Click this image to read the second mantra.
This is the second in a series of articles focusing on the real-world implications of the Path of the Blue Eye.
In the previous article in this series, I focused on the first mantra of the Path: “There is a difference between hearing and listening.” (Speaking of listening, non-profit and social media communications expert Beth Kanter, has developed an excellent series of posts on this topic. Go here and here to read them.)
The second mantra of the Path reads (see image at left): “Revealing hidden knowledge requires exceptional stamina.” There are many ways to interpret this mantra, but I’m going to focus on what it means for health marketing communicators seeking to interpret the reams of data they come across each day.
As many of you know, data can be used – and abused. In addition, interpreting data correctly requires great mental fortitude. Examining the numbers to find out what they are truly saying is difficult work. Sometimes we approach data interpretation with preconceived notions. This is especially true when we use data to measure the impact of our marketing communications programs. If the data tells us that we failed, how many of us are willing to accept the numbers?
If one wants to understand the business benefits of steadfastly seeking out hidden knowledge, they should look no further than P&G. Early last week, social marketing expert, R. Craig Lefebvre talked about how and why P&G is ahead of the pack. He quotes from P&G’s annual report, which notes:
“No company in the world has invested more in consumer and market research than P&G. We interact with more than five million consumers each year in nearly 60 countries around the world. We conduct over 15,000 research studies every year. We invest more than $350 million a year in consumer understanding. This results in insights that tell us where the innovation opportunities are and how to serve and communicate with consumers.”
Anyone who has worked with current and former P&G employees is well aware of their devotion to data. Specto Laurus (the main character of the Path of the Blue Eye comic) would say that P&G’s marketers – especially those in health – are living the path. They have developed the endurance to conduct rigorous research in order to reveal the hidden needs, wants and drives of their core audiences.
The Path of the Blue Eye Online Community: A Focus on Content
Anyone who has followed our Twitter stream and joined our Facebook group understands that we dedicated to providing you with valuable insights and information. But, when we open our collaboration hub/online community later this year we plan to take things to the next level.
A screen shot from our online community featuring a sample of data published on the site. Click the image to enlarge.
Above is a screen shot from our online community. It shows a small sample of the rich trove of data you will be able to explore once the community launches later this year. Over the past seven months we’ve been hard at work summarizing and contextualizing loads of data on media consumption habits, demographic patterns and other topics. The driving philosophy for the community is this: conversation is great, but content is even better. (BTW, U.S. Internet users feel the same way.)
Our community will be in invite-only mode for a number of weeks before it officially launches. Would you like to get in on the ground floor? Send us an e-mail and we’ll add you to the list.
Read More from Walking the Path:
