How to Evaluate Creative Like a Strategist (Not a Jaded Critic)
- jmpaulik
- Nov 21, 2022
- 4 min read
Updated: May 14
Ok, you’re in a creative review. The work’s on screen. The deadline’s close. Everyone turns to you - the account manager - for feedback.
This is your moment. Don’t default to “I don’t know… it just doesn’t pop.”
Great account management isn’t about playing creative director. But it is about knowing how to pressure-test creative—strategically, constructively, and without killing the vibe like maybe your demanding client might do.
Here’s your cheat sheet for doing exactly that.
1. Revert Back to the Brief, Every Time
Before an idea is critiqued, re-anchor yourself and at times everyone else in the room in the campaign’s strategic objective. What are we solving? Who are we speaking to? What do we want them to feel, think, and do? What was the client approved proposition?
It’s not repetition. It’s ritual.
Account Manager Hack: Set the “North Star.” Open every review with a recap like:
"This is for [audience], to drive [behaviour], by dramatising [benefit] with [tone], using the [single-minded proposition].” Everything that follows gets measured against that.
2. Stop Saying “I Don’t Like It”
Your job isn’t to be the voice of taste. It’s to be the voice of relevance. If something feels off, avoid blanket reactions and ask sharp, strategic questions instead:
“Is the message clear and motivating?”
“Could this be misread or misunderstood?”
“Does this visual help us stand out—or blend in?”
Account Manager Hack: Use the four filters: Message | Brand | Emotion | Distinctiveness.
Here’s what that means:
Example:
Imagine you're reviewing a 15-second Instagram reel for a plant-based burger brand:
Message: It clearly says “tastes like meat, without the meat” in the first 3 seconds
Brand: Uses the brand’s signature green-and-black palette and cheeky tone
Emotion: It makes you smirk—it’s witty, not preachy
Distinctiveness: The weird “singing cow” concept is odd… but memorable. No one else would run this
You now have real criteria to steer feedback.
3. Evaluate Ideas, Not Execution (Yet)
Creative reviews often get bogged down in tweaks—font sizes, colours, logo placement—when they should focus on the core idea.
Stop and ask yourself "is the idea strategically sound?" Execution details can be polished later. But a weak idea can’t be saved with pretty art direction.
Account Manager Hack: Think:
"How does it make me feel? What does my gut say?
“Does this dramatize the benefit in a way our audience will care about?”
“Could we explain this idea in one sentence, without visuals?”
“Would our audience stop scrolling for this?”
4. Be the Brand’s Best Friend
Your brand should be the main character, not a cameo. Even strong creative can fall flat if it could belong to any brand.
Account Manager Hack: Pressure-test for brand ownership:
Is our brand clear, early, and consistent
Are we using distinctive brand assets? (Logo, tone, characters, typefaces, colours)
Would someone see this and immediately think of us?
Generic is forgettable. Ownable is bankable.
5. Check the Medium, Not Just the Message
A killer idea on the wrong platform dies a slow death. Tailor your critiques to the format:
TV/Online video: Grab attention in 5 seconds. Early branding. Works with and without sound.
Social: Thumb-stopping visuals. Vertical format. Fast pacing.
OOH/Print: Simplicity, legibility, strong contrast from a distance.
Experiential: Is it intuitive, frictionless, worth sharing?
Account Manager Hack: Ask: “Is this idea optimized for the space it’s in—or just shoehorned across formats?”
6. Be a Constructive Critic, Not a Creative Killer
Vague feedback is poison. Directives without rationale? Worse.
Instead of:
“Make it pop.” → “The product doesn’t stand out. Could we increase contrast or isolate it more visually?”
“It’s confusing.” → “The benefit gets lost halfway through. Could we make it more prominent earlier on?”
Account Manager Hack: Frame feedback as questions.
“What would happen if we tried...?”
“Could we simplify the structure so the idea lands faster?”
“How might we amplify this element that’s already working?”
Your role is to sharpen—not soften—the creative.
7. Know When to Kill, When to Polish
Endless rounds of revision can sand the magic right off an idea. Sometimes it’s not a polish—it’s a pivot.
Account Manager Hack: Be honest. If it’s off-brief or off-brand, say so early. Don’t dance around it. Say:“This doesn’t deliver on the core message. We’d be better off refocusing than refining.”
Clarity now prevents chaos later.
8. Advocate for Creative That Moves the Needle
Creativity isn’t just art for art’s sake. Creativity is proven to deliver effectiveness for your clients business. Understand that the IPA and WARC have the receipts: campaigns that are emotional, distinctive, and brand-centric drive greater long-term effectiveness and higher ROI.
So don’t just defend “brave” work. Champion work that’s bold and built to work.
Account Manager Hack: Remind everyone including yourself :
“We’re not here to make noise. We’re here to make memories that sell.”
A Final Word
Giving feedback isn’t about playing boss. It’s about playing bridge between strategy and storytelling, between client ambition and creative execution. Done well, your voice sharpens the work, elevates the thinking, and keeps the team rowing in the same direction.
So next time someone asks what you think, skip “make it pop.” Say something that moves the work forward.
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