The document discusses insights, what they are, where they come from, and why they are important for marketers. It defines insights as deep understandings of the "why" rather than just the "what" of human behaviors and motivations. Good insights unlock opportunities for growth and spark new ideas. The document provides examples to illustrate the difference between insights, facts, and observations. It also lists many potential sources for finding insights, including consumer research, social media, behavioral science, and more. Finally, it emphasizes the importance of asking "why" repeatedly during research to discover meaningful insights.

1. Insights

2. WHAT I’LL BE RANTING ABOUT TODAY
What are
insights?
Where do they
come from?
Why are they
important?
How do you
write them?

3. WHAT I’LL BE RANTING ABOUT TODAY
What are
insights?
Where do they
come from?
Why are they
important?
How do you
write them?

4. GENERIC
DICTIONARY DEFINITION
SLIDE…
INSIGHT (in-sahyt)
Noun
The capacity to gain an accurate
and deep understanding of
someone or something.

5. WHAT IS IT REALLY?
One of the most overused and misunderstood
words in agency land…
It’s NOT a ‘thing’ – it’s a quality of a thought.
It’s NOT a fact, or an observation.
It’s NOT necessarily new information.
It’s NOT academic-speak.

6. WHAT IT IS, FROM THE MOUTHS OF
SMART PEOPLE…
“For me, an insight is simply defined as
understanding the
‘WHY’ RATHER THAN THE ‘WHAT’.
Why do people think the way they do or
do things the way they do…as opposed
to what they actually end up doing.”
“…The task is not so much to see what
no one yet has seen, but to THINK
WHAT NOBODY HAS THOUGHT
ABOUT THAT WHICH EVERYBODY
SEES…it’s the aha moment. The ‘I
never thought of that’ expression that
turns data into possibilities.”
“An insight on its own is merely a human truth
that someone internally identifies with and
connects to. AN ACTIONABLE INSIGHT FOR
MARKETERS IS WHEN THAT HUMAN
TRUTH IS MEDDLED WITH COME KIND OF
CREATIVE EXPRESSION or act that – when
done successfully – somehow serves to
elevate a brand.”
WHY WHERE WOW
Rob Campbell
Head of Planning
Weiden+Kennedy Shanghai
Stephen Steck,
Director of Strategy
Publicis Toronto
Heather Leferve
Group Planning Director
Crispin Porter Miami

7. “An insight is a deep penetrating observation or
interpretation thereof that UNLOCKS
GROWTH PROVIDES INPUTS into
strategy and a LAUNCHPAD FOR IDEAS.”
Faris Yakob, Co-Founder, Genius Steals NY

8. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A
FACT, OBSERVATION, AND AN INSIGHT
OBSERVATION
Something you’ve observed.
INSIGHT
A FRESH understanding that
unlocks an OPPORTUNITY for
connections.
FACT
Something you know to be true
(anyone can figure this out).

9. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A
FACT, OBSERVATION, AND AN INSIGHT
OBSERVATION
Women feel most self-conscious
about their appearance after
seeing ‘perfect’ representations
in media.
INSIGHT
Real women believe that beauty
is more than skin deep.
FACT
Women are self conscious
about their appearance.

10. LET’S PLAY A GAME…
OBSERVATION INSIGHTFACT

11. WHAT I’LL BE RANTING ABOUT TODAY
What are
insights?
Where do they
come from?
Why are they
important?
How do you
write them?

12. Consumer
Product
Psychology
Brand
Social
Behaviour
Category
Culture
Environment
Connections

13. INSIGHT SOURCES
• Industry websites
(AdNews, B&T, WARC etc)
• News, forums, category,
tech, trend sites etc.
• Competitor websites,
microsites, social pages
• Google (not just search!).
Trends, Insights, Scholar,
Correlate, Alerts…
• Social, blogs, review sites
• Focus groups
• One-on-one interviews
• Ethnography
• Surveys
• Mobile/Email/e-Chat
• Social groups
• THE BRIEF
• Brand tracking
• Sales data
• Market audits
• Distribution data
• Creative research
• Modelling
• Past campaigns
• Consumer databases
(Roy Morgan, EMMA)
• Competitive spend
• Competitive ad tracking
• Social listening
• Econometrics
• Post reports
Web Bespoke Client Industry
Here‘s a cheat link to get you started, enjoy…
Open Strategy http://openstrate.gy/

14. The best insights are often sourced when you look BEYOND the industry…

15. BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCE.
- Provide nudges
- Make it easy
- Leverage social proofing
- Maximise saliency
- Emotionally Connect

16. WHAT I’LL BE RANTING ABOUT TODAY
What are
insights?
Where do they
come from?
Why are they
important?
How do you
write them?

