The lowdown from your ringside civilian reporter…
It was like watching two heavyweights slug it out over an epic 15-round bout at this year’s Media360.
In the red corner, the champion fighter, Sugar Ray Emotion.
This is the established warrior of the marketing world, weaving stories into advertising campaigns that are wonderful enough to make grown men cry (see John Lewis) or make airlines pimp up their wings (hello, British Airways). Suger Ray was old school, preaching stories for brands that float from the gut of Creativity and sting with real Emotion.
In the blue corner, the young pretender to the crown, Big Joe Data.
Whatever you might feel, Big Joe has it covered, processed and is so confident in the marketing ring, that he knows what punch you’re going to throw before you’ve even thought of it. He’s huge, the biggest fighter we’ve seen and growing exponentially by the day, eating his way through high-fibre protein diets of Tweets, Likes, Searches and Clicks. Big Joe knows what he sees and learns fast.
The audience was enthralled as these two fighters traded blows across the sessions during the two days, each trying to out-box the other. But Rory Sutherland from Ogilvy and Mather nailed Big Joe with a one-liner when he asked the young fighter if it has been training on the incorrect diet, relying on software for the wrong operating system – the rational mind, rather than the emotional one.
It was left to the team from John Lewis to wipe the floor with Big Joe when they declared their most successful ad of the year wasn’t pre-tested.
The Champion, Sugar Ray Emotion, emerged victorious, waving the flag for all those peacock brands out there and laughing at the penguins.
Until next year, fight fans. When Big Joe Data will be back once more. Bigger, smarter, wiser.
