Creativity vs Data, Left Brain vs Right Brain

On Tuesday, July 28, The Trade Desk Chief Marketing Officer, Susan Vobejda, joined WEBIT’s virtual Brand Innovation conference for a keynote session on the future of modern marketing and brand building. She was joined by Dr. Plamen Russev, Executive Chairman of the WEBIT Foundation; Chuck Porter, Chairman and Partner at Crispin Porter Bogusky; and Elizabeth Brier, Assistant Editor at Forbes.

In an era defined by the impact of a global pandemic, Susan and Chuck each highlighted the importance of agility and data as they think about how marketing campaigns are likely to evolve.

“Talk with any marketer today, and the only thing they want to talk about is agility, even with TV advertising,” said Vobejda. "Our lives are being reset and there's a tremendous opportunity for brands to capture share as people look for new solutions. If you're a brand and you’re not thinking about how to capture share and how to experiment with new media and new technology, that’s a problem."

“The future belongs to the fast, the nimble and the cheap,” added Porter. “A lot of people are doing work very fast now, on a shoestring, and it’s terrific. Advertising will look a lot less like movies, and more like newscasts. People will be more opportunistic.”

The panel also discussed the integration of creative and data skills as critical to the success of the modern marketer.

“We’ve always thought about marketing as the combination of left brain, right brain,” said Vobejda, “but now it’s hyper left brain and hyper right brain. And no one person has both.” Getting this integration right, she asserted, would take the right blend of skills on diverse teams, incorporating data and analytics capabilities, along with contemporary creative.

Building on this point, the panelists highlighted various critical focus areas for marketers as they adapt to their new normal:

• Leverage CTV -- a “once in a generation shift driven by changing viewer preferences. It’s a great way to reach your audience where they are, especially younger, connected customers” said Vobejda.
• Always have an eye on what’s changing – Build the strongest possible teams, with top talent, to lead all disciplines.
• Invest in your own skills – And build those hyper-left-brain and hyper-right-brain sensibilities.
• Be authentic – Modern marketing starts with purpose and is fueled by data.
• Understand the customer – The most successful brands harness data and creativity to engage their audience.

Vobejda showcased how this approach helped inform The Trade Desk’s recent "Media for Humankind” brand campaign which highlights the advantages of the open internet for advertisers looking to make the most of their data, and in funding a wide range of content, voices and journalism. To develop the campaign, Vobejda had to get at “what The Trade Desk stands for, authentically…infusing our brand DNA in the work and then adding the humanity.”

Watch the full discussion here.