Stop Blaming the Algorithm: Why Creative Matters in Media Strategy

Marketers today are juggling more platforms, more data, and more pressure to prove results. Yet many of the challenges in media planning remain surprisingly familiar. Campaigns fail to resonate because the ads do not speak to the audience. Messaging feels generic. Brands try to do everything with one creative asset. Or the creative does not align with the media objective in the first place.

“Too often, media planning is focused on what the numbers can achieve rather than what ideas can inspire,” says Pajaree Vatcharateansagul (Mynd), Kingdom Digital’s Head of Media. “When creative is treated as an afterthought, even the most sophisticated targeting cannot make a campaign meaningful.” 

Putting ideas at the start, not the end

Bringing creative thinking into the planning stage sets the foundation for more effective campaigns. It helps resolve common cost concerns marketers face, especially when producing multiple assets or tailoring messages for different platforms. When planners and creatives collaborate from the beginning, they can map out the customer journey and identify the right messages for each stage.

“A single creative can rarely carry the full weight of awareness, consideration, and conversion,” notes Mynd. “Different moments call for different motivations. Planning these variations early prevents last-minute asset scrambles and ensures budgets are used strategically.”

Many marketers also miss opportunities to get the most out of different ad platforms. For example, using the wrong-sized creative can result in vital call-to-action information being blocked or cropped, or branding not displaying correctly. Campaigns can also underperform when platform-specific features, such as built-in lead forms or sitelinks, are not used where relevant. By planning creative tailored to each platform and its functions, campaigns perform more effectively and feel relevant to audiences.

The outcome is creative that feels purposeful and customised rather than stretched thin. 

Designing for evolving behaviours and platforms 

Audience behaviour is evolving quickly, particularly with the rise of conversational and AI-powered search. Platforms such as Google AI Overview and Google AI Mode are reshaping how consumers find information and evaluate brands. This opens new opportunities for brands that plan beyond traditional formats and consider how their creative ideas surface in these emerging experiences.

At the same time, marketers are being asked to look beyond simple metrics like clicks or impressions. “Data tells us what’s working and what isn’t,” explains Mynd. “Media planning and buying are still essential — they show whether campaigns are reaching the right people and driving results.”

Measuring what matters: performance still counts

While creative drives engagement, regular monitoring and testing remain critical. Running longer campaigns, conducting A/B testing, and tracking performance over time allow teams to optimise campaigns and ensure messages are truly resonating with audiences. “Short-term metrics are useful, but longer tests reveal what really works,” adds Mynd. “This is how we balance creativity with efficiency and performance.”

Measurement methods such as media mix modelling, brand lift studies, search lift, and conversion lift studies help marketers evaluate the effectiveness of their campaigns. “These tools reward campaigns built on clear stories and intent, not just ads that are seen,” says Mynd. 

Creativity with the support of data

One of the strongest shifts is the combination of data-driven targeting and creative storytelling. Brands have access to richer audience insights through customer data platforms (CDP), but the value of these insights depends on the stories they inspire.

This is where our partnership with Antsomi under the H+ network (by Hakuhodo and Hakuhodo DY ONE) strengthens our offering. “By connecting their CDP capability with our creative-first approach, we help brands reach the right people with ideas that resonate at the right moment. Data guides the precision, but creativity drives the meaning,” explains Mynd. 

Moving towards meaningful, audience-led impact

The future of media strategy is not simply more data or more platforms. It is a return to ideas supported by intelligence. Marketers who want campaigns that perform will need to plan with both in mind.

Creative should no longer sit at the end of the process. It should shape the strategy from the start. When media and creative work as one, brands deliver experiences that feel intentional, useful, and human. That is how impact is created, and results become more tangible.

As Mynd puts it, “The campaigns that leave a lasting impression are those where ideas lead and data supports, not the other way around.”