The Culture Contract Series Part One - Meaningful Data.
When Brands Translate Data into Human Understanding, they Prove Cultural Respect.
The Illusion Of Infinite Data
Modern brands are drowning in information. Every transaction, click, and swipe generates another stream, and vast technology stacks promise insight at scale. But volume without interpretation is useless. The writer Jorge Luis Borges captured this dilemma in The Library of Babel, imagining a library that contained every possible combination of letters, every coherent book buried among endless nonsense. The knowledge existed, yet without the ability to sort and read it, it was meaningless.
The same is true for brand data. Endless inputs stored in CRMs and dashboards are not, on their own, proof of understanding. They become cultural clutter unless unlocked and translated into insight. In 2024, when loyalty executives across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa were asked to define the foundation of emotional connection, 81%, 25 out of 31—identified the same priority: transform raw data into actionable intelligence that creates human connection. That number tells us plainly: the contract begins not with collection, but with comprehension.
Analysis As Cultural Respect
Data collection is only the first step; the real test is analysis. It is through analysis that the “who” behind behavior is revealed—the motivations, pain points, and aspirations that make customers human. Krinio Christaras, Head of CX MENAP at Mondelēz International, made the point clear: “Loyalty can be cultivated through well-designed programs that stem from a profound understanding of our consumers’ needs and behaviors.”
This understanding does not come from raw numbers but from rigorous interpretation. The rise of AI has made identifying patterns easier than ever, but it has also multiplied the risk of detachment. Guardrails are critical. As Christaras stressed, analysis must remain grounded in brand purpose and mission, with a clear awareness of the limits of current tools. Without those principles, automation turns empathy into exploitation. With them, analysis becomes the first act of cultural respect.
Technology As Enabler, Not End
Sharp analysis cannot function without the right systems. Collecting, storing, and activating information requires robust technology that integrates across channels. Isabel Bargans, Head of CRM Iberia at Nestlé Spain, described the stakes: “The program should keep on growing in terms of return, with more sophisticated data plans that add value to the consumer. Integration of the data and automatization seems key for the near future.”
Technology, in this sense, is not about scale for its own sake. It is about coherence, making sure that data gathered in one context can inform actions in another, that insights move fluidly across the organization, and that automation delivers personalization with consistency. Investment in CRM systems, automation platforms, or dedicated data science teams is not optional. It is the infrastructure of cultural legitimacy.
Talent As The Decisive Factor
Analysis and technology still collapse without talent. Skilled people must interpret, connect, and act. Mona Al Borno, Marketing Director at Majid Al Futtaim in the UAE, captured the risk: “The lack of a cohesive strategy, inadequate technology infrastructure, and unappealing rewards for end-users will guarantee the program’s failure. Data is at the core of making all these aspects work.”
Talent is what ensures the library can be read. Returning to Borges’ metaphor, finding the right book is useless if no one understands the language. Building teams that can translate data into actionable strategies is paramount. That may mean hiring data scientists, CRM specialists, or upskilling current staff. Without them, the contract breaks: the brand appears to be listening but proves incapable of responding.
The Cultural Test
Together, analysis, technology, and talent form the triad that decides whether data is empty noise or meaningful connection. Each is a clause in the contract. Neglect one, and the system falters. Align all three, and the brand signals seriousness: it is not collecting for its own sake but listening with intent.
The consequence of neglect is not just inefficiency but illegitimacy. Customers notice when personalization is irrelevant, when offers miss context, or when recognition fails to materialize. These failures are read not as technical glitches but as signs of cultural indifference. In contrast, when data is used with care, when analysis uncovers the human, technology integrates seamlessly, and talent interprets with empathy, customers see proof that they matter. That proof is the foundation of belonging.
Bottom Line: Data is a Test of Cultural Respect
Data becomes noise when it is hoarded, fragmented, or treated as a commodity. It only becomes legitimacy when brands demonstrate that every data point has been translated into empathy, that interpretation is anchored in purpose, and that human understanding guides how decisions are made.
In this way, data is not proof of collection but proof of respect, the difference between being tolerated as background noise and being accepted as part of culture.
