Amazon’s Coming & It’s Probably NOT Going To Need Aussie Ad Agencies
In his latest column (dare we say outburst?), B&T’s regular columnist and contrarian, Robert Stohfeldt, says we live in a world of data but few in adland can even scratch the surface. However, he has an ominous warning of Amazon’s pending arrival and its huge (see: we don’t need ad agencies) data in-house capabilities…
Much has been said about Amazon and its impact on not just retail, but business in general. In all the hype, one key point has been overlooked. Yes, they are believers in the power of data, but they have recognised that data scientists won’t be part of the plan.
There is a huge rush to courses teaching data science, but these courses are to genuine data analysis what a first aid course is to a medical degree.
Amazon is employing economists and human behaviourists with PhDs. Why? Science has been using “data” for hundreds of years. But you will not find a “data scientist” in the world of science. Instead you will find scientists, as in zoologists, geologists, chemists, physicists etc. and working alongside them are mathematicians. (Even Einstein, who had a pretty good understanding of maths, needed to work with pure mathematicians.)
A mathematician does not need to understand consumer behaviour. They work in a team with an expert in this area.
Statistics is applied mathematics – in particular, calculus and linear algebra. For all those people rushing to data science courses, you are really learning to be a glorified data entry operator.
Unless you did advanced maths at high school and continued with pure and statistical mathematics at university, you are just scratching the surface. Learning enough to be dangerous. Statistics is not statistical mathematics. A question for the “data scientists” out there. How do you explain i? (The square root of minus one) and complex numbers or eigenvalues. They didn’t teach you that in your data science course? How about a tangent to an affine plane? Basic calculus will teach you about the importance of the tangent line in differentiation. But that is only two dimensional. You will be dealing with multiple variables, hence the need for matrixes and finding a tangent to a plane of numerous dimensions. If all of this sounds like gobbledygook, then move onto something you understand and leave data well alone.
And off the shelf algorithms won’t be the answer. Every situation is different. You will need to be able to work out the Probability Density Function (PDF) from scratch, not just make an assumption the data fits a pre-determined computer model. Then you will need a computer programmer, not just some coding cowboy, who can write the programme for the raw data to be fed into.
Mathematicians don’t understand human behaviour. Nor do they need to. They work in a team with people who understand human behaviour – one does the maths, the other interprets the results.
Our industry has been suckered by the Google, Facebook duopoly because fooling the media agencies with numbers is like the old “taking candy from a baby”. I have sat through any number of presentations by the big media shops as they show off their proprietary analytical tools, which to be diplomatic, are total garbage that could be pulled apart by a 1st year university maths student.
We now have the media dominated by this duopoly who have used media agencies as an entrée to clients. They will be (already are) cutting you out of the relationship. No one needs a middleman these days.
I have yet to meet one person in media who has studied mathematics at university. (There may be one or two out there and if they are, they will understand what I am getting at).
Amazon won’t need ad agencies. They will do all their work in-house. They may engage specialist consultants on occasions, but these people will not be from the advertising industry.
Predicting the future has always inexact. It is fair to look at the past to predict the future, but in so many instances, something pops up out of left field (something no one could have predicted, such as 9/11) which changes everything.
Advertising has become obsessed with technology and in many ways, that is fair, as we live in a world not only dominated by technology, but one in which the speed of progress keeps accelerating. How do we future proof ourselves?
Probably the most important thing I learned from a mathematics degree is that creativity cannot be formularised. Yes, there are people spending huge amounts of time and money trying to get AI to act creatively. Even the term Artificial Intelligence is misleading. People interpret it literally. Somewhere along the line we went from calling them computers to AI, resulting in the perception they think. Well they do not. Machine learning has come a long way, but a computer (AI) can only solve a problem is it programmed to do so. If a person cannot work out how to solve a problem, there is not a computer in the world that can it do for them.
Creative thought is something AI cannot do and the day they are able to, well it will probably mark the end of civilisation. Making a machine that is smarter than us and knows we are a threat to it is not a very smart evolutionary move. (Though many neurologists argue this day will never come due to the basic differences in the working of a human brain and even the most powerful computers.).
Stick to jobs that require creative thinking, as opposed to the repetitive and formularised and you will always be needed. The move to data scientists and letting the foxes into the hen house (Google & Facebook) is edging advertising closer and closer to extinction.
Hopefully you won’t have to explain to your grandchildren what an advertising agency was.
Latest News
Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm
Sydney Comedy Festival 2024 is live and ready to rumble, showing the best of international and homegrown talent at a host of venues around town. As usual, it’s hot on the heels of its big sister, the giant that is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, picking up some acts as they continue on their own […]
Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth
The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the final epic lineup of local and global marketing powerhouses for RESET for Growth 2024. Lead image: Josh Faulks, chief executive officer, AANA Back in 2000, a woman with no business experience opened her first juice bar in Adelaide. The idea was brilliantly simple: make healthy […]
Is Meta’s New AI Chatbot Too Left-Wing?
Meta's chatbot accused of being left-wing after being caught wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt & listening to Billy Bragg.
TV Ratings (23/04/2024): Why Did No One Tell Angela That Farmer Wants A Wife Is Set On A Farm?
As wonderful as this headline is, let's face it, we all know an 'Angela', don't we?
PubMatic Unveils New AI Partnership To Turn Social Posts Into Ads For Any Digital Channel
Here's some nifty tech for turning social posts into ads. Assuming said posts aren't one-star character assassinations.
Intuit Mailchimp Makes A Splash With Its First Australian Brand Campaign
Ever laugh along at a gag you didn't get so as not to appear dumb? Get ready for more feigning with this new work.
