Building contextually informed algorithms requires collaboration between human science and data science teams who are willing to extend their frame of reference beyond their core skill areas.

The real lesson of Google Flu Trends is that it isn’t enough to ask how ‘big’ the data is—we also need to ask how ‘thick’ it is.

Only by combining thick and big data can CMOs find real solutions to their strategic problems.

At its core, all business is about making bets on human behavior. Companies that excel at making these bets tend to thrive.