"Data-Driven Thinking" is written by members of the media community and contains fresh ideas on the digital revolution in media.

Over the past few years, advertising has become far more data-driven. AI is playing a large role in the transformation, helping advertisers measure campaign efficacy and transform data into actionable insights.

But AI is far from infallible. The technology reflects human biases. That’s why, to make the most of AI, advertisers must diversify data analytics teams to bring varied perspectives and talents to data collection and decision-making. Then, advertisers can combine artificial and human intelligence to maximize the value of each.

Here’s a road map for how to do just that.

Understand and mitigate AI’s limitations

To understand AI’s limitations, consider this year’s Australian Open. The tournament used AI to process match data in real time and make predictions about probable victors. In the men’s final, Rafael Nadal was down two sets to love against Daniil Medvedev. He was 

 to have a 4% chance of winning. But Nadal defied AI’s data-driven predictive capacities and won the next three sets to clinch the match.

The same applies to AI in advertising. If we ask a consumer survey question in a different way, we get different answers. If we scan a data set for certain demographic information but make omissions, we risk coming up with skewed analytics and suboptimal decisions. To that end, advertisers need to be aware of AI’s blind spots when using the technology for marketing analytics.

One crucial step the data scientist should take to ensure the highest possible accuracy and quality of AI is to actively recognize any selection biases in the data collected and use randomization or statistical correction to remove it.

This is especially true for survey data. Certain survey formats and media attract particular types of participants. Various incentive programs offered by panel-based research organizations may also affect respondent composition. Data scientists need to think about the sample composition rather than just what the data says.

Diversify data analytics teams to minimize AI’s blind spots

People work differently when they see a business challenge or hypothesis, and their backgrounds and past experiences inform their approaches. Only by diversifying teams, and the problem-solution approaches they prefer, can we become maximally competent in accounting for all possible solutions.

Let’s say a market research team is designing a survey to understand how customers of different genders respond to advertising. A team without anyone who identifies outside the gender binary can fail to account for gender fluidity and nonbinary folks. If the product caters to people of a certain gender or to young and urban populations who often identify as nonbinary, the failure to diversify teams can skew research and undermine the precision of analytics.

Still, diversity is lacking. Nearly six in 10 marketers are white, according to a 

 by the ANA of 61 of its 1,400 member companies. Surveys rarely include options for respondents to identify as nonbinary. And anyone who’s worked in marketing knows that diversity drops among key decision-makers. For example, people identifying as female account for 75.1% of admins and 70.8% of entry-level marketing professionals, according to the ANA, while they account for just 54.8% of senior management.

Agencies must tackle the diversity issue. That means not just hiring diverse staff but also diversifying at senior levels.

Combine artificial and human intelligence

In advertising analytics, the primary barrier to maximizing the combined value of artificial and diverse human intelligence is multiple-choice-style market research. The advertising industry needs to collect information about customers through more open-ended experiments and surveys that account for nuance. Then, it can use AI-driven text mining and other tactics to transform more unstructured data into actionable insights.

Another area for improvement is the use of analytics to understand customer emotions. Feelings are too complex to be articulated in terms of binary data. Natural language processing tools can equip teams to analyze free-form customer expression on public platforms, assessing such varied questions as how much buzz a campaign is generating, how people feel about a new brand or product, or how customer sentiment has evolved since a major corporate event. Analysis of unstructured data removes bias brought on by humans and enables a more accurate data-driven approach to audience analytics and marketing.

These days, advertising analytics teams and market researchers eliminate human ambiguity from the front end, forcing customers to fit into binaries in surveys that don’t reflect their complexity. Then, when it comes to making decisions based on oversimplified data, we rely too much on human intuition, introducing error and magnifying bias.

Ideally, the opposite would be true. The advertising industry should leave more room for ambiguity in information collection and lean on technology more when it comes to interpreting data, calibrating the media mix, and determining attribution. If we can move in that direction, advertising will be on its way to becoming a more equitable, representative, and truly data-driven business.

