You can’t predict an earthquake.
Why?
Let’s just say, we’re dealing with a lot of moving parts.
And a lot of mythology.
We’re really good at modeling and analyzing the data once the event has happened.
Working after the quake event, reactions are behind the curve.
No matter how hard you study the past, find patterns and insights – you won’t be able to predict the next event.
You can fall back on everything you know about earthquakes and create new knowledge.
But you can’t predict anything.
Marketing faces the same challenge.
It’s important to have a vast knowledge base: Research, Insights, Competition, Marketplace, Economy. No matter what you know and how much data you sift through, it won’t help you in predicting anything. Only the ability to create new knowledge, information/communication which does not yet exist can put you in charge and position you ahead of the curve to shake up an industry, a brand, category or segment.
Our industry’s obsession with data is based on the belief that the dead and lifeless data staring at us from a spreadsheet will somehow help us to determine a trend.
Problem is, we’re dealing with a lot of moving parts.
Basing your business decision on dead data is bound to end up a disaster. A small part of marketing is about digesting knowledge.
The bigger part of marketing is about engaging the future.
You can’t measure your way to a breakthrough.
You can’t analyze your way to a game-changer.
By the time you’re done studying and analyzing an earthquake, the event will be long past.
You need to create the event.