Marketers don’t look at creative the same way consumers do.
Your customers aren’t staring at your creative for 20 minutes. They’re not analysing it with their friends and family.
No, unlike the detail-focused reviews that happen internally, a consumer's interaction with creative work is fleeting—often a mere glance amid their busy everyday life.
It’s time to recognise that, as marketers, we’re not best placed to analyse the effectiveness of our creative, simply because we, generally speaking, don’t reflect our customer audience, and we’re not reviewing it from a real-life context.
So, what can marketers do to put their creative to the test? How can they ensure their creative not only looks good but also drives real results?
This was the topic of discussion in our latest webinar run by Jaywing’s UX and effectiveness specialists.
According to Marketing Week, only 9% of digital ads receive more than 1 second of attention. Meanwhile, research shows that creative is the sole most influential factor in driving business growth and profitability (Paul Dyson, 2024).
As Hanna Wade, Client Partner at Jaywing says, “Creative is the one opportunity that you have to get in front of your customers. It's the only thing the consumer sees from all those hours and days of work you put into getting it to that live point. So, really, shouldn’t we be doing everything we can to ensure it’s fit for purpose for both your consumers and the end impact that you want?”
Yes, we should. And, yes, we can - by using research techniques that predict user engagement to help you drive impactful results. How? By leveraging real insights, not just your team’s opinions.
45% of the webinar attendees listed cost as the primary reason preventing them from doing research, quickly followed by time and research complexity (36%).
But the reality is you don’t have to spend hours evaluating creative anymore.
As David Rubery, Head of UX, explains, “People think of research as something that takes time out of everybody’s day and interferes with their projects. That’s why, at Jaywing, we make sure the research isn’t a problem by integrating it into the project workflow. It doesn’t have to be this long, drawn-out process.”
Integrating testing early in the creative process helps identify and rectify potential issues before they escalate into costly mistakes. We call this “Failing Forwards” - test and “fail” now so that you can win later.
On top of this, using agile research techniques that replicate actual consumer-brand interactions helps you better understand your customers and how they perceive your creative efforts, saving you lots of time and money in the long run.
Doubt should not be viewed negatively within the creative process. As Adrienne Chan, UX Strategist, says, “It’s all those doubts you have that make up the best research questions”.
And, if you’re worried about stakeholder doubt, it helps here too. Demonstrating quantifiable data from creative tests can facilitate smoother sign-off processes and enhance stakeholder confidence in the proposed campaigns, ensuring alignment and support throughout your business.
A great quote by David, and it’s very true.
Your brand has subjectivity and bias when you evaluate your creative work. Individual preferences can vary widely, clouding judgment and hindering, or slowing down, decision-making.
Research isn’t about proving that someone’s idea was wrong, or even that your own was right.
It’s about leveraging the tools at your disposal to gain deep insights into your customers’ interactions with your creative.
It’s about maximising the probability of your creative achieving your brand’s objectives.
It’s about helping you learn more about your customers.
Ultimately, it’s about business growth.
David Rubery: As Jaywing’s Head of UX, David collaborates with digital design and brand teams, specialising in customer journey optimisation and accessibility. His expertise benefits major clients like Castrol and ADT.
Adrienne Chan: As a UX Strategist at Jaywing, Adrienne aligns client business goals with user experiences, specialising in creative testing and research. Her portfolio of work includes the likes of Hallmark and Yorkshire Water.
Hanna Wade: As Jaywing’s Client Partner, she leads client relations, ensuring growth and impact across all projects. Her expertise in data-driven effectiveness has propelled success for clients like Mazda and Asda.