Ian Whittaker’s war is overquantification: Industry analyst & adviser on seeing the bigger picture

In this episode, host Ben Norman is joined by analyst and adviser to the media, technology and creative industries, Ian Whittaker, who, having gained over 20 years’ experience in the world of finance as an Equity Research analyst (including winning CityAM’s Analyst of the Year… twice), now brings a unique perspective to business in the marketing world through his consultancy Liberty Sky Advisors, and his subscription briefing for senior leaders, The Bigger Picture.Ben and Ian discuss the importance of marketers stepping back from spreadsheets and dashboards to see the wood for the trees, how to speak the language of the boardroom, and why we need to be more concrete in quantifying results.In a complicated landscape, Ben doesn’t ask Ian to predict what will change for marketers throughout 2025 and beyond, but instead asks what isn’t likely to change. Spoiler alert: He believes people, and agencies, still have a place in the world of AI.Ian explains why agencies need to refocus on their core competencies and fight on their own battlefield, instead of trying to fight the tech giants on their turf, and then chooses to banish ‘overquantification in marketing’ before returning ‘understanding a client’s business’ to the industry.Ian also explains what the Vietnam War can teach us about misguided metrics, what we can learn from Sun Tzu about the Tech vs Creative battle, and why future war historians might look back at the present day with interest.