Jason Steed
Owner & CEO
Data Gives Creativity a Compass
We creative types carry an invisible compass—our instincts. They’ve been forged in brainstorms, pitches, prototypes, and client wins. But as much as we honor creative instinct, we also know that instinct isn’t the same as insight. And if there’s one truth I’ve learned in my career, it’s that data trumps opinion.
Data Brings Direction
It doesn’t mean we strip creativity of its magic. It means we build the right fence at the right time because we know where the cliff edge is; because we know why our services solve problems. We don’t stifle ideas—we give them direction. We give them purpose. I’ll share some of the most valuable metrics in this article, along with key discovery questions in building meaningful marketing campaigns.Kudos to the Creatives who Dig the Data!
Even early in my design career, I was drawn to the metrics. My Marketing 101 elective at BYU left a lasting impression, and later I taught e-commerce at the University of Utah. I often felt too analytical for a creative field, compared to my creative peers—until I realized I was more wired for commercial art than for fine art. In our organization, we are always asking the questions: Who, how, when and why. These are more than marketing questions. They’re creative prompts. And everyone on our team—everyone—asks them. From project managers to designers to strategists, we share the same compass: Data-informed creativity. Boundaries give context to campaigns.It’s easy to fall in love with a design because it “feels right.” But when creative work lives inside a business ecosystem, the stakes are higher than personal taste. Our job isn’t just to create something beautiful—it’s to create something effective: something that resonates, something that converts.
Effective work starts with asking the right questions:
- Who is the audience?
- Why should they care?
- How are they engaging with us?
- When are we reaching them?
Let Metrics Art-direct the Work
We marketers are in the business of marrying constraints with creativity. When we know the rules, we can break them with intention. But when we don’t know what the data says, it’s just pretty-looking guesswork. Here’s how we shift from guesswork to grounded inspiration:- A/B test two versions of a campaign and study what performed better
- Track engagement across different audience segments to guide message tone or visual hierarchy
- Monitor sales impact or lead conversions tied directly to campaign rollouts
“Asking who, why, how and when is part of our culture. It’s part of our stewardship. And the more we ask these questions, the more trust our clients place in our creative partnership.”
Finding the Best Data
The best data comes from many sources—most importantly, from the customer. One of our most important responsibilities is to help clients uncover the data that matters. That means going deeper than surface-level metrics like impressions or “likes.” The best insights often hide inside sales data, customer service tickets, CRM feedback, and behavioral trends.
In our work, we make it a point to ask:
- Who is this campaign really for?
- Why are they choosing competitors over you?
- How do those people make decisions?
- When do they engage with similar products or services?
These are the same questions we ask ourselves internally. It’s part of the culture. It’s part of our stewardship. And the more our clients know we’re asking these questions, the more trust they place in our creative partnership.
