan, has addressed the power of the Googleplex in this must-read commentary. She makes a compelling argument that Google (and by implication other digital ad platforms) need to be much more regulated, in-line with stock markets.
Google says that “its ad tools benefit both advertisers and publishers, no regulation necessary.” To Srinivasan, believing that claim would be like “trusting J.P.Morgan to run the New York Stock Exchange” which has to be the quote of the week.
#2: If you want to delve deeper into this topic then this summary of the congressional hearings on big tech from Ben Thompson at Stratechery is helpful.
Data geeks need to understand that not everyone is a data geek.
I love data. Really! But not everyone works the same way. The power of data visualization is still under-appreciated and under-used.
Having said that, some graphics only create more confusion! So, if you are going to use data visualization it needs to be done well. I recommend this starter guide to making your data shine and this monthly digest of the best data visualisations is a great resource.
It’s also interesting to note that it’s not new. Florence Nightingale was using data visualization in the 19th century to make her point clear!
When data-driven marketing works, and when you need to trust your instinct.
While the team at the GMA are advocates of the power of data to inform marketing it must always be used with caution. So it’s well-worth reading this take on why we can’t always rely on data. I particularly liked the idea that “culture moves faster than data”.
Don’t get me wrong, data is an essential tool in the marketer’s handbook if it’s done right. GMA contributor Rob Bennett argues that AI might be the answer.
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Listening is an undervalued skill.
Almost every company I speak to tells me how they are customer-focused and have a voice of the customer team. Ask them how that has translated into real change and you normally start smelling BS straight away.
Punk CX author Adrian Swinscoe (friend of the GMA) encourages you to truly listen to your customers and employees.
Listening is not just for customer service departments. It’s now an essential skill for all leaders. But don’t listen and ignore. Taking action based on what you hear is critical.
I enjoyed this ad from Wix who listened to their customers when they said they were seeing too many ads. OK so it’s a bit cheesy but I like the sentiment!
An information bank worth raiding
Finally, I recently came across the World Economic Forum Strategic Intelligence site which aggregates together a huge amount of resources and material on subjects as diverse as digital identity, climate change and the future of energy; to the impact of systemic racism and 3D printing. It also has a neat visualisation that links different topics together so you can see adjacencies. Amazingly useful.
What have you been reading this week? Share your perspectives in the comments below.
Title Image by WorldInMyEyes from Pixabay