This article first appeared on Ad Exchanger https://www.adexchanger.com/data-driven-thinking/advertisers-need-more-than-ai-they-need-diverse-human-talent/

Advertisers Need More Than AI. They Need Diverse Human Talent

To be a valuable partner to client marketing teams, transparent, ethical data practices must be front and centre. For m/SIX, this means going beyond what is required to what is best.

Carolyn Simpson, Data Ethics Lead at m/SIX, puts it like this: “We believe that clients’ businesses should not just be governed by technical and legal standards that can change rapidly, outside of their control and at different rates around the globe.”

She continues: “By operating at a higher standard than legal or technical minimums, the strategies we develop for our clients are more sustainable in the short term and effective in the long term. We know that investing in brand trust – via things such as fair and responsible data use – makes good business sense and is only going to continue to grow in importance.”

There is a groundswell of effort in this direction. GroupM has designed the 

 which is designed to ensure that, regardless of client vertical or market, there is a consistent, unbiased approach to ethical risk. The key is to remove subjectivity, address unintended risks not otherwise considered, and provide a solid basis for conversations with clients. The tool considers ethical risk according to factors such as client vertical, data source and data type, and use case (for example, insights only, or for audience targeting).

So, where does personalisation and targeting fit into these considerations? How do you strike a balance between doing business and privacy?

“We don’t see it as a question of doing business or privacy – consumers are increasingly savvy about corporate data misuse and are more likely to trust and reward those who take a fair approach, including respecting individual’s choices,” says Simpson.

“Ethical data use isn’t about limiting data effectiveness – in fact the opposite is true. Considering things such as unintended bias, insufficient data samples leading to false assumptions, or potential harmful impacts should deliver more well-rounded, effective campaigns that more accurately reflect the diverse nature of our audiences.”

It should not be forgotten that every client has its own set of corporate values and data policies – ethical considerations differ from client to client, depending on their vertical and specific data usage. “We can work with individual clients to discuss specific ethical risks most pertinent to them, and also what additional support they may want, for example bespoke documentation, workshops or training, customised tools, stakeholder management regarding data usage, and so on,” she says.

What is the consequence of not taking an ethical approach to data? “The GroupM approach to data ethics is grounded in the belief that ‘just because you can, doesn’t mean you should’. So, you can apply data in a way you might legally be allowed to – but is ethically questionable, for example geo targeting around weight loss clinics to advertise a new fast-food store,” responds Simpson.

“Ultimately, the biggest consequence of not taking a conscious, responsible approach to data is further erosion of consumer trust which will ultimately impact on brand growth and the bottom line. By operating above legal requirements, you’re also potentially future proofing against future legislative changes which are lagging behind in some parts of the world.”

She says the gold standard for data ethics – regardless of legal or regulatory requirements – is about four key elements. These are: transparency, fairness, accountability, and respect.

Transparency means being open about your sources of data and how that data is applied. Being fair means using data for a purpose that the data subject might reasonably have expected when it was collected and not using it to their detriment. Accountability requires not only insisting on human review of data decisions but ensuring that such review takes into consideration a diversity of human perspectives on the potential negative impacts. And the fourth element – respect – means just that: respecting individuals when it comes to privacy and choice, for example seeking relevancy through personalisation rather than censorship of choice.

There is so much to consider but Simpson is at pains to point out that it is really quite simple, and jurisdictional concerns – that is regulation at the local and supra-national levels – should not derail thinking around data ethics.

“Resources such as the GroupM Data Ethics Compass and WPP Data Ethics and AI guidelines are globally applicable and, although local laws will impact what is legally and technically possible, they shouldn’t specifically impact ethical factors – like if your data use is transparent and explainable, or if it’s discriminatory,” she says.

“Data ethics is about going beyond legal compliance – so it’s universally applicable regardless of local legislation.”

