Why Creative Still Matters More Than Ever

In a data-driven world, it’s easy to forget that one of the most powerful levers in any campaign’s performance remains the creative. We often obsess over audience targeting, bidding strategies, and attribution models but creative is what your audience actually sees. And if it doesn’t fit the environment it’s delivered in, it simply won’t cut through.

This was clearly reinforced in a recent post-campaign analysis (PCA) for a client. The campaign ran across Meta and TikTok, and while we had consistent delivery and targeting strategies, the results varied significantly depending on how well the creative was suited to the format and placement.

One particularly standout result came from a video placement on Facebook in-stream. That placement alone drove an 11% click-through rate, far outperforming others. What made the difference wasn’t just the asset itself, it was how well the creative worked within that environment. The takeaway is simple: different formats call for different storytelling, and when creative aligns with how people are experiencing the content, the results speak for themselves.

This campaign was a clear reminder that there’s no such thing as a universal asset. A video that works well in Stories might underperform in-feed. What lands in a TikTok swipeable context might fall flat in a more passive scroll. Platforms behave differently, and so do their users. Designing creative with the format in mind, whether it’s considering aspect ratio, pacing, copy, branding, and user attention isn't a nice-to-have anymore, it’s essential.

Another reason this campaign maintained strong performance throughout was the volume and variety of creative assets we had to work with. We were able to test multiple versions of videos and stills, which not only kept the campaign fresh and avoided creative fatigue, but gave the algorithms more signals to optimise against. More assets don’t just allow for better testing, they actually help maintain performance in-platform by giving the auction more options. This, in turn, increases the chances of winning more valuable impressions.

We often talk to clients about the value of investing in multiple creatives up front, and this campaign was a perfect proof point. Even small differences like tone of voice, message sequencing, or call-to-action can make a big difference. And when results start to dip, having other assets ready to go gives you room to pivot quickly without losing momentum.

Lastly, when the brief allows for it, opening up to more placements across platforms really matters. Not only does it help scale reach, but it opens up new windows for performance. In this campaign, some of the best results came from placements that weren’t part of the original plan. By allowing the platforms to explore where the creative performed best, we were able to uncover high-performing formats we might’ve otherwise overlooked.

This doesn’t mean handing over full control, far from it. It means working with the platforms to match the right creative to the right environment, then letting performance dictate where to lean in. It’s a shift from simply booking media to building campaigns that are flexible, responsive, and creatively smart.

So if you're planning your next campaign, think of creative not as an end product, but as a performance driver. Match the message to the medium, build for where your audience actually is, and give your campaigns room to breathe, test, and grow. That’s when creative really earns its place as the biggest multiplier in your media plan.