Strands of Genius: The Trouble with Big Data, Skin Deep, Is Smell the Ultimate Brand Asset?

Guest curated by Matt Northin, Performance Media Lead, Ford of Europe

May 20, 2025

:: A BIT MORE ABOUT GUEST CURATOR, MATT NORTHIN ::

LOCATION: London, UK

Gosh, what a privilege to be back on Strands of Genius for a second time.

I first met Faris in a Clerkenwell pub back in the early 2000s—pure serendipity (and a few pints). Then came Rosie, and with her, my eternal love for proper American biscuits (biscuits > scones, don’t @ me) and cheese-fuelled conversations with friends. Since then, I’ve caught them in different corners of the world—and it always feels like we open the friendship book exactly where we left off.

Since we last spoke, I’ve moved client-side for the first time, leading performance media for Ford of Europe. It’s been a ride—one part creative problem-solving, one part unlearning, and all parts fascinating. I’ve always loved cars—not just the machines, but what they represent: movement, independence, possibility.

But the future of mobility is shifting fast. From EVs to charging networks, the rules are changing—and so are the questions people ask before they buy. My work now sits at that intersection: where media, data, and behaviour meet.

New Zealanders love a good per capita stat, and per capita, I might be the only Kiwi to make it onto Strands twice. <3

:: WE ASKED MATT FOR HIS HOT TAKES ON GETTING LUCKY ::

If you could give one piece of advice to a brand looking to “engineer” more lucky breaks, what would it be?
In a sea of brands trying to grab attention, the ones that actually land are the ones that feel like they belong—like something you’d want to share without being asked to. To engineer luck, you have to earn relevance. That means creating things worth talking about, and telling your story in a way that feels natural to your customer - not forced, not templated.

Challenger brands do this well. They often have no legacy, no bloated process, just a big idea and a bit of faith. So they get to idealise what good looks like—and then throw everything at it. That energy? That clarity? That’s where the magic happens.
How do you position yourself for “lucky” career moments, like landing a dream role, getting a game-changing client, or being in the right room at the right time?
I’m grateful to have been given a break at PHD Media as a grad, cutting my teeth on early Google AdWords. Coming from a sociology and critical theory background, advertising initially felt like a slightly nefarious way to apply what I’d learned at uni. But honestly, Google Ads was the perfect entry point—because intent is everything. That foundation still shapes how I approach digital today.

I’m not sure I believe in “luck” exactly. But I do believe in curiosity, staying open, and being someone people like working with. I try to pay attention to what people care about—and put myself close to that energy. That’s where the good stuff tends to happen.

:: THE LINKS ::

THE TROUBLE WITH BIG DATA

Much like per capita metrics, in Media we end up talking a lot about conversions and optimisation — but sometimes forget the person at the centre. Measurement frameworks are evolving fast — MMM, attribution, dashboards—especially as cookies disappear and platforms like Meta’s Robyn and Google’s Meridian reshape the rules.

AI and machine learning now help us model behaviours we once couldn’t. But even the smartest algorithm points to something deeply human.

In automotive, the moment that matters—the test drive—is emotional. A micro-moment that decides what someone drives for years.

In 2019, buyers hit around 900 media touchpoints. Today? It’s over 1100. That’s a 22% increase — yet it all gets flattened into tidy dashboard lines.

The future of measurement isn’t just about better models. It’s about remembering the human journey they’re trying to describe. (Forbes)

SKIN DEEP: E45 & THE POWER OF REPRESENTATION

At Ad Week London in April, a talk hosted by Outvertising stood out—E45’s campaign supporting trans people through their skincare journeys. It focused on something real and often overlooked: the transition journey, and the skin challenges many trans people face along the way. It centred real people, and the quiet intimacy of caring for the skin you’re in.

Advertising is one of the most consumed forms of popular culture—and in the current climate, when brands get representation right, it can create a sense of collective empathy. E45’s approach is a reminder that inclusive work doesn’t have to be different. It just has to show up with care, like E45 always has. (Creative Brief)

IS SMELL THE ULTIMATE BRAND ASSET?

You know that leathery scent of a new car interior—freedom mixed with the feeling that you could go anywhere? These sensory signals are powerful. They spark memory. They shape brand desire.

McDonald’s Netherlands recently tapped into that instinct, using billboards that subtly released the smell of their fries—no logo, no visuals. Just a scent that signalled appetite and drove people to act. Smell signals something you’ve experienced before—and makes you crave it again.

In a digital world, we can’t rely on scent. But we can trigger memory. We eat with our eyes—and great content doesn’t need to explain. It just needs to evoke. (Fast Company)

:: AND NOW… SOME FAST FAVORITES ::

Game :: Playing a fair bit of StarCraft II at the moment—still getting rinsed by my boyfriend, but I’m getting better (I think).
City :: Still loving London—even if it’s in a bit of a rut. Bit grey, bit chaotic, still home.
Book :: Just finished The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz. Brutal, honest, and strangely comforting if you’ve ever tried to build something in the messiness of real life.
Podcast :: Origin Story — A podcast I’m working on, exploring the formative moments (and hidden kryptonites) behind extraordinary people. Not the glossy stuff—just what made them who they are. Want to stay up to date or get involved?
Song :: Zombie Boy by Lady Gaga. A gentle reminder of the version of me that’s stayed out too late, eaten toast for dinner, etc.

:: GOLDEN HOURS ::

Board games and cheese during many golden hours <3

:: ‘TIL NEXT TIME ::

This edition was guest curated by Matt Northin, who is always down for coffees, sunny pints, cheese - you can find him on LinkedIn or Instagram. Your regularly scheduled hosts, Rosie & Faris Yakob, will be back next week!

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It's called Genius Steals because we believe ideas are new combinations and that nothing can come from nothing. But copying is lazy. We believe the best way to innovate is to look at the best of that which came before and combine those elements into new solutions.

Co-Founders Faris & Rosie are award-winning strategists and creative directors, writers, consultants and public speakers who have been living on the road/runway since March 2013, working with companies all over the world. We have a distributed team ourselves, an accounting team is based in Tennessee where our company is registered, our admin extraordinaire is based in Playa del Carmen, and our collaborators are all over the world. Being nomadic allows us to go wherever clients need us to be, and to be inspired by the world in between.

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