This article first appeared on WPP https://www.wpp.com/wpp-iq/2022/05/data-ethics-operating-to-a-higher-standard

Data ethics: operating to a higher standard

In this article we take a closer look at the social shopping phenomenon, and the impact of recent ecommerce trends on consumers and their purchasing habits.

Shopping, social and sticking to your morals

Big tactical shifts are happening at Google, TikTok and Apple, and we are starting to see the long-term implications for our data strategy and media planning. As we shift into the cookieless era of advertising, new solutions and technologies are continuing to change the way in which we consume media.

The data gap between past and future continues to widen

Recent research into effective creativity suggests that the perfect combination is a little of the familiar with original elements of the unknown. In this article we explore how it holds true in the current cultural creative landscape and how we might utilise these findings using audience planning.

Same, Same but Different – the secret to creativity?

Digital media is continuously evolving, we see new technology, metrics and measurement approaches emerge overnight. Keeping on top of this ever changing landscape can be a challenge but we look to tackle this for you in this article. 

Why you should give Attention, your attention

The&Academy, a new apprenticeship scheme for the advertising industry, has been launched by The&Partnership – one of the world’s fastest growing marketing networks, and mSix&Partners – a joint venture media network between The&Partnership and GroupM.

Based at a brand-new Birmingham campus, The&Academy will provide full-time training and work experience to the next generation of diverse talent who might not otherwise have considered careers in the digital and creative industries. [They will learn and apply from Day 1 essential skills for the future in digital, tech and data]. In its first year, the focus is on attracting up to 25 apprentices from Birmingham and the surrounding areas. In future years, The&Academy will expand to North America and Europe.

The&Academy will be delivered by Multiverse, providers of high-quality apprenticeship programmes for diverse future leaders, to establish the first-ever centre of excellence for both media and creative specialists in Birmingham. Partnering with Meta, Google and TikTok will ensure apprentices learn from and work alongside the best media, digital, and creative specialists around.

Johnny Hornby, Chairman and CEO of The&Partnership said: “Great brands are built by bringing together diverse creators and I’m proud that The&Partnership and mSix&Partners will be part of shaping the next generation of digital and creative talent. And of course digital, tech and data are essential skills for the future, not just in advertising but across the economy.”

Jess Burley, Executive Chair at mSix&Partners, said: “The&Academy provides new opportunities for young people from different and diverse backgrounds to access the digital and creative industries in a way that might not have been open to them previously. Our goal is to support them to learn, progress and become the future stars of advertising. We’re excited to be working with amazing partners in Google, Meta and TikTok and Birmingham is the perfect place to start.”

The&Academy aims to solve some of the pressing issues currently facing the advertising industry, as well as the creative industries generally. Over half of global Chief Marketing Officers think a skills shortage is holding the industry back.

During the year-long course, the curriculum will cover the key principles of the media and creative disciplines and incorporate partnerships with some of the biggest names in media and technology.

Recruitment is currently underway with applications open to 18–24-year-olds in Birmingham and the surrounding area.

New training academy launched by mSix&Partners & The&Partnership

But the problem is less a lack of talent and more so the inability of organizations to evolve practices to source and retain that talent. The Great Resignation offers our industry a prime opportunity.

As we collectively reevaluate our purpose and methods of collaboration, let's also reimagine what the agency model looks like and how we integrate talent recruitment and development into our organizations.

Agencies can better source and nurture talent by embracing cross-organizational design, fostering a culture of development — and unlearning ingrained practices that do not serve talented individuals or the organizations that depend on them.

Agencies typically suffer from silos. Individuals kick off their career as assistants in one discipline and, if they advance, it is typically because they stick with that one function until becoming the head of a department. Some never acclimate to the first function and are considered to have failed or quit. Others want to shift later in their careers and find it impossible to do so, potentially triggering a switch to another agency.

