Tabita Andersson, senior vice president, communications and brand, at Clarivate, explores the value of data in corporate storytelling and creating a compelling, engaging narrative.

In the fast-changing landscape of communications, data is the holy grail to creating compelling narratives. At Clarivate, a leading global provider of transformative intelligence with a strong global communications and brand team, we believe that data tells very powerful stories if you just know where to look. This belief has been the driving force behind our innovative approach to data interpretation and presentation, helping researchers, explorers and innovators of today shape the world of tomorrow.

Having led thought leadership campaigns over many years, telling stories across a wide range of industries and topics, at Clarivate I now oversee our brand and communications team who bring our rich data to life. Our campaigns are meticulously crafted, involving highly skilled colleagues, to tell a powerful story that resonates with our audiences.

When unleashing the power of our data, we employ a variety of tactics, from attractive visuals to strategic storytelling methods that are amplified via a mixture of channels such as blogs, social media or media toolkits that can be utilized by our advocates. These tactics are designed to highlight the most significant insights, making data accessible, engaging and useful for all audiences.

Award-winning DataComms success

2024 marked a significant milestone for Clarivate. We won four DataComms awards: ‘Most Innovative Format to Display Data,’ ‘Best Data Insight from a Communications Campaign (One-Off),’ ‘Best Data Insight from an Integrated Campaign,’ and ‘Most Innovative Use of Data.’ These accolades are a testament to our forward-thinking approach and our commitment to harnessing the power of data to drive impactful communication.

These campaigns had a few common characteristics which made them stand out from the crowd and deliver tangible results for our business.

Expert insights and understanding of the data: The foundation of any successful data-driven campaign is a profound understanding of the data itself. At Clarivate, our expert analysts delve deep into datasets to uncover insights that are not immediately apparent, turning raw numbers into meaningful narratives. Our experts have a breadth of understanding of the data coupled with industry experience to interpret insights. In communications, we work hard to partner with the business and our experts to tell these stories in plain English so they can be understood by a wide audience.

Visualisation and brand: Data, when visualized effectively, can transcend its numerical nature and tell a story that resonates with a broad audience. Innovative formats for data display enhance comprehension and align seamlessly with a brand, creating a cohesive and engaging user experience. Having the right visualization helps reach a broad audience that ranges from industry experts to C-level decision-makers.

Partnering with our advocates: Collaboration is key to amplifying the impact of our data insights. By partnering with external advocates who understand and value our data, we ensure that our campaigns reach a wider audience and drive meaningful engagement. Whether it’s researchers who have been named Nobel-class Citation Laureates or companies listed in our Top 100 Global Innovators, the amplification of their success also means that our campaigns reach a wider audience. 

Using data to show the value of communications

Data isn’t just a core part of our stories, visuals and advocacy; it’s also an invaluable tool for gauging success and planning. We track and measure our campaigns’ performance working together with our marketing teams to ensure that we reach the right audience and deliver the objectives set.

A wide basket of metrics is measured, including earned media coverage, earned and paid social media impressions, engagement and click-throughs, blog and microsite views and email performance. We also track leads generated through PR activity and analyze qualitative feedback from clients and other stakeholders. All this data shows the value of communications and brand to our business, as well as helping us to plan for the next campaign.

Leading the charge for data-driven communication

It’s crucial to have a deep understanding of the data and insights and to have the creativity to transform it into a compelling narrative, both written and visual. However, using data in communications does not have to mean complexity ; going back to basics by partnering with advocates and stakeholders will amplify your campaign's reach and impact. Building strong relationships and fostering collaboration is key to success. As is, of course, having a strategic vision from the start, and maintained throughout to set clear objectives, define key messages and align the campaign with broader business goals.

Our success at the DataComms awards is a testament to our innovative spirit and our unwavering dedication to telling powerful stories through data and tracking the success of these. As we continue to think forward, we aim to shape the world of tomorrow, one insightful narrative at a time.