• by Kendall Allen , June 22, 2009

We always respect the people who are smart enough to know what they don't know and humble enough to say so. Within reason, this candid introspection is grounding. And, when it comes to marketing and media, particularly with digital in the picture, it's easy enough to rattle off all the things it's possible not to know. Where to begin?

• We could not know just how bad our data are

• We could not know if our analysis gives enough clarity to arm us or falls just short enough to make us a danger to ourselves

• We could not know enough to fully, competitively optimize our deceptively straightforward website

• We could not know how much of our lunch the competitors are eating

• We might not know if we should really care about click fraud

• We could know our target but have no idea how to reach the true influencers that fuel our base

• We could not know how much we should be spending across the new, more experimental additions to our mix

• We might not know who is in our blind spot and how fast they are approaching

It is true that the avid among us make it our business to get to the highest possible level of "know," one way or another, over time. But, at least for me, there is pleasure in the unexpected glance at the unknown. It keeps us leaning forward. Leaning forward is positive.

Idle Smarts

Last week, I was listening to a certifiably smart person talk about social media and technology, and I had that feeling we've all had. It's that moment when we realize the drone in our ear is the same re-shaped, re-colored spiel we've heard a hundred times, just punched up by the particular personality and inflection at hand. For a minute, I was truly bored. It was nothing terrible -- just that sensation of same old song playing on. And, on. We got through it, but engagement and curiosity levels remained in neutral.

Then, a few days later, a friend sent me a promotional bit on a new book being released by a smarty-pants friend of his. I yawned as I dutifully clicked on the link. But then, caught by what seemed to be a new position, I realized when reading the bit, how interested I was in what this man had to say. There were hints that he might bring a new point of view, a whacky lens or at least a well-shaken lexicon and ability to carve out fresh conversation. Sometimes it is that glimpse of raw turf that creates a welcome sense that someone might take you into some unknown territory. To me, this moment always is more enthralling than the one that results in, "Yep. Yep. Yep."

Not Knowing Often Inspires Progress

So, over the past few days I've been thinking about a few things I consider to be lurking in the unknown that, in fact, I am quite alright having persist. This is not a long piece today, but I just wanted to share these open questions as a musing on this whole idea of knowing and mastery:

• While intimately tuned to the consumer, does today's incarnation of social media allow for the laughing and crying of yesteryear? Does it need to?

• Can advertising ever stand alone and deliver again?

• In the era of accountability, will qualitative considerations remain in the shadows of the quantitative, where they seem to be now?

• How then do we continue to explore the interplay of art and science in our marketing efforts and keep up efficiency?

• Within today's integrated landscape, is it possible to literally reach everyone we need to reach? Tap all available demand? Harness influence for practically complete penetration?

• What are the most informative ways to validate messaging, channel by channel? How do we assure that we are respecting the consumer's mindset across the mix and truly adapting to connect?

• How do we align -- really -- as an overall industry on commitment to data integrity?

So, like many of us, I will continue to be attracted to and work with people who are honest enough to know what they don't know but steadfast in their quests to get flush on "the know." There is a certain importance to keeping an open field on curiosity. I've often said that mastery is overrated. It is also elusive. In many ways, within what we do, if we expect to keep up real progress -- it should be. It will always be OK to have a new and daunting something not to know.