A Cure for 'Infobesity': From Data Overload To Real-Time Insight

Debra J. Bass, President, Global Marketing Services, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies

Hyper-Focused on Building New Modern Marketing Muscles

In the past five years, we’ve witnessed an extraordinary shift in how consumers experience brands thanks to the elevated role of technology enabling enhanced benefits, personalization, and total brand experiences. People are aware of—and excited about—some of these advances, such as social channels, apps, and wearable tech. But there’s also a whole hidden landscape of back-end solutions, like programmatic or trigger based marketing, that is just as significant in terms of the convergence in IT, advanced analytics, and marketing functions. As these lines continue to blur, we’ve been hyper-focused on building new modern marketing muscles and bringing our teams closer together so we can be more relevant, agile, and efficient.

The Data Deluge

One of the biggest obstacles we face as an industry is the overabundance of data— what we call “infobesity.” Marketers have to understand how to harness this fire hose of information for real-time decision making and adapt quickly to new insights—all without stifling creativity. We need to allow teams to explore innovative ways of thinking about creative that might be more micro-targeted to a particular consumer insight or specific channel. But thereality of our ever-changing environment means we all need to change how we work so we can leverage all of the incredible tools and emerging platforms with speed and insight.

Evolution of the 4 Ps of Marketing

The fundamentals of marketing are still critically important, yet we also have to adapt to new ways of connecting with our consumers requiring us to build new capabilities and go-to-market models. While the 4 Ps of Marketing (Product, Price, Promotion, and Place) are still critical fundamentals, today’s marketers also need to be Scientists, Strategists, Storybuilders, and Socializers.

  ​The reality of our ever-changing environment means we all need to change how we work so we can leverage all of the incredible new tools and emerging platforms with speed and insight   

As part of the Johnson & Johnson global enterprise, we have access to a wide array of consumer insights, technological know-how, and external partnerships which enable us to shape and deliver total brand experiences that embrace both traditional and new age skillsets. A couple of great examples include our Johnson’s Bedtime Sleep Solution (inclusive of a clinically proven routine and personalized support through our App and Nod Coach Partnership) and our recent launch of Neutrogena’s Light Therapy Acne mask to provide a new treatment paradigm in addition to our regular cleansing and acne care regimens.

An Agile Mindset Creates Better Consumer Experience

Having an agile mindset is a key metric when we look at leadership behaviors inside our organization. The model is set from the top down, and rewarded accordingly. The way we see this come to life within teams is a shared desire to win both the short sprints and finish the marathon. This might mean we launch new technologies faster, but continue to add on new features as we go along embracing a continuous improvement approach. In many ways, it’s liberating that we don’t have to do everything at once. We have the ability to launch, add or adapt based on real-time consumer feedback. In the end, this creates better consumer experiences.

Connecting Technology to Business Outcomes

Technology leaders must have a business mindset first while also understanding unmet needs of our consumers and being exceptional collaborators. We’re at a point where the ability to connect technology to business outcomes such as sales or share growth isn’t applauded, it’s expected. This means, moving away from just being project managers or technical experts to embracing skills similar to traditional marketers—including the ability to influence and understand the consumer and create power partnerships both internally and with external suppliers.

Happier and Healthier Lives

Disruption in healthcare spans a pretty wide spectrum right now, which is exciting in itself. I’m just as intrigued by simple solutions such as wearable monitoring technology for tracking and sharing health care information as I am by developments in artificial intelligence that may change the entire way we engage with healthcare professionals for advice and information. We are now at the point where data, machine learning and marketing automation has the power to deliver truly consumer-centric solutions. And this doesn’t just serve our bottom line; it ties directly to our mission of helping people live happier and healthier lives.

‘Mobile Keeps Us Moving Forward’

Mobile has enabled me to thrive everyday as a working mom with two busy teenagers in a dual career household. Given our busy and every-changing schedules, my family stays connected real time with texting and Facebook Messenger and stays on top of our household needs with a very active Amazon Prime account. Mobile keeps us moving forward—and provides me with peace of mind knowing I can be there without being there.