Marketing isn’t a solo sport.
It’s not just about a creative vision.
It’s about getting others to see it too. And sometimes, that’s the hardest part.
“Don’t wait for things to be perfect before you share them with others,” said Ed Catmull, co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios. “Show early and show often. It’ll be pretty when we get there, but it won’t be pretty along the way.”
It’s tough to get everyone on board with creative ideas, especially when there’s pushback from different angles. One person wants more copy, another thinks the design needs to change, and before you know it, your vision is starting to feel more like a committee project. And that’s where things can fall apart—if you let it.
But here’s the solution: backing up your creative choices with indisputable data. This way, when the feedback gets intense, you’ve got the confidence (and proof) to show why your creative approach is solid.
We’ll break this down into six actionable strategies, but first, let’s see why your ad creative is so important for campaign success.
Your Ad Creative is the #1 Driver of Your ROI
Nielsen’s research reminds us that the ad creative itself makes or breaks an ad campaign. No matter how spot-on your targeting is or how many people see it, a weak creative just won’t land.
The right ad, however, can deliver up to 90% of your advertising ROI.
Back in the day, marketers mostly relied on surveys and gut feelings to judge ads, often making decisions based on biased consumer feedback. This worked to some extent, but it also meant that some potentially amazing ideas got left on the shelf. Trimming down an ad was often based on personal taste, which wasn’t always the best idea to go to market with.
Now, with tools like eye-tracking and AI, things have changed. These science-based tools dig deeper and show what really works and where tweaks are needed.
Most of our decisions happen subconsciously, and traditional surveys miss that. Neurons AI takes it even further by analyzing your ad and telling you exactly what tweaks will make it perform better. It’s less guesswork, more precision, making sure your ad doesn’t just survive but has a higher potential to thrive in the market.
This brings us to actual strategies that worked for clients using data to back up creative ideas:
6 Ways to Improve Your Ad Creatives & Win Arguments with Stakeholders
Here are 6 ways to get that extra confidence boost and dodge pushback with watertight arguments.
#1 Guide the Gaze of Your Audience
Humans are visual creatures. We process visuals much faster than text. In fact, researchers at MIT found that we can recognize images in just 13 milliseconds. That’s faster than you can blink!
The surrealist painter Magritte famously explored the gap between what we see and how we describe it, especially in his piece The Treachery of Images. It’s the one with the painting of a pipe that says, “This is not a pipe.” Magritte was pointing out that while we can describe something in words, it’s never quite the same as seeing it for ourselves. And that's key here.
In advertising, this gap is crucial. The trick is to use visual hierarchy to direct your audience’s attention where you want it. Your design should grab people’s attention first, and your copy can highlight what’s the most important or just fill in the gaps.
But be careful: too much info can confuse people, and they'll just tune out. Make it super clear what’s important in your design. If you’re not sure how to do this, AI can help with actionable design suggestions and fine-tuning to get the ball rolling.
#2 Find the Balance Between Copy & Design
Ah, the eternal question: which comes first, the copy or the design?
There are pros to both sides, but the best way to nail your ads is to work on them together.
Here’s how successful agencies tackle it:
- Nail down the core message with copy. What’s the one thing you want people to walk away with?
- Experiment with some rough design ideas that capture different vibes. Don’t go all-in just yet.
- Refine both the copy and design at the same time. Let the copy inspire the visuals and vice versa.
Now, why does this work? It goes back to the previous point about how people are wired. We process visuals way faster than text, so a great visual combined with sharp copy is what makes things stick. Copywriting master Harry Dry explained this on a podcast with David Perell, showing how a smart mix of visuals and words is what makes an ad really work.
Take this New Balance ad as an example. The line, “Worn by supermodels in London and dads in Ohio,” is perfect. It’s simple, memorable, and paired with a clean image of the product, the shoe. The design is no-nonsense. It highlights the product and the clever copy without overwhelming you.
