Estimated Read Time: 5 minutes
On July 21, 2023 (Friday), the marketing networking event "Marketing HUB" took place at the Robert Half office, bringing together marketers from various industries to discuss the theme of "Perception Biases in Digital Marketing."
The talk session featured guest speakers Mario Crea, the Digital Experience Manager at Philip Morris International (PMI), and Mio Endo, the Client Success Lead at Similarweb Japan. They shed light on the common mistakes in data-driven marketing and discussed the crucial points to consider for making informed decisions.
Perception biases and the importance of unseen data
Mario Crea, the Digital Experience Manager at Philip Morris International, a company continuously driving transformation in the tobacco industry, discussed the significance of recognizing one's own "perception biases" as a marketer.
He stressed that these biases can heavily influence data analysis and decision-making processes. By being aware of such biases, marketers can avoid falling into the trap of interpreting data in a way that aligns with their preconceptions. Mario urged marketers to actively seek out unseen data and be open to alternative perspectives to enhance the effectiveness of their marketing strategies.
Mario Crea, Digital Experience Manager at Philip Morris International
"Perception Bias" refers to a cognitive bias that occurs when we subconsciously draw conclusions based on preconceptions, assumptions, and fixed beliefs.
Mario emphasized that one critical bias to be particularly cautious of during data analysis is the "Survivorship Bias." The Survivorship Bias occurs when only successful cases (survivors) are considered in research or effectiveness evaluations, while failed cases (non-survivors) are ignored, leading to misleading conclusions that do not reflect the actual situation. By solely focusing on successful data, there is a risk of drawing conclusions that diverge from reality, making it essential to be vigilant and avoid this bias.
As a prominent example of the Survivorship Bias, Mario mentioned the famous study about cats falling from tall buildings, where researchers arrived at the erroneous conclusion that "cats falling from higher floors have a higher survival rate" because they only considered the number of cats that survived the fall and disregarded those that did not survive. This oversight during data collection led to the misleading outcome.
Similarly, in the context of data-driven marketing, Mario points out that by solely focusing on familiar metrics such as bounce rates, page views, and session durations, marketers may miss out on uncovering new insights with significant potential. To make informed decisions, he emphasizes the importance of not only looking at “what you know” but also paying attention “what you don’t know”.
In summary, being aware of perception biases and the potential pitfalls of the survivorship bias is crucial in data analysis and data-driven marketing. By ensuring a comprehensive view of the data and being open to uncovering hidden insights, marketers can make more accurate and effective decisions.
Avoid being trapped by past successes
Furthermore, Mario advised, "We must not be overly fixated on past successes." Repeating steps that have worked well in the past, thinking they are the best approach, can not only lead to a lack of new and unexpected discoveries and learning opportunities but also trap the team in a short-term mindset, potentially losing the willingness to embrace new challenges.
To find new insights based on the data encountered in daily marketing tasks, Mario suggests making use of crossing metrics. By combining data sets that have not been previously linked and analyzing the results, one may stumble upon unexpected discoveries. The insights obtained through this approach can become compelling evidence when persuading other team members or stakeholders with biases.
The first step is to recognize your own perception bias
To avoid falling into misleading hypotheses or conclusions during data analysis, it is crucial to first recognize one's own "perception bias" and understand that personal viewpoints and thoughts may be biased. Mario emphasized, "It is essential to reflect on our daily actions and have the courage to bring about change. By not fixating solely on known data but also seeking new information and perspectives, we can broaden our horizons and gain richer knowledge and experiences."
A broad perspective is crucial for optimal data utilization
Similarweb, with its headquarters located in the IT powerhouse of Israel and offices in 11 locations worldwide, is making its presence known in Japan through Similarweb Japan, where Mio Endo serves as the Client Success Lead. During her discussion, she highlighted essential points for maximizing data utilization and emphasized the significance of having a broad perspective in implementing data-driven marketing.
Mio Endo, Client Success Lead at Similarweb Japan
Mio emphasized the importance of accurately analyzing their company's data by not only focusing on their own metrics but also comparing with competitors. She highlighted the need for a holistic perspective to understand their company's position in the market while utilizing the tools offered by their company.
The first step she mentioned is to "avoid making judgments solely based on their company's data, such as the increase or decrease in website traffic. Instead, they should look at competitors and the overall market to gain a proper understanding of their company's position." Furthermore, using this information, she emphasized the significance of analyzing from various perspectives, identifying areas of differentiation and potential growth, understanding the audience's interests and search behavior, and examining user actions on their website. Regularly monitoring market trends was also cited as an effective approach.
Mio also pointed out that experienced marketers might tend to rely too much on their past experiences. While referencing past experiences can be valuable, she stressed that data is essential for making informed decisions in data-driven marketing. Accurately collecting, analyzing, and utilizing data is crucial to gain a correct understanding of their company's efforts.
After the presentations by the speakers, a networking session took place, where marketers from diverse backgrounds and various industries gathered. They enjoyed light refreshments and engaged in information exchange.
Attendees networking after the main presentation
Contributing to skill development of marketers in the Japanese market
Fabio Gamelli, the Recruiting Director in the Marketing & Digital, and Sally Davies, the Recruiting Manager, who organized this event, shared their intention behind this event and the characteristics of the Japanese market.
Fabio: We decided to hold this event because we thought it would be useful not only for networking, but also with the intention of providing value for marketers' skill development and knowledge exchange. We see this event as an extension of the recruiter's role in empowering people’s careers.
The Japanese market in particular is a very unique market and a very difficult country to reach consumers in as a marketer. For example, CPV (Cost Per View) has always said that Japan is one of the most costly countries. Therefore, one of the most important issues for foreign companies entering Japan is how to localize their content to the Japanese market and how to secure talent who can properly do so.
Additionally, while Japan appears to be technologically advanced, it lags behind the rest of the world in digitalization. The reality is that companies are also facing challenges in training and securing digital talent in marketing as well. With the pandemic, many companies have shifted their sales methods to e-commerce all at once, and the need for human resources to establish the digital- ready workforce is expected to increase further in the marketing industry in the future.
Given these circumstances, we hope that this event has served as a source of inspiration or guidance for their marketing practice and future career.
Fabio Gamelli, Recruiting Director, Marketing & Digital
Sally: Providing space where marketers with diverse backgrounds and age groups could gather and freely exchange ideas has been a highly valuable opportunity. We plan to continue hosting these events on a quarterly basis. We plan to cover various topics within marketing, so please stay tuned!
Sally Davies, Recruiting Manager, Marketing & Digital
Conclusion
At Robert Half, we plan to continue hosting networking events for professionals across various fields on a regular basis. Whether you are interested in future marketing events or considering a career change, please feel free to reach out to our recruiters.
Contact Information:
Fabio Gamelli
Recruiting Director, Marketing & Digital
Sally Davies
Recruiting Manager, Marketing & Digital
