How to strike the balance of art and science in your marketing

For decades there’s been an ongoing debate about whether marketing is more of an art or more of a science. Both sides have a solid case, and by and large, the consensus is that it’s both.

Yet with the prevalence of digital-oriented marketing and social media, the balance seems to have shifted more to the science side.

Marketing campaigns are now measured faster and more accurately than ever before, courtesy of the many thousands of analytical tools that have flooded the market.

In many ways, that’s great for marketers, because as Dell Founder Michael Dell aptly stated, “anything that can be measured, can be improved.”

But on the flip side with everyone having access to the newest marketing technologies, and more people using tools amplify their marketing reach, the ability to cut through the noise is paramount. 

As a result, the need (and demand!) for creativity and artistry to create engaging content, campaigns and communications has also risen dramatically.

Cutting through the clutter and fostering emotional connection requires human imagination, creativity and strategy at its finest.

While creativity by its very nature can’t be measured, the results of it often can. 

All that said, I was mulling this concept over recently and as I did, my mind was opened up to a few new insights in this arena – which shifted my perception of both camps.

 Marketing as Art

Marketing is an art because it is often subjective and open to interpretation.

It requires creative thinking and can't be judged as an absolute right or wrong - only "preferred" and that comes down to the individual.

The campaigns prepared by top agencies in the countries in TV shows like The Gruen Transfer can split judges right down the middle - with each side holding a valid opinion why one or the other speaks to them "more".

Despite the advances in technology, marketing is still about making an emotional connection with an audience and inspiring them to take action. It’s about using the creative process to impart the message by invoking the senses.

 Much like real artists, true marketers are still willing to take risks and do something that has never done before.

Fresh ideas and novel concepts must be generated to stand out and I'm seeing the pace for this accelerating.

Progressive marketing agencies continue to come up with new marketing concepts that break the mould of the so-called “tried and tested” formulas.

Where the artistic genius kicks in

A real marketer is aware that her resources and raw materials are much the same as her competition.

It’s the same with painters, poets, and musicians where everyone has the same basic commodities to work with. Words, sounds, textures and colours. 

 However, they still produce different outputs and results based on their techniques and mastery of their craft.

So it is with true marketing artists.

It's not about the tools per se. These just enhance the output in the hands of the skilled practitioner. 

But a true artist can create beauty and brilliance out of seemingly the most basic of tools.

Marketing as Science

On the flip side, there’s no doubt marketing is also a scientific pursuit. A lot of what goes into a marketing campaign is measured to help decide the best course of action.

It involves a data gathering and testing of what works and what doesn’t.

Marketing also goes into an understanding of the customer’s psychology, behaviour, and habits.

But here’s where it takes me back to those 8th Grade science classes.

Observation - Hypotheses - Experimentation - Results - Conclusion.

(well that's what it was in my Grade 8 back in 1987 anyway!)

Marketing by its very nature is a results-based yet observation-driven practice.

The success of a marketing campaign is dependent on a lot of planning, experimenting, and testing out of hypotheses.

Concepts such as split-testing, optimisation and the need to consistently try new things, and explore new frontiers are necessary.

Staying safe and doing "rinse and repeat" marketing tactics year after year is no longer an option. 

Analysing the results some will be decisive, others less clear, with many surprises (and often moving targets) in the mix as we navigate today's very complex and fast-shifting landscape.

The strategic nature of marketing requires looking into the data and using it to inform decisions, optimise performance and deliver the best outcomes.

And when this is usually linked to ROI on marketing spend, or hitting revenue goals and business objectives, the systematic use of these scientific principles can make all the difference.

Integrating Arts and Science into Marketing

The introduction of the Internet, mobile devices, and social media brought a host of new marketing challenges in the last two decades.

New technologies and concepts are disrupting numerous industries and markets, and marketing is no exception.

Yet what's become equally clear in 2020 is that there's been a major shift in the human psyche and the way they interact with brands that also needs to be factored in. 

Along with artistry and science, Intuition and common sense in marketing are now a necessity. Especially when a crisis hits and decisions need to be made on the fly.  

It's not to say that art and science are any less important. They still hold their place as the queen and king of modern marketing, guided by their two trusted advisors.

 The wisdom and connection that comes by leaning into intuition and the voice of reason of common sense. 

 Wrapping it Up

Good marketing is an art born of creativity and the use of imagination.

 This is expressed in so many ways - from strategy to messaging, visual interpretation and selection of tactics, just to name a few. 

It is also a science, which uses the scientific method to establish what works and what doesn’t. Particularly when it comes to execution.

Add to that a good dose of common-sense (push pause on your plan during a time of crisis) and intuition and you've got a marketing approach that is sound and will keep your ship steady even through the roughest of seas.

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