It is a “mind movie.” You can see a supermodel wearing the shoes on the streets of Hackney, and the dad in Ohio, too, while he’s casually flipping a burger. This combo of copy and minimal but strong design hits home because it gets the point across clearly and visually. And it’s true.
So, when you’re working on your next ad, remember to strike that balance between copy and design right from the start. They just can’t work without one another.
#3 Improve Your Video Ads & Edit Like a Pro
The way a video flows can either pull viewers in or lose them completely. And once they’ve skipped, it’s hard to win them back. This is why great editing and getting the scene sequence right is key for great video content.
In fact, abrupt scene changes can make people lose focus on your message. Have you ever walked into a room and forgotten why you went in? That’s called the "doorway effect," and it works and it works on the same principle in video ads.
Studies show that when we walk through "doorways", the brain "resets," and we quickly lose our train of thought. The same happens when a scene shifts abruptly in a visual narrative, in a commercial. And the below ad from McDonald's shows exactly how these distractions work on the brain.
McDonald's "Distractingly Good Deals" ad avoids the doorway effect by keeping its narrative simple and Cognitive Demand low. Cognitive Demand measures how much information is shown in a video frame at any moment. It's widely used in behavioral science. A higher score means a more complex scene, increasing the chance that viewers will be overloaded and have a hard time remembering the ad.
Don’t fall prey to the doorway effect. When in doubt, just run a quick video editing check with Neurons AI. Get action steps on how to improve including timestamps and detailed instructions. All that just in a few minutes for videos.
McDonald's "Distractingly Good Deals" ad avoids "doorways by keeping its narrative simple and Cognitive Demand low.
#4 Boost Your Brand Visibility
Stakeholders care about visibility, too. They want to know that the money they’re investing in ads is helping the brand stay top-of-mind for customers. If people can watch your ad and walk away remembering both the message and your brand, you’ve won.
So how do you boost brand visibility in a way that’s organic and effective? Start by asking yourself how your brand fits into the narrative of your ad. Are the visuals, tone, and message aligned with how your brand wants to be perceived? And more importantly, are they recognizable? This is where tools like automatic brand recognition tools come in handy.
For example, Neurons AI can provide a quick overview of your brand’s visibility and give you suggestions on how to enhance it without overloading your ad with logos or cheap catchphrases. You can show stakeholders exactly how your brand stands out in the ad and, more importantly, why that can be changed for long-term impact.
Get a snapshot of your brand's visibility and get recommendations to see how to stand out more. Book a demo with an expert!
#5 Make Sure Your Ads Work Across Different Channels
You’ve probably noticed that while scrolling through your phone, you’re more likely to skip over text-heavy ads. But when you’re on your laptop, those same ads might grab your attention.
That’s because people interact differently with content depending on the platform they’re using.
Neurons AI quickly predicts what catches visual attention on different channels so you can launch your ad on the ones that fit best. With just a few clicks you can see what elements draw attention and what falls through the cracks.
When you can show stakeholders that you’ve optimized your ads for each platform, you’re not just presenting them with a one-size-fits-all solution. You’re showing them a well-thought-out strategy that’s designed to get the best results across the board. This kind of foresight not only improves your ad performance but also makes your case much stronger in those tough feedback meetings.
#6 Get Actionable Feedback Rooted in Science
Ever get feedback that’s so vague it’s almost useless? “Make it pop” or “I’m not feeling it” doesn’t exactly help you improve your creative work. But what if you could get feedback that’s actually grounded in science?
For example, if someone in the meeting says, “I’m not sure about that color choice,” you can pull out data that shows how certain colors draw more attention or elicit specific emotions. Now, instead of having a subjective argument, you’re having a data-driven conversation. And that’s a lot easier to win.
So, next time you’re looking for feedback, don’t settle for vague comments. Use AI-powered tools to get feedback that’s rooted in science. Not only will it improve your work, but it’ll also give you the confidence to defend your creative choices in any stakeholder meeting.
Make Better Decisions, Faster, with Neurons AI Recommendations
Book a demo and see how Neurons can help your team shave off some precious hours & save budget with more effective creatives.
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