Fast Five: Andrea Cook
What is Performance Art?
Five years ago, we started a creative-data agency with a vision to refocus the marketing landscape on the individual. Today, we are embarking on the next chapter of that journey, and an evolution of our vision, with the launch of Performance Art, an independent network inside of IPG. Brands recognize the need to connect technology, data and creativity more seamlessly, efficiently, and effectively but also feel that ‘hard working work’ somehow means compromising on creativity. We’re here to say that’s a lie! We exist to help brands around the world make the highest performing work, in the most creative way.
What makes someone good at data?
I always say you can’t fake your ability in data. You either have a passion for it or you don’t. You can’t ‘learn’ data from a book or a course (you’d be surprised how many times I’m asked to ‘teach’ someone data). Data also isn’t a pile of gold at the start of your journey, or the facts and figures at the end. It’s living and breathing. If you really get it, you can’t help yourself – you see different ways to apply it to every canvas. You get impatient and curious at the same time. Those who want to get better at it? The only way in is through. Dive in deep.
What is the geekiest tech thing you’ve heard this week?
A friend of mine said “in a jiffy” to me this weekend. It struck me that I have no idea what that is but Google did! Turns out it’s a legitimate unit of time — a jiffy is the length of one cycle of a computers system clock (about 10 milliseconds). Who knew?!
As you walk to Zoom halls, what’s the number one marketing challenge you’re hearing from clients?
100% it’s how to activate their data. How to build a single, accessible view and then how to connect it to the systems and ultimately to the work. Hint – Sometimes it’s a technology thing. But we find many times the answer isn’t another layer of software or another license. You’d be amazed how many times we find our client partners paying for technology they don’t know they have or didn’t know how to use. Or how readily accessible their data is by just introducing a small piece of code or a new process. BTW – I’m super ready to NOT be on Zoom in the coming months! See you all soon…
Are you hiring?
We sure are. In Canada and the US. It’s a pretty rare career moment, to launch a new network, and I think a pretty sweet opportunity to be part of scaling something that is already really special. Culturally, it’s important to us that we scale as we’ve always done, with a team that is brilliant and gifted in their own special talents but is also super accountable and kind to one another. That will never change no matter how we grow. You like a build? You’re smart and kind? Hit us up.
