Too many brands fall into a creative rut, leading to underperforming ads. They stick to the same formats (usually static images) and expect results to improve. If that sounds familiar, it’s no surprise your performance has plateaued. Your audience has lost interest, and the algorithm isn’t doing you any favors.
This is one of the most common marketing mistakes we’ve seen in brand audits and client campaigns over the past two years. Many brands test new creative sporadically. Maybe once a quarter. Others avoid video because it seems too complicated or dismiss user-generated content (UGC) as “off-brand.”
Meanwhile, their costs rise, engagement drops, and their ads fade into the background.
If you’re not introducing at least 3-4 fresh creative concepts per month, you’re leaving revenue on the table.
The Solution: Volume. Variety. Velocity. The highest-performing brands go all in. They produce a steady flow of diverse creative assets and let the data reveal what works. Here’s how you can do the same:
1. Ditch the Static-Only Approach—Video Drives Results
Relying solely on static images won’t cut it. Video grabs attention, builds trust, and converts at a higher rate. The best-performing formats include:
- Short-form videos (TikTok, IG Reels, YouTube Shorts)
- Product demos
- Founder- or influencer-led content
- Lo-fi, unpolished UGC
2. UGC Outperforms Traditional Ads. Use It.
People trust other people more than brands. That’s why UGC with real testimonials, raw product experiences, and customer-led content delivers strong results. If your ads look overly polished and “branded,” chances are they aren’t performing as well as they could.
We recently ran an ad campaign that generated 70K leads. With this campaign, we tested hundreds of variations to identify key trends. We learned that:
- Overly branded assets blend into the feed.
- The best creators are aspirational yet relatable.
- Voiceovers outperform silent videos.
Without large-scale creative testing, we wouldn’t have discovered these insights.
3. Take Big Swings, Not Just Small Tweaks
Changing a background color or swapping out a word in your headline isn’t real testing. If you want real gains, test radically different concepts:
- Emotional vs. logical hooks
- Text-heavy vs. minimalist designs
- Direct-response vs. brand-led messaging
Yes, iterative testing (small refinements) has its place. But we focus on bold creative shifts because they deliver the biggest impact.
Let the data decide the winners, not your gut instinct.
The Bottom Line: Test More or Fall Behind
If your brand is coasting on a handful of outdated ads, you’re burning budget and missing opportunities. The brands that win are those that embrace creative testing at scale.
Speed matters. Be willing to test new formats, analyze performance quickly, and double down on what works.
Want better results? It’s time to get serious about creative. More ideas, more formats, more velocity. That’s how you break through.
This blog was written by Joe Van Huysen and Nikki Henning.
As Managing Director of Digital, Joe brings over a decade of experience turning clients' digital marketing goals into streamlined success. He’s the go-to guy for all things digital, team building, e-commerce, and lead generation. Whether optimizing operations or helping brands scale, Joe knows how to get results.
Nikki is our VP of Paid Social & Creative Strategy. She is all about blending growth and branding to build high-performing digital campaigns. With deep roots in the DTC space, she’s helped brands craft data-driven strategies that engage audiences and turn them into loyal customers. From scaling acquisition to creative storytelling, she knows how to make paid social work harder and smarter.