Oh the humanity! How marketers can strike the right balance of digital and physical

For marketers today, working amid a sea of data, there’s a genuine need to foster real human connection in every campaign. ADMA revisits some razor-sharp insights from the Australian National University’s Dr Catherine Ball to outline how the marketing cohort can help shape a better future for us all.

We’ve come a long way since Mary Shelley first dreamed up Frankenstein, envisioning a world where technology could blur the boundaries of humanity further than ever before. 

But it’s also safe to say that the science fiction we’ve seen in books and movies is looking more like the reality we’re living in today. 

The pandemic certainly brought on unforeseen levels of digital integration. Where humans once moved from plastic cards to contactless payment, the conversation now is moving towards concepts like implantable technology. While there may be resistance to some of these ideas, the past tells us that convenience is one of the key drivers of digital adoption. It’s just a matter of time before new data, tech, and information reshapes our lives once again. 

But before we step off the cliff edge, we need to look at things through our uniquely human lens.

“It’s been a transitional time as the pandemic has progressed, and we’re now coming into a post-plague economy where authenticity is worth more than brand,” explains Dr Catherine Ball, Associate Professor at the Australian National University.
 

This hunger for real and authentic experiences and interactions is the guiding star for marketers and advertisers in a changing world. And data is a key building block to understanding the plethora of ways people consume content, products, and advertising. 

Unfortunately, a lot of the time, according to Ball, we prioritise the data over the individual. As the distance shrinks between data and humans, marketers must be careful to interrogate the kind of information they’re collecting so they don’t blur the lines even further.

“Data without humans is nothing,” says Ball. “As we enter the fifth industrial revolution, we need to ask’ ‘how is social technology going to enable society to be more accurate in terms of the predictions we make’?”

Data is clearly essential for marketers, but it isn’t a complete solution in itself. Relationships are being rebuilt in a post-COVD world, and brands need to position themselves thoughtfully as our community restitches together in 2022.

“It’s about being healthier and happier,” says Ball. “We need to take data and information and make decisions for good,” she says.

In the quest for genuine connection and authenticity, consumers will interrogate the values companies hold more closely than ever. It’s these same companies that will lead a revolution that will see the world transition from an Internet of Things to an Internet of Bodies, Ball believes. With that in mind, and knowing the power these brands have, it’s essential that companies are transparent and considerate with their data.

The avalanche of new tech has also created near bottomless data mines that marketers now maintain, and it’s inevitable that we’ll come to rely on AI even more to try and understand them. Using this information to help companies make decisions for good means being purposeful in how that data and AI is created, in Ball’s view.

“If there’s one thing we know, it’s that there’s two ears and one mouth when it comes to AI,” says Ball. “Whoever’s building the AI is controlling how we see that data. What you put in is what you get out.”

Understanding that AI wasn’t created in a vacuum and that it reflects all the flaws humans may have is key to understanding any bias in the data we use. Inclusivity and diversity are absolute necessities when we create these technologies. Diverse advertising won’t truly be representative unless these groups are part of the initial data analysis. 

“To be purposeful and meaningful means to actually understand the individual you’re working with,” explains Ball. “We now have a real opportunity to educate your clients and customers about new technologies,” she adds.

The pandemic has left its mark on everyone, but beyond all the uncertainty, there is a valuable opportunity to build the future for the better. Humans know what’s important to them, and that’s each other. Marketers shouldn’t squander this chance to transform brand messaging into a force for good in the world, particularly when we’re all craving genuine connections.

“We are humans first and users of technology second. That is key to the industry,” Ball concludes.

To leverage technology and data to drive actionable results to advance your strategy, learn with ADMA's Data-Driven Marketing Certificate.