Why preserve a structure that prevents cooperation and stifles innovation? Allowing talented individuals to try their hands at multiple disciplines fosters new ideas and improved practices — as it prevents an "it's-always-been-done-this-way" mindset and instead sparks questions that drive creative approaches.

Allowing people to circulate among departments also illuminates transferable skills and traits like perseverance, which may ultimately be more valuable to the individual and organization than mastering a tool or disciplinary workflow.

Agencies should take a page out of medicine's book and let newcomers circulate among departments for their first two years at an organization. Allow people to expose themselves to all parts of a business, figure out what they like, are best at, and what their transferable skills are.

For more senior talent, unlock the ability to switch disciplines by implementing rigorous training programs, routine check-ins, and approaching those new to a discipline with patience.

Solving the talent crisis begins by boosting retention. The discourse surrounding the Great Resignation has often focused on a perceived talent shortage, but agencies cannot compete for talent if they cannot keep it. To that end, organizations need to foster a culture of development by inculcating a focus on self-management and self-understanding and then applying that to management of teams.

When it comes to management, it is easy to fixate on tactical outputs — the seemingly hard skills of using a media platform. Many agency employees advance in their careers because they have been excellent doers and then, when they struggle after becoming managers, are sent to a one-hour training to resolve the problem. This is the organizational issue a focus on self-management should address.

Self-management means understanding how you work and relate to others. It means being reflective and ensuring that your words match up to your actions. It means building trust by reading the room, empathizing with how your coworkers are feeling, and acting in a way to maximize happiness and productivity, which are most often complementary, not in tension.

This logic also applies to leadership. Just as you cannot be a manager without first effectively managing yourself, you cannot be a leader without understanding why and how you want to lead. What motivates you? What motivates others? How do you play to your strengths as a leader and become proactive about your blind spots?

To agency leaders focused on the old way of doing things, these questions might seem abstract. But they are the sorts of questions that lead to cultures of support and empathy, which are also cultures of productivity, happiness, and high retention.

Unlearn Practices That Don't Serve Talent or Agencies

The practices that have gotten the advertising industry to the moment of the Great Resignation are the same ones that continue to exacerbate retention and recruitment challenges. We need to identify and unlearn these practices if we are to make strides toward better sourcing and retaining talent.

Chief among these practices is advertising's always-on mentality, one of incessant availability to coworkers and clients. This is especially pervasive at the senior level, as those who tend to climb advertising's ranks are the ones who conform and reinforce this unsustainable aspect of agency culture.

Fostering the impression that answering emails at 9 p.m. equates to hard work — and walking away from the inbox at the end of the conventional workday translates to a lack of effort — is not only harmful to employees. It also gives clients the impression that always-on availability is precisely what they should demand from agencies, inspiring the same burnout that reinforces the never-ending search for talent.

In addition to ending the premium on always-on availability, agencies should fight back against the idea that employees should have the answer to every question.

Many organizations do not feel comfortable going to clients and changing their minds, as if reacting differently to new information is a sign of incompetence, not optimization and honesty. If the pandemic taught us anything as an industry, it is that we cannot speak about every issue with absolute certainty. Evolution is to be celebrated, not discouraged.

Advertising insiders know that the technologies and tools available to us are increasingly ceasing to be differentiators. Most agencies use the same tools; the question is how talented individuals at agencies use those tools and synthesize information.

If talent is an agency's greatest asset, leaders must act like it. We must craft organizations that inspire innovation, foster development, and reward curiosity. This is how we emerge stronger on the other side of COVID-19 and the Great Resignation.

How Ad Agencies Can Better Source and Nurture Talent 

Businesses should not be afraid to create an environment where people want to be, not have to be.

 of employees in the sales, media and marketing sector are considering changing jobs in 2022 and 

 are contemplating leaving the advertising industry altogether due to discrimination or lack of inclusion.

The pandemic and ongoing cost-of-living crisis mean people are reflecting on how they work and, crucially, how work fits into their lives. They are increasingly asking 

“How does this role fit with my values and lifestyle?”,

“Is this job improving my overall way of life?”

