One of the trickiest things about working at Contagious is separating probability from hyperbole. We tend to cover the most optimistic aspects of the industry – where brands are enthusiastically embracing new technologies; where agencies are pursuing bold new strategies; and where startups are figuring out how to change the world. Amid all this energy, it can be hard to stay rational and not get caught up in the whirlwind. But sometimes a new trend comes along that feels like it might live up to the hype. 'Machine learning has created the biggest business opportunity in history,' said Pedro Domingos, The University of Washington professor of computer science and engineering, in a recent talk.

Sometimes it feels like we're on a quest to amass more and more data, filling graphs and spreadsheets like there's no tomorrow. We know that it's increasingly possible to track people, and we're told that arranging and rearranging information might just help in the elusive hunt for killer insights. But, at Contagious, we're hearing far more people ask: 'What if data wasn't just used as a way to gain understanding of demographics or to more accurately target someone, but as a starting point for creativity?' Some of the major winners at this year's Cannes Lions festival, as well as a few other brands, have already put this approach into practice and are developing pieces of work that take data to the next level. We're seeing tangible projects that use ones and zeros as a creative spark to give people a way of grasping a complex idea in an emotional way, so that they can feel and experience as well as understand. From graphs to art One staggering way that data was brought to life recently was on behalf of Australia's Transport Accident Commission.