Well, my previous job was more data pulling involved than statistical modelling. It could have been just me, but the company had more than 30 DSs and I think only two of them did anything advanced. I read on HN once that 95% of the DSs where in the same situation as me.

So for me it seems that Data Science is more a fad and company are hiring PhDs more for the sake of having an impressive data science team than for using advanced modelling tools.

I may be wrong of course, but Nathan mentions in his blog Netflix and Khan Academy. I guess Netflix can use data science to make recommendation system, and Khan Academy to gauge the level of the exercises they propose, and see if the progression curve of the students is right. Honestly, I don't see how this would need something particularly advanced in term of modelling.

EDIT: typos