---
id: "quote-data-over-creativity"
type: "quote"
source_timestamps: ["\\\"§ Leverage Real-time", "Data-based Customer Insights\\\""]
tags: ["data-analytics", "product-development"]
related: ["claim-creativity-secondary-to-data", "concept-algorithmic-resource-matching", "contrarian-creativity-vs-data"]
speaker: "Yang Li"
speakers: ["Yang Li"]
quote: "One example of this \\\\\\\"algorithmic\\\\\\\" operation—where smart use of consumer feedback data, not just creativity, drives the lifecycle of a new innovation—is the recent breakout success of Labubu."
sources: ["attention"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-attention"
originDay: 4
articleStem: "hbr-foci-68-popmart-attention-economy"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2025/07/how-pop-mart-won-young-customers-in-a-fragmented-attention-economy"
sourceTitle: "How Pop Mart Won Young Customers in a Fragmented Attention Economy"
---
# Data Drives Innovation Lifecycle

> "One example of this 'algorithmic' operation—where smart use of consumer feedback data, not just creativity, drives the lifecycle of a new innovation—is the recent breakout success of [[entity-product-labubu|Labubu]]."
> — [[entity-yang-li|Yang Li]]

[[entity-yang-li|The author]]'s assertion that raw creativity is no longer sufficient; operationalizing data is what actually sustains and scales innovation. Directly underwrites [[claim-creativity-secondary-to-data|the claim that data drives innovation lifecycles more than creativity]] and the [[contrarian-creativity-vs-data|contrarian reframing of creativity vs. data]]; it is the textual seed of [[concept-algorithmic-resource-matching|algorithmic resource matching]].