You don’t need more data. You need better instincts.

You’ve got dashboards. Spreadsheets. Reports with more tabs than a browser during tax season.

Every click is tracked. Every subject line A/B tested.

And still… the strategy feels a little flat.

The ideas are safe. The copy’s polished. But nothing’s really landing.

Here’s the thing: data is brilliant at telling you what happened.

It’s just not great at telling you why.

And it definitely won’t tell you what to try next, especially if the only moves you’re making are the ones you can measure.

Because bold ideas don’t always show up in the metrics. Sometimes, the best strategy starts with a gut feeling.

Why We Over-Rely on Data

Data feels safe.

It’s the grown-up thing to do. It makes us sound smart in meetings.

It gives us something to point to when someone asks, “Why’d you go with that?”

And it’s everywhere. So it’s tempting to let it lead.

But here’s the catch: when we let the numbers call all the shots, we usually end up in the same place everyone else did.

The “most tested” headline? It’s often the most forgettable.

The “best performing” visual? It’s probably the most boring.

You’ve seen it before:

“We ran 74 A/B tests and landed on… beige.”

Congrats. You’ve optimised your way into mediocrity.

The problem isn’t the data.

It’s what happens when we stop making decisions and start deferring them.

To spreadsheets. To CTRs. To past results that were “fine.”

But if you’re only following what’s already worked, you’re not creating.

You’re echoing.

And no one builds a standout brand by sounding like an echo.

The Case for Instinct

Here’s a hard truth: some of the best ideas in history would’ve flopped in a focus group.

The iPhone? Too expensive, no keyboard, zero demand.

Nike’s “Just Do It”? Pretty weird until… it wasn’t.

That Old Spice ad with the horse? Try explaining that in a slide deck.

Because not everything brilliant comes from a spreadsheet.

Sometimes, it comes from someone trusting their gut, even when the data says otherwise.

And there’s science behind that gut.

It’s not magic. It’s pattern recognition.

It’s your brain making snap judgments based on years of inputs - what Malcolm Gladwell calls “thin-slicing” in Blink.

Or what Kahneman breaks down as System 1 thinking - fast, intuitive, emotional.

It’s why designers can instantly feel when something’s off.

Why great founders make calls no one else sees yet.

Why a marketer might bet on a headline that “shouldn’t work,” but just feels right.

Because here’s the thing: Instinct is where innovation begins.

Not with what’s already performing.

Not with what’s been tested into oblivion.

But with what hasn’t been done yet, and what you believe could land.

Yes, data is part of the process.

But it’s not the engine. It’s the rearview mirror.

Great brands don’t just optimise. They leap.

The Real Problem Isn’t Data. It’s What We Do With It.

Let’s be clear - this isn’t a manifesto against metrics.

Data is brilliant. Beautiful, even. Love it.

It helps you make smarter decisions, spot patterns, back your ideas.

The problem? We stopped using it to inform, and started letting it dictate.

We run a test, and instead of asking “What did we learn?”

We ask, “What’s the safest thing to do now?”

Optimisation becomes sanitisation.

Creativity becomes compliance.

Strategy becomes scorekeeping.

Because the truth is, it’s easy to hide behind data.

You can’t get blamed for a choice the spreadsheet made.

But the best strategists, the ones actually moving brands forward, don’t treat data like gospel.

They treat it like a compass.

Something to guide. To calibrate. To gut-check.

Not something to handcuff the entire campaign to.

So no, this isn’t anti-data.

It’s anti-fear.

Anti-playing-it-safe.

Anti-letting numbers lead when they should be following.

Use the data. But don’t lose the plot.

How to Trust Yourself Again

Here’s how to get back in touch with your gut:

🔹 Run fewer A/B tests - and make bigger swings.
Don’t test 14 shades of blue. Test 14 different ideas.

🔹 Set a 70/30 baseline.
70% logic. 30% instinct. That’s where the magic happens.

🔹 Add a wild card.
For every campaign, create one version that makes you nervous. That’s usually the one that sticks.

🔹 Try a “No-Data Day.”
Design, write, or concept without checking the dashboards. Just follow the idea. See where it leads.

🔹 Use the gut-check test:
If you saw this on your feed, would you feel anything?
Curiosity? Intrigue? Annoyance, even? If it’s “meh,” go back.

📝 Mini journaling prompt:
“If data wasn’t a factor, what would I actually want to try?”
Write 3 ideas. Pick one. Build it.

The best campaigns aren’t built in spreadsheets.

They’re built on gut instinct, curiosity, and a quiet voice that says,

“I don’t have the numbers yet… but I know this is right.”

You don’t need more charts. You need more courage.

Let your ideas lead, the metrics can catch up later.

Book a strategy call and let’s find the difference between what works and what’s just… what everyone else is doing.