As senior leaders in the advertising industry we need to be taking these questions seriously – and introduce actionable solutions that let people live their best lives – in order to retain and entice the best talent in the era of “the great resignation”.

So, what can the media and advertising industry do to keep hold of its people and allow them to thrive? It comes down to being the most important place in their career by creating a workplace that moves with the times.

Most companies and agencies now offer some form of hybrid working, with the 

 currently the most popular. But, as employee expectations around flexibility increase with no sign of a decrease in productivity, we need to make sure policies are clearly communicated and we are pushing the boundaries of what we offer as industry.

The first step is creating clear guidelines, so employees feel empowered to take full advantage of hybrid working. Being vague will only lead to confusion.

The second is to outline and deliver a detailed vision of how flexible working will look in the future to alleviate concerns around reverting back to the pre-pandemic structure that people have largely rejected.

The third is to be brave and go beyond hybrid working. Offering things like the ability to work abroad for part of the year, or a relocation policy (and taking on the complexities that come with that) shows current and potential recruits you’re serious about flexible working at a time when 

 factor in the ability to work from home when looking for jobs.

Align with the working population’s values

Does your business have clear ethical, moral and environmental values that are easy to find and are making a real impact? Salary may be the biggest motivating factor when people think about changing jobs but today’s workforce increasingly wants to see that the company they work for aligns with their own values.

, while millennials responding to another said they were 

 to work somewhere that was proven to be environmentally conscious. And over half of respondents to a 

 said they would stay with a “responsible employer” longer.

That’s not to say we should be paying people less! But organisations should be implementing effective corporate social responsibility policies and transparent KPIs on important societal issues like sustainability, inclusion, and equality that are shaping our present and future. Doing so can create a bond with employees who can feel proud of where they work.

Develop your people, develop your business

Hands up if you learned a new skill during one of the lockdowns. It was time on the DuoLingo app for me! That desire to learn and develop is alive and well for employees who have had time to reflect and are attracted to opportunities for personal growth provided through effective learning and development.

People are more likely to seek new opportunities if they feel their career is stagnating, so making them feel wanted – consulting them on what type of training they want rather than offering generic learning opportunities – will be more important than ever moving forward. Plus, as well as improving engagement and job satisfaction, a more skilled workforce can only be a good thing for the employer themselves.

Make sure every job in every department has a career roadmap with outlined learning and development expectations so people know they are making strides on their own journey. Things like inspiration funds set aside for people to learn new skills and empowering senior staff to develop their own training where they can impart their knowledge to the wider organisation can go a long way to helping people feel appreciated by the company.

The media and advertising industry is starting to shake off the rise and grind stereotype, and just in time. People are looking for a workplace that supports their wellbeing, career path, lifestyle and values. The future of work is pointing towards being able to deliver results while helping people live their best lives.

Businesses should not be afraid to go beyond the expected norms to stand out from the crowd and create an environment where people want to be, not have to be. Just a few years ago, the idea of working from home for most of the week would have been almost unthinkable, and only when you had a doctor’s appointment, or the plumber was coming to fix your sink. Now it is the norm for many.

Focusing on people’s expectations and priorities to retain and maintain talent doesn’t have to mean sacrificing business success. Far from it. Doing so can tap into an individual’s potential and help them thrive at, and away from, work.

How to create a work environment that helps people live their best lives

mSix&Partners, a joint venture between The&Partnership and GroupM, today announced the appointment of Kim Sivillo as its new North America CEO. Former mSix&Partners CEO, Americas, Belinda Smith, will now serve as Global DEI advisor across The&Partnership Group.

In her new role, Sivillo reports directly to Global CEO, Jack Swayne and takes responsibility for leading all North American agency operations, strategy, growth and client success.

