When insightful data meets powerful storytelling, its purpose isn’t just to inform. It can also inspire, captivate and even change the way we see the world.

This concept was on full display at two events I attended recently.

• Beautiful Data – an exhibition by Redtorch that analysed (through data-driven art) the coverage of Paris 2024, focusing on how it was consumed and experienced with a specific spotlight on female athletes.
• Information is Beautiful (IOB) – a seminar by David McCandless on his series of books, explaining how he transforms complex data into compelling graphic narratives.

These events shared a pivotal theme: the presentation of fascinating ideas in a beautiful way.

They reinforced the idea that data isn’t just a collection of stats and numbers but rather a goldmine of untold stories. And in the world of sports, knowing how to frame these stories can be key to unlocking fan engagement, driving conversations, and shaping the narrative of global sports.

Here are my key takeaways from the events:

1. Data & photography: framing the right story

McCandless made an interesting comparison with photographers and how they treat the presentation of data. Just as a photographer chooses when to zoom, to pan, to focus, we must make similar creative decisions when using data to tell stories.

Take, for example, photographers capturing a rainforest. Some might shoot from above, showcasing the vastness of the ecosystem. Others might zoom in on the intricate details of a single leaf. The two stories are equally fascinating, but there are critical decisions to make when deciding what story is important to you and your audience.

In Beautiful Data, we applied this same principle by first panning the ‘camera’ within the Olympic world to focus on female athletes. From there, the narrative could zoom in on specific details, such as how women’s sports are driving digital conversation. Similarly, zooming out reveals the macro picture to show how global trends shape audience engagement in Olympic sports.

2. Start with the right questions

The best way to reach an interesting conclusion is to start in an interesting place.

McCandless made this clear when he asked, ‘What is the most successful Hollywood film of all time?’ It’s a question with a wealth of possibilities to explore. The journey forces us to ask further questions about how we regard money and success in the film industry: the results tell us something fundamental and fascinating.

Asking the right questions in sports marketing is as crucial.

Take Paris 2024, for example. Instead of saying simply, ‘how many people watched the Games?’ we could ask:

• ‘how does engagement differ between women’s and men’s events?’
• ‘what drives the most conversation –  athlete achievements, personal stories or behind-the-scenes content?’
• ‘how does consumption differ according to factors like age and gender?’

By reframing the way we approach data, we move beyond merely understanding our audiences and discover insights into behaviours that inform the way we think.

3. Finding stories in numbers

Data isn’t only about numbers, stats and figures. It’s been generated by a multitude of individual stories; collating the data gives us the tools to add to the narrative.

At IOB, McCandless shared a funny example in the form of breakup statistics. Each breakup of course has its own individual and complex story – but fascinating patterns emerge when presented as a dataset. Attaching sentiment to seasonal trends in relationships gives us some interesting insights into the human psyche. (Note in particular the dip on Christmas Day that is significantly lower, but crucially not zero!)

Redtorch explored the same concept through sport in its Beautiful Data exhibition. By visualising data on gender equality, audience engagement and athlete visibility, we created narratives that challenge perceptions and spark conversations.

There are a host of insights to be found when looking at the bigger picture, and each one contributes to understanding audience behaviours and how we in the industry might impact them.

Some final thoughts

Both events reaffirmed why I love what I do: using creativity to shape how people see and understand stories that matter in the world of sports.

Data doesn’t have to be dry or overwhelming. When interpreted thoughtfully and presented creatively, it can be beautiful.

Data is storytelling
How you frame data determines how audiences engage with it. A compelling narrative built around data is more likely to increase understanding, evoke emotions and inspire action.

Ask better questions
Deeper insights come from rethinking the way we analyse data. By challenging assumptions, we can deliver different, more meaningful patterns that lead to additional creative decisions.

Numbers reveal patterns
Data can uncover narratives that challenge perceptions and shape conversations. Recognising these patterns provides new perspectives and drives informed decision-making.

Creativity transforms insights into impact
Data alone isn’t enough; its real power is unlocked when visualised in a compelling and accessible way. Creative storytelling through visuals, design and interactive experiences enhances engagement and makes insights increasingly persuasive and memorable.