Some interesting articles to kick off the last week of the penultimate month of the year!

• Elastic: Flexible Thinking in a Constantly Changing World – If there is one article you read this week, make it this one. A succinct, but fascinating view into the type of thinking that can lead to meaningful breakthroughs in this rapidly changing world.
• TV the ‘least risky’ form of advertising – Right at the outset, I must add the caveat that this research was commissioned by a TV advertising body. Having said that, I agree with the findings and suggested strategy. I do not think TV advertising is going to go away anytime soon, but it might not be the right or relevant strategy for everyone.
• Building a better data-first strategy – I think by now, most marketers and businesses know the importance of being data-driven. This is a good article in case you are still unsure on what your data-driven marketing strategy should be. However, as the article so rightly states, keep in mind that “people are not machines, and as such, they’re not always rational, efficient bidding and buying engines. They don’t necessarily respond in the way you’d think they might. As a marketer, you have to plan for that by gaining a better understanding of the human story behind your data — because it’s those behaviors that may drive your business forward.“