Media, Advertising & Data Visualization: Its actually been with us all along...

Data Visualization seems to be one of the keywords of the moment within advertising and media, fueled by the industry's admirable intellectual hunger for greater efficiencies & the 'next big thing'. However, as with all manner of zeitgeist within business, the concept seems to have become popular before its been fully quantified. We can take the amazing work of David McCandless and his book 'Information is Beautiful', the commentary from blogs such as 'Flowing data' or the insightful work of Edward Tufte and say this is all exciting 'data visualization', but what else does the term entail and what does it mean for marketing communications?

The undeniable fact is that data is being generated at an exponential rate, fueled by the huge amount of available producers of data. Experts such as Google's Marissa Mayer have been quick to point out that the devices we carry today have become 'ubiquitous nano-sensors', producing an increasing amount of information about the environment around them and the behaviour of those interacting with the device. Coupling data producers with the ability to disseminate large scale data sets efficiently means that an 'explosion' of data is already occurring. Given this, we can assume 'data visualization' is the important step of showing this data, but is it really that simple?

This is an interesting data visualization....(via Fast Company)

As the data available grows, synthesizing data into useful information becomes even more important than it already is. There can be no visualization without an understanding of what you're trying to illustrate and understanding hinges on the ability to filter and arbitrate a cacophony of data sources. Therefore, the first steps in any kind of visualization are what they have always been: aggregating useful data sets, interrogating the data into useful information and then preparing to convey this insights to others. Whether these steps qualify as 'data visualization' or the pre-requisites to such is semantic, because without a proper 'story' to convey, any visualization loses its meaning. So, if effective data visualization entails the entire process of understanding, shaping and conveying data towards a useful vehicle for information, what does it mean to marketers?

This is also a data visualization, even though it lacks the aesthetic complexity of the last example..

'Data visualization' as we define it above isn't a new thing in marketing or specifically, marketing communications. As an industry, we've been awash in data for years, limited only by our interest and ability to shape such into useful information. Data sources found in market research, targeting, channel effectiveness predictions, campaign analytics, sales data and others have required the process mentioned within 'data visualization' since before the digital revolution to yield towards marketing objectives effectively. Whether an agency or client side, the process of aggregating, filtering, synthesizing and conveying is integral to business, whether it is done implicitly or explicitly. So if 'data visualization' is something we've done for years, why should it matter so much now? Is the current push towards a 'data driven' or 'data is beautiful' industry philosophy just hype?

Simply put, the amount of hype around the concept is at normal levels for something within advertising & media. However, the current push towards 'data visualization' is actually a confluence of the advancement of technology, increasing analytical interest and the advertising/media industry's progression. Even though we are, as an industry, innately data visualizers and story tellers, the requirements and capacity to do so effectively have increased. Though the amount of data available requires a greater understanding of how to use it, it also generates new opportunities to deliver approachable insights.

The 'data visualization' concept in the industry now isn't a shiny new toy, but an increasing remit to wield current concepts and abilities in a new manner. Creating clearer, more approachable stories with data is the heart of data visualization, be it with a static graphic or an interactive widget. The concept may entail amazing looking productions based on data, but at its core, data visualization is marrying data handling skills with the creativity to convey insight in the most effective manner, be it flashy or plain.