Creative quality is one of the biggest factors determining the financial impact of campaigns. A range of presentations and reports analysing the evidence and best practice for developing the most effective creative approaches to advertising.
(Recommended) Sound proof: fresh evidence on music and brand impact How much does music choice alter the effectiveness of audio-visual ads, and what kinds of impact should advertisers seek from music tracks? This presentation at the IPA Effectiveness Conference 2025 discusses the history of music and other types of audio in branding. It includes top-line findings from a study by MassiveMusic in partnership with the IPA that combines analysis of people's responses to music in ads with data from the IPA Effectiveness Databank to identify the most effective uses of music in campaigns. The full report is available. (October 2025)
Post: It's time to drop some myths about creativity Hanging on to received thinking about creativity, and to conventional practices such as brainstorming or having elite creative teams, won't help the industry meet its challenges. (May 2025)
Post: Crafting effective marketing through storytelling Tracksuit's Leanne Tomasevic argues that strategy is often viewed through a data-heavy, goal-oriented lens, yet it can be far more potent when approached as a form of narrative creation. (May 2025)
Post: The return of imaginative repetition IPA Director of Effectiveness Laurence Green on why consistency and creativity are not opposites but can work together. (February 2025)
Video: The magic of compound creativity Andrew Tindall of System1 presents analysis of 4,000 ads for consistency across a range of fronts, and argues that cases with high consistency score better creatively and are more likely to report compound benefits in performance. (October 2024)
Video: Debating creative consistency When do brands know a creative strategy is still viable, and when to change it? How do they decide between a 'tweak' and bigger change? An industry panel discuss the practicalities. (October 2024)
Video: Accelerating excellence in digital creativity Award-winning strategist Tom Roach provides his choice of data and examples on what distinguishes the average, good and excellent in digital creative. (October 2023)
Video: Digital video demonstrates the 'timeless importance of the show' System1's Orlando Wood and John O'Gorman of Amazon present analysis and data on effective uses of online video. (October 2023)
Webinar: The Third Age of Effectiveness Tom Roach provides the creative segment in a triple decker presentation with Les Binet and Dr Grace Kite about the most effective strategies for our era. (June 2023)
Video: Developing brand building advertising – a panel Orlando Wood and representatives from Specsavers and Twinings share tips on how clients and agencies can work together better to encourage brand-enhancing creativity. (October 2022)
Video: Sir John Hegarty on the creativity of business The famed BBH co-founder gives his view that creativity is at the heart of successful companies. (October 2022)
Video: The links between the visual arts and advertising Orlando Wood and art expert Mary Attwood discuss how understanding of visual art can build meaning and audience connection into communications. (October 2021)
Video: James Hurman analysis of creativity The strategist-author explains how to use a 'Creative Ladder' framework to encourage investment in high quality advertising creative, also discussed in his conversation with Peter Field. (October & June 2020)
News & Video: What features should online video prioritise for effectiveness Research by Orlando Wood uses brain science to identify which elements in online video ads are most likely to win over audiences. (October 2020)
Publication: The crisis in creative effectiveness Peter Field's analysis of the IPA Effectiveness Databank that identified a decline in advertisers' commitment to highly creative advertising to build brands over a longer timeframe. See Peter present his findings. (October 2019)
Video: The importance of characters and story-telling for long-term ad effectiveness System1 presentation of features that make ads memorable and effective. (October 2018)
Presentation: Lessons from the 2016 IPA Effectiveness Award winners Insights about the creative and media characteristics of IPA award-winning campaigns by John Lewis and Guinness. (November 2016)
Publication: Selling Creativity Short What happens when advertisers under-invest in creative excellence? Using evidence from the IPA Effectiveness Databank, Peter Field provides his answer. (June 2016)