17. INSIGHTS ARE VITAL TO OVERCOME
‘THE IMPOSSIBLE BRIEF’
You’re an alcohol brand.
Your target demo is guys 18-24
The hardest audience to reach, and the least likely to G.A.S. about your advertising
Your brand sits outside of the top 5 in terms of market share,
and outside the top 10 in terms of preference.
You have a quarter of the budget that your major competitors do.
You have super aggressive sales targets.

18. WHAT’S YOUR FIRST STEP?
We got them in.We listened to where they
were.
.
We spied on them.
.

19. THIS UNCOVERED A FEW KEY THINGS FOR US…
Who guys are drinking with has a greater impact on what their drinking
than personal brand/taste preference.
Every group of mates, no matter how different, is made up of the same relatable characters.
Bonding for guys is taking the piss out of each other.
How can we facilitate lighthearted male ribbing to get guys to bond over Jagermeister?

20. TASK
Launch the Strange But True platform within the AU market socially, extending upon the master
creative supplied by GPY&R.
TAGMEISTER

21. TASK
Launch the Strange But True platform within the AU market socially, extending upon the master
creative supplied by GPY&R.
THE STAG
He’s the kind of guy that starts a night,
and if he’s not there, it just isn’t going to
be one of those nights or occasions that
will go down in the lore of the tribe.
He’s suave, sophisticated, and he’s
natural. People gravitate towards him,
and he’s the centre of his group of mates
universe.

22. TASK
Launch the Strange But True platform within the AU market socially, extending upon the master
creative supplied by GPY&R.
THE WINGMAN
He’s the unsung hero of the gang, there
in support of his mates whenever they
need it, he often put’s them first, often at
his own expense.
It’s time for us to celebrate the wingman,
and remind just how valuable he is to any
group of mates.

23. TASK
Launch the Strange But True platform within the AU market socially, extending upon the master
creative supplied by GPY&R.
THE SNOW-LEOPARD
He’s one of the oldest friends in the
group, but his recent long term
relationship has left night’s out with the
crew a little too far and few in between.
He’s got a sensible jumper, and attitude
to match, but on the odd night he is out
with the rest of the crew, he’s an
indispensable part of a Strange But True
night out.

24. TASK
Launch the Strange But True platform within the AU market socially, extending upon the master
creative supplied by GPY&R.
THE NIGHT OWL
Keen to stay at an event until the end?
Then the night owl is a man on which you
can depend!
He loves to party, he loves his life, and he
loves having a good time, he’s just
terrible at keeping track of it.

25. TASK
Launch the Strange But True platform within the AU market socially, extending upon the master
creative supplied by GPY&R.
THE DODGER
He’s good at what he does, and that’s
more often than not managing to avoid
paying for a round, often at the
wingman’s expense.
He’s a smooth operator, and if he wasn’t
so damn interesting, everyone would
have a problem with his ability to shirk a
bill.

27. Teens see Coke as wallpaper, not as a brand that helps them express themselves.
They no longer look to brands for self-expression, they look to colour.
As soon as they’re parents are in, they are out.
THREE INSIGHTS THAT DROVE #COLOURYOURSUMMER

28. A few of my favourites

29. MY BLOOD IS RED AND
BLACK
Brief: Increase blood donations during the
months where the least amount is given.
Fact: People only give blood if people they
love are in need.
Consumer Insight:
People feel as responsible for the health and
success of their sportsteams as they do their
family.

30. A DARE FIX’LL FIX IT
Brief: Sell more iced coffee.
Observation: White collar workers look to
coffee for energy, but not iced coffee.
Category Insight: Despite coffee being a
mental stimulant, the iced coffee category is
fixated on physical energy benefits.

31. GUILT TRIPS
Brief: Sell more train tickets to country Victoria.
Fact: Most young people who grow up in the country tend
to move to the city for a much needed seachange…leaving
their families behind.
Social Insight: Guilt is mums’ biggest arsenal to get her
kids to do something.

32. THE POWER OF CUTE
Brief: Reduce the rate of vandalism and
looting off the back of the London riots in
2012.
Observation: People respond to negative
demonstrations of force negatively.
Psychological Insight: The round head and
big eyes of children elicits a maternal, and
caring reaction amongst all adults.

33. WHAT I’LL BE RANTING ABOUT TODAY
What are
insights?
Where do they
come from?
Why are they
important?
How do you
write them?

34. ASK WHY!
…at least ask it 5 times.

35. PEOPLE WATCH

36. FIND THE TENSION POINT

37. RESEARCH,
RESEARCH,
RESEARCH…

38. …THEN HIT
SOME GO KARTS!

39. Questions?

40. Check UM out on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/umaustralia
@toph_colter
Christopher Colter
chris.colter@umww.com
THANKS