“Kim’s appointment is a giant win for mSix&Partners and our clients,” said Swayne. “For more than 20 years, Kim has grown business, shaped culture, nurtured teams and innovated on behalf of world-class brands. Her leadership on clients, purpose and inclusivity are exactly what we were looking for as we apply our multidisciplinary approach to go further and faster in building great brands.”

Smith’s work for The&Partnership Group is being delivered under the banner of her new DEI consultancy, The Second Arrow.

“We are delighted to continue our relationship with Belinda,” said Founder and Chair of The&Partnership, Johnny Hornby. “Her success advancing DEI across the global marketing industry and efforts on our behalf is indisputable.”

“I am honored and excited to lead and grow the impressive team and clientele that mSix&Partners has established in the region,” said Sivillo. “The work the agency is doing to drive true success for clients like David Yurman and WSJ has set the bar high.  I am committed to working closely with the team to ensure we raise it even higher.”


During Sivillo’s tenure at Assembly Global, she served in several key roles including President of Media Investment, Chief Client Officer and Chief Operating Officer. Across these posts, she led all business operations, took command of the growth of its retail, luxury, financial services, politics, pharma and travel client engagements and was instrumental in the merging of Assembly and ForwardPMX.  As President of Media investment, Sivillo oversaw a diverse team responsible for $3 Billion in annual media spend across digital and traditional channels. Sivillo’s experience and leadership was particularly valuable during the pandemic when client and agency teams were under even greater pressure and needed steady and solid guidance. During this time, Sivillo developed, implemented and enforced new ways of working across departments to ensure improved efficiency, scale and a better client and employee experience.


At Dentsu (iProspect), Sivillo oversaw more than half of the agency’s clients across four offices, a book of business in excess of $100 Million in revenue and large segments of the agency’s luxury, retail, B2B, beauty, technology, DTC and pharma business.  She also built and managed high-performing account teams and delivered  impressive new business growth across clients such as Microsoft, the LVMH portfolio of brands, P&G, Diageo and others.


At mSix&Partners, Sivillo takes responsibility for 100+ employees, 26 clients and $300 million in billings.

Kim Sivillo named CEO of mSix&Partners, NA; Belinda Smith to launch DE&I consultancy

mSix&Partners has promoted Aaron Quirk to chief executive, EMEA, and Victoria Bickle to UK managing director, completing the media agency’s senior leadership team.

The appointments follow Jack Swayne’s promotion to global chief executive and Jess Burley’s appointment as executive chair. Quirk and Bickle will start with immediate effect.

Both are new roles for mSix&Partners, a joint venture between The & Partnership and GroupM. The agency rebranded from M/Six earlier this year to better reflect its ownership structure.

Quirk was previously worldwide chief client officer at the agency, and in his new role will be responsible for driving growth across the 22 EMEA markets in which the agency operates and leading 400 employees.

Before joining mSix&Partners, Quirk was WPP’s global leader for HSBC.

Quirk said: “The opportunity to lead this team of passionate MSix talent, partnering with some of the most diverse and inspiring client brands to accelerate our agency further and faster across EMEA, is a truly exciting prospect.”

Bickle was previously UK chief client officer and in her new role will be responsible for driving ongoing growth and delivery of the UK market strategy, being responsible for 275 employees.

Before mSix&Partners, Bickle was managing partner at UM.

She said: “I am excited to take the UK agency through this next period of growth, partnering with our clients on their transformative journeys and continuing to create an open culture in the workplace to ensure MSix & Partners remains the most important place in our people’s careers.”

Swayne said he was “incredibly pleased” to see the pair in these new roles, and added: “We’re building on momentum through our unique partnership model, which will see us go further and faster in delivering great work for clients and a strong culture for our people.”

The agency’s clients include Toyota, Discovery, Puma, TalkTalk and Vitality.

mSix&Partners fills out senior leadership team

In this overview, our Head of Data Strategy, Dylan Mouratsing, gives our latest perspective on the market, and how mSix are responding.

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