A Framework for How To Measure Creativity

Attention + emotion = action

The way audiences respond to ads is driven by catching their attention and triggering an emotional connection. It’s a pretty basic formula.

Creativity = emotion

But, when creativity equals emotion, how exactly do you measure something that’s, by nature, intangible?

Measuring creativity

Adam Morgan has a theory. The former Adobe ECD, now Senior Director of Brand & Creative at Splunk believes: Emotions drive business.

The most effective creative ideas are emotional

While Morgan knows this both rationally and intuitively, he also recognizes that data-driven marketers and businesses need effective ways to measure creativity and identify the concepts that trigger action.

This doesn’t mean throwing logic and data out the window. It means developing a framework that applies the attention + emotion = action formula to quickly and cost-effectively test creative ideas.

This playbook walks you through Morgan’s framework for systematically evaluating creative ideas, pinpointing the best ones and going all in with what works.

Going from lots of creative ideas to the very best

Morgan’s experimental framework starts with a group of creative ideas, filtering down at each step to distill the one that works the best.

1. Begin with the brief. Identify what the concept has to express.
2. Explore a wide range of concepts. Use logic, audience information and established data, and emotion, novel and creative approaches
3. Pick your top 10 ideas. Again, using strategy and intuition.
4. Run them in organic social first. All it costs you is a little time and effort, traded for a bit of data.
5. Take the top performers and put them in paid social Now, you put some dollars behind it.
6. Run the top three as paid banners. Test in a different context and collect more data.
7. Test the top two in email banners. Rinse and repeat.
8. Celebrate your winning idea. Then, use it and extend it as much as possible.

Do you have to follow this framework exactly as outlined above?

Of course not. As a framework, it’s a structure or template you can take and adapt to what makes the most sense for you. You can choose the number of ideas you start with and pick which types of paid and data-driven tactics you use.

However, keep in mind, that using organic channels like social media before moving to paid is a way to cost-effectively filter ideas before putting ad dollars behind them.

Combining data and emotion

Morgan’s framework starts with a brief, informed by existing knowledge and data-driven insights. In turn, the brief inspires the creative process.

Whether it’s the first time or the hundred and first time it's applied, his framework uses real audiences and marketing tactics to drill down to the most effective idea.

Data + creativity + measurement = success

Inspiring action drives growth. Keeping audiences engaged requires a steady stream of creative ideas. All you have to do is repeat this process:

• Gather data-driven insights.
• Use these insights to inspire creative ideas.
• Systematically shortlist the best performers.
• Make the most of what works.
• Keep iterating and creating.

Earn creative wins

If you've struggled with measuring creativity, you're not alone. In fact, 74% of the customers and prospects we speak to have the same pain point.

Furthermore, having the capacity and bandwidth for generating new ideas and producing the assets to test and measure creativity is also a huge challenge

A nimble, extendible partner, Superside gives marketing and creative teams the added resources and creative services so they can bypass bottlenecks and fuel growth.

Our optimized workflows and seasoned AI-powered creative teams help you quickly concept and get finished assets that perform 60% to 70% faster. And when you find your winning ideas, we can help you scale those too.

To find out more, book a call. It's a commitment-free way to get to know each other.