Each and every week the Square Holes team are deep in the bowels of a number of projects, working to mine all of the insights that we can to help grow businesses and support thriving cities.

These insights are used by businesses and organisations to innovate their offerings, move into new markets, track their impact and hone their products and output. Each week we will be sharing a broad insight that we have learnt for you to use in your own work.

Let us know what you find valuable!

Jason: Experience over ease

I just received a performance report from a digital agency. Full of metrics, with some boxes ticked and others crossed. It was somewhat deflating, even cringe-inducing, with the negative more so a focus then positive.

Every report, whether digital analytics, market research, or performance tracking, comes through a lens: Who is making this interpretation? It’s not unlike reading a Google review. Do you trust the reviewer? Are they like you? Do they always give one-star ratings? Were they of sound judgement, or not?

A pimple-faced digital assistant with little real-world experience may lack the credibility of a seasoned expert. The same applies in research: a focus group run by a recent graduate will carry less weight than one guided by someone with the experience, intelligence, and intuition to interpret results that can be trusted. And now, with AI increasingly in the mix, we face another credibility question. AI can be a useful advisor, but would you trust it to make decisions for you? Or worse, to review and interpret important findings without you knowing? How many (lazy) advisors are leaning on it to produce “analysis” that may be shallow or even risky? Remember Y2K – is AI going to be the real disaster in a few years?

Not all data, analysis, and interpretation are created equal. Reputation, rigour and trust should always be the foundation. Without them, even the best-looking report may be steering you in the wrong direction.

Dylan: Bold gets the gold

Effective advertising often hinges on the quality of its creative, which research shows can contribute nearly half of a campaign’s sales lift. Creativity (marked by originality, engagement, and strong execution) can make ads more memorable, impactful and efficient in driving results. Yet, crafting standout creative work requires taking risks, often resisting the safety of predictable approaches. Brands willing to empower bold ideas are more likely to capture attention and achieve greater results.

Mahalia: Flexibility is key

As technology rapidly transforms how we work and play, businesses and their employees are opening up to new ways of working – both hybrid and nomadic. With one YouGov survey finding that 41% of Australians would consider a digital nomadic work life, it seems that post pandemic lockdowns workers are becoming more and more eager to combine restructured work rules with travel freedom. As the traditional 9-5 makes way for work hours that suit your life – flexibility and agility is being demanded of business owners.

Think your business or organisation could do with some insights? Contact us here.