Watson - Website creation

Watson is IBM’s sexiest product because it helps companies unlock the value of data. Despite the tremendous value proposition, IBM still struggled to find ways to communicate the practical applications of its product. I contributed to the creation of an engaging website designed to articulate how to use Watson in interesting, practical ways. To do that, I concepted editorials, wrote articles, and worked hand-and-hand with an analyst to figure out what the data could do.

Article examples

PROPOSITION
​What country is the most beauty-obsessed?

THE STATISTICS
It would be easy to label America as a country obsessed with plastic surgery. There are countless TV shows, magazines, and gossip sites that contemplate which celebrities have had work done. And the numbers completely back up the obsession claim. In 2014 alone, there were 4.1 million procedures performed in the U.S., generating revenue of around $12 billion dollars. That’s twice the amount of the closest country, Brazil—but that’s like comparing silicone to saline: just silly.

The U.S. has a larger population than most countries, so there are obviously more people willing to go under the knife or be injected with foreign chemicals. So, let’s make it a fair fight.

If you look at every one million people of the population, Brazil is actually tied with the U.S. in breast augmentation. And, when it comes to facial rejuvenation—like chemical peels, microdermabrasion, and laser skin resurfacing—Japan blows every other country out of the water (maybe because Japan has one of the highest average ages in the world).

But nowhere is the plastic surgery rate higher than in South Korea. It's estimated that one-in-five Korean women have it, compared to about one-in-twenty American women. And, although they might not be emulating reality stars, they are trying to achieve the doll-like features of K-pop girls.

WHAT THE DATA SAYS
So, who really is the most infatuated with beauty? Which countries are on the rise? And is it because of what we see in pop culture and films? Or is it just because we’re living longer? Tap into the data, and let us know what you find.

PROPOSITION
Just filmed a drama? Here’s the festival to win box office bounty.

THE STATISTICS
The first major film festival was held in Venice in 1932. Now, there seems to be one for every kind of film. So, if you were a filmmaker, which one would give you the greatest return?

Let’s start by looking at the top five festivals in the world: Venice, Cannes, Toronto, Berlin, and Sundance. We’re only interested in the best, right? Movies in the drama category that win the Toronto Film Festival make much more money on average than movies that win at the other four festivals, hands down.

It’s not all about the money, of course. Like any true artist, you also enjoy the adulation. Toronto is a slam dunk for this category, too. The average winning rate of award nominations to total award wins is almost three times the amount of the others. Quel dommage, Cannes.

WHAT THE DATA SAYS
What if you’re into short films? Or comedies? Or comedic short films? That might change the numbers around completely. And maybe depending on your medium, a smaller festival like Montreal would be more lucrative. Try different film categories and festivals and tell us what you find.