Data and the algorithm have become our industry’s new dirty words. Conferences and trade press have been besieged with critiques on what data cannot do and vilified it as the enslaver of creativity.

Leaders in our industry have declared a great divide between the agency whose heartbeat is data, and the one that beats with human ingenuity, courage, and hunch. The former is characterized as a soulless entity that applies personalization at scale to deliver micro-nudges across the consumer journey, while the latter is lauded for the ability to broker instant fame and cultural resonance.

This polarization is not only a reflection of our industry’s stubbornness and unwillingness to evolve, but it’s also harmful to our business at large. It suggests that these two worlds should stand in opposition, when in fact the future of our industry’s value lies in them complementing one another. …

As retailers look for ways to revolutionize brick-and-mortar stores, brands are using augmented reality (AR) to break the mold and break through these physical confines. From immersive in-store experiences to bringing showrooms to your smartphone, AR offers brands new ways to show up throughout the shopper journey.

While AR was once a futuristic fairytale, in which the tech was not affordable or accessible, companies like Magic Leap and Snap Inc. have altered that reality. Snapchat quickly became the go-to platform to play with face-mapping filters, dancing hot dogs and, later, a Bitmoji playground for your avatar self. …

In today’s omnichannel marketing environment, where consumers are constantly inundated with marketing messages, a strong strategy driven by meaningful insight is more essential than ever for developing creative that matters to consumers. That’s where Strategy Director Ariel Tishgart and the rest of Leo Burnett Chicago’s planning department come in.

Tishgart is the strategic mastermind behind the Cannes-winning “Van GoghBnb” campaign, and also wrote the 27-page case study that won the campaign the Cannes Grand Prix in Creative Effective last year. In 2016, she was the most awarded planner in the world.

In other words, Tishgart knows a thing or two about how to develop a successful advertising strategy. …

As a creative director at Leo Burnett Chicago, creativity is Scott’s forte. Alongside his partner, John Kistner, Scott is responsible for overseeing and crafting the creative campaigns for Allstate’s corporate and CSR intiatives, such as corporate advocacy, agent recruiting, catastrophe relief and youth empowerment.

But that’s just one side to Scott. He’s also a filmmaker, a writer, a director, an artist, a lunch-making master, a musician, a mentor, a father and more. His film, “Chasing The Blues,” is currently making its rounds on the independent film circuit and won Best in Show at Lone Star Film Festival in November. …

YouTube — you know it as the home of your favorite vloggers, music videos, sporting replays, cat videos and more.

But at Leo Burnett, we look at the platform a bit differently. YouTube itself, in all its comment-driven glory, is in part to thank for our taking the top spot on its 2017 Ads Leaderboard. Why, you ask? Because we consider YouTube the world’s biggest, most honest focus group.

Chief Creative Officer Britt Nolan put it best in his POV on Adweek: “On YouTube, audience feedback comes in immediately, so we can optimize on the fly, making creative changes and responding to audience signals in real time, in the real market. …

Community. That’s what keeps Senior Producer Colleen Capola inspired inside and outside the office. From being actively involved in charity organizations to creating lifelong friendships through sports, Colleen’s commitment to fostering a better community for all fuels her creativity.

Colleen first started working for Leo Burnett in 2000 as associate director, product quality. For more than 11 years, she led a team of quality experts that managed the print quality expectations for every account within the agency’s walls. …

On this edition of Day in the Life, we take a look at the day of Michelle Mahoney, vice president, director of community engagement. Michelle leads corporate social responsibility initiatives for Leo Burnett and is the creator of Leo Love, the agency’s community outreach program that provides employees with ongoing volunteer projects.

With more than 25 years at Leo Burnett, Michelle is a well-known and beloved face for employees who cherish her kindness and flock to her ability to make big ideas come to life. …

Originally hailing from Brazil, Carlos Murad started working at Leo Burnett nearly 20 years ago, first as an art director in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Lisbon, Portugal, and then as executive creative director in Bogota, Colombia, where he helped lead the office to agency of the year honors.

After six years at another agency in Sao Paulo, he returned to his Leo Burnett roots and headed to the slightly chillier climes of Chicago to join LAPIZ in 2015 as regional creative director. He then became creative director for Leo Burnett’s Samsung and The Field Museum accounts, among others.

Carlos specializes in creating integrated marketing campaigns for clients in Latin America, U.S. and Europe, and his work has earned him major wins at Cannes, Clio, LIA, and the One Show. …