Are Data & Creativity Mutually Exclusive?

We know that the left side of the brain is home to creativity, while the right side is more logical in its stance. Usually, people tend to use one side more dominantly than the other. But how does it tie in with advertising? Well, advertising is one of the areas that constantly juggles with siding either with creativity or data or even both. 

While today's explosion of data, automation and other tools has broadened the horizon of possibilities, it has also led to questioning if data will eventually edge out creativity. Given that creativity is often touted as the backbone of advertising, we speak with some of the leading marketers who weigh on the overall data vs creativity debate.

Udit Malhotra, Head of Marketing, MG Motor India believes that the two must complement each other and shouldn't be treated as mutually exclusive. "The bigger question, as a marketer, should be if we have an audience-first mindset? For me, it is a complementing exercise and that's how I see it going. However, data can enable creativity and not demolish it," he adds.

Ruchika Gupta, CMO, Luminous Power Technologies describes data as the ingredient and creativity as the recipe for a great dish. "There is no scenario which will have only one of them," she asserts.

Tabrez Alam, Chief Data and Strategy Officer, Bobble AI also suggests that both of them complement each other but should not be exclusive. "if they disconnect, there will be a lot of NOs than YES'. it is important to understand that data fuels the right audience but the right message comes from creativity," he emphasises.

Prasun Kumar, CMO, Just Dial also sees data and creativity as inseparable. "While data governs, creativity drives. The ROI-driven mindset looks at data as the be-all and end-all. But to say that creativity, as a process can exist in siloes, is not possible."

For Sumeli Chatterjee, Head - Integrated Marketing Experiences (IMX), India & Southwest Asia, Coca-Cola, it is all about how much data and how much creativity. "There is no one formula. It works differently for different audiences. In the coming years, we will stop treating them differently. I see data and creativity in a circular journey, the sooner they come together, the happier we will be."

To conclude, the leaders are in consensus that it is not 'either or' but 'and'. While the two may be different in their offerings, they can not overrule each other. it will be interesting in the times to come to see how data and creativity marry each other for a happier ending.