The adgorithm is the new breed of online advertising that is driven by statistics rather than media and creative professionals.  The adgorithm allows testing of online ad units in seconds to see what words, colors, pictures and ideas click through at the highest rates. The adgorithm is also a media testing approach where data hounds (be they agency-based or in-house) employ ad exchanges to let the adgorithm predict performance and make media placement choices.  Soon the machines will even replace the data hounds. You listening Sarah Connor?

I’m a big science guy when it comes to marketing, but science needs a creative baffle. The greatest, most nerve-wracking part of working at an ad agency is the conflict between creative and logical minds. It’s where “new” comes from. As statisticians and data nerds become more important in the marketing business, I’m afraid we’ll have an even further melt-down. We’ll lose serendipity. We’ll talk ROI even more than we do now.  Strategy isn’t something an adgorithm can create. Marketing strategy is about future sales, it’s predictive. We really must temper the adgorithm before marketers start getting addicted. Then all will be lost. Peace!