A campaign can look fantastic, get plenty of attention and still be doing absolutely nothing for your business. That’s one of the easiest traps to fall into with creative work.

Everyone loves a campaign that looks good, but looking good isn’t the same as working.

If I were reviewing a campaign that had generated plenty of activity but not much return, here’s where I’d start.

Firstly, look at the job of the campaign. Was it designed to create awareness? Generate enquiries? Drive a specific action? If nobody can answer that clearly, it’s difficult to judge whether it worked.

Secondly, look beyond the creative. What happened after someone responded? Did the landing page continue the story? Was the next step obvious? Did the sales process pick up where the campaign left off?

And finally, compare the original intention with what actually happened. Not just impressions or clicks. Did the right people take the right next step? Because sometimes the campaign isn’t failing. The measurement is. And sometimes the creative is doing exactly what it was asked to do, but the rest of the experience isn’t ready for what happens next.

Good creative gets attention. Good brand management makes sure that attention has somewhere useful to go.

See you next time for Squark Design’s Branding Bites.