We Stand on the Shoulders of Giants: 7 Marketing Trailblazers Worth Knowing

Nick Doyle | July 29, 2024

Marketing has to be driven by data. But whose? 

Data-driven marketing typically refers to leveraging our internal data—metrics from our campaigns, customer interactions, and sales figures. Although this data is crucial, it often lacks the breadth and depth to be statistically significant on its own. Because of this limitation, it’s essential to also be driven by expansive data from experts who have used extensive research and experience to locate marketing insights. 

Learning from Marketing Pioneers

To avoid reinventing the wheel, I often tap into the collective wisdom of industry pioneers. Here are some key figures and their contributions that every marketing executive should consider:

  1. Byron Sharp
    Byron Sharp is the Director of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science at the University of South Australia. His book, How Brands Grow, is a seminal work based on decades of research with major brands. Sharp’s insights into brand growth and consumer behavior are foundational for any modern marketing strategy.
  2. Les Binet and Peter Field
    Known for The Long and Short of It and their extensive work on marketing effectiveness, Binet and Field have published numerous reports through the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA). Their analysis of more than 1,000 award-winning campaigns offers valuable lessons on what drives real business results, beyond just creative flair.
  3. Mark Ritson
    As a marketing professor and consultant, Ritson’s analysis of the Effie Awards database, which includes more than 5,000 successful campaigns, provides a wealth of knowledge on effective marketing strategies. The Effie Awards are particularly valuable as they focus on documented results.
  4. Paul Dyson
    Founder of Data2Decisions, Dyson’s study of 1,500+ campaigns highlights the importance of data-driven decision-making in marketing. His work underscores the value of learning from past campaigns to inform future strategies.
  5. Jenni Romaniuk
    Co-author of How Brands Grow, Part 2 and author of Building Distinctive Brand Assets, Romaniuk’s research delves into how brands can create and maintain strong, distinctive brand assets that drive long-term growth.
  6. The B2B Institute
    Funded by LinkedIn, this think tank researches the future of B2B marketing and decision-making. It has commissioned studies from notable researchers like Binet and Field, which provide insights specifically tailored to the B2B sector.
  7. Robert Johnson and Kim Wallace
    Their extensive research at IDG Connect, which involve surveys of tens of thousands of B2B tech buyers in the United States, offers deep insights into the decision-making processes and preferences of B2B customers.

We don’t expect every new physicist to rediscover Newton’s Laws or Einstein’s theories. As marketers, we don’t need to reinvent the wheel. 

Instead, we should strive to stay updated with the data and analysis from industry experts. Their research will provide a more robust foundation versus your internal data. 

Similarly, you can incorporate established frameworks and models, or benchmark your campaigns against award-winning efforts found in the IPA and Effie databases. This holistic approach not only drives better results but also ensures that your efforts are grounded in proven, effective methodologies.