GumGum’s Rob Hall: Advertisers Can No Longer “Rely On Binary Descriptions” Of Consumers
If anyone's got their finger on adtech's pulse, it's Rob Hall. He also avoids using the good paper in the office printer
Mastercard Nabs Florencia Aimo From Marriott International
Marriott International's Florencia Aimo jumps from the hotel business to the exploitative credit card one.
Bastion Agency Appoints Cheuk Chiang As New ANZ CEO
Cheuk Chiang takes the reins over at Bastion Agency. But not the rains down in Africa.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Major Sponsorship Wins After A Disappointing Week In Sport
B&T continuing our deep dive into local sport sponsorships & that's despite not a single offer of a free ticket as yet.
Macca’s Marketing Director, Samantha McLeod On Big Mac Chant: “What Was Once Old Is Now Cool Again”
Macca's using the power of nostalgia in latest Big Mac campaign. Well, only for those who've ever eaten one sober.
World Premiere Of Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line To Open Sydney Film Festival 2024
Oil's biopic to open Sydney Film Festival. Here's hoping Molly Meldrum will take his pants down at the premiere.
Entries Are Now Open For The 2024 Brandies, IntelligenceBank’s Annual Brand Marketing Awards
The Brandies are, of course, a prestigious marketing gong and not the mystery tipple favoured by nannas everywhere.
The Fred Hollows Foundation Appoints Ardent For PR
Yes, we all like to have a joke at PR's expense. But sometimes it does important work, like this.
AI, eCommerce & Marketing Specialists Are In Increased Demand By Businesses, New Data From Fiverr Shows
Has your philosophy & anthropology degree left you with nothing but a huge HECS debt? Here's what you should've studied.
Perth’s First 3D Anamorphic Billboard Arrives Courtesy Of oOh!media
Do you love a buzzword? Now you can add anamorphic to the list as it relates to billboards, not a colleague's ears.
MasterChef Australia & Crown Resorts Launch Unique Dining Experience With ALUMNI
A pop-up restaurant staffed by MasterChef contestants! That's fine dining prices for first-year apprentice chef cuisine!
Amanda Laing Announces Resignation From Foxtel Group
Foxtel's chief commercial & content officer heads for the exits. Read nice things the bosses said about her right here.
The Lost Letters From Our Diggers: News Corp Unveils ANZAC Day Special
It's nice when brands respectfully acknowledge ANZAC Day.
Howatson+Company Acquires Akkomplice
Large indie acquires a slightly smaller indie. Much like a shark eating a tuna, just with less thrashing and blood.
Google Delays Third-Party Cookie Deprecation Again
In good news for the sale of picture library biscuit photos, Google continues to tease over the end of cookies.
Education A Low Priority For Aussies More Concerned With Cost Of Living Forethought Study Reveals
Study finds Aussies cutting back on education due to cost of living. Booze & Uber Eats sales remain largely unaffected.
“I’m Still The Same Person That I Was”: Rikki Stern Says “Fucc It” To Cancer Stereotypes
B&T always happy to promote the anti-cancer cause. Even brands that massively overdo it with the hot pink.
The Unapproved Climate Certification Allegedly Causing Mass Greenwashing
Are you left flummoxed in the canned tuna & free range eggs aisle? Just wait till this green certification gets up.
TV Ratings (22/04/2024): Fans Mock “Over The Top” Reaction To New MasterChef Judges
MasterChef returns for its 2024 season. B&T stands by putting peppercorns in Gravox & no one will be any the wiser.
Dentsu Restructure: Muddle, Harvey & Johnston Take Leadership Baton As Bass & Yurisich Exit
A large broom has swept through Dentsu's local ops this morning, taking with it some big names & the air con's cobwebs.
Industry Shares Trends Shaping The Industry This International Creators Day
B&T's asking adland creators to reveal their top trends. And it's not good news for your Jenny Kee cardigan collection.
Mable Extends HOYTS Sensory Screenings Partnership
Mable has extended its HOYTS sensory screening partnership. Vigorously defends its two-star Oppenheimer review.
Orphan Launches ‘They Need Our Help. We Need Yours’ For Children’s Cancer Institute
Anything to do with childhood cancers has B&T's 110% support. That said, we do ignore the red meat & alcohol warnings.
Smile Team Orthodontics & Keep Left Collaborate On Smile-Inducing Campaign
As parents would attest, given the cost of orthodontics you'd expect this campaign to be a lavish production indeed.
Opinion: How Video Calls Neglect Learning Diversity
Need an excuse to duck out of a video call this arvo? Show this to your boss.
DoubleVerify Achieves First-Of-Its-Kind Responsible AI Certification From TrustArc
DoubleVerify receives responsible AI certification. However, not its robotic vacuum that's been seen menacing the cat.
Smile For A Good Cause: The Social Media Campaign Giving Back To The Community
Are you known as the office Austin Powers? More for you teeth than shagability? Get snappy new fangs with this news.
Elon Musk Mocks Albo After ESafety Wins Court Injunction Against X
Albo's 2024 from hell continues - Rabbitohs in crisis, down in the polls and now feuding with world's richest man.
Real Estate Developer In Hot Water Over “Sexually Exploitative” OOH Campaign
Real estate agents again tops in the 'least trusted profession' polls, nudging used car salesmen & ad creatives.
Epsilon’s Shane Hanby: Post-Cookie Era Relies On “Teamwork” Between Brands, Marketers & Tech
This pro predicts more "teamwork" in a post-cookie era. Which spells bad news for the uncooperative or plain stubborn.