As part of the Cost of Dull collaboration, System1, has partnered with eatbigfish, Uncensored CMO, Peter Field, the IPA, and Amplified to uncover what separates effective creativity from work that leaves no impact.
The Extraordinary Cost of Dull report moves from diagnosis to prescription. Drawing on the effectiveness research of System1, chief creative officer, Orlando Wood, it identified the role of salesmanship and showmanship in creating advertising that drives results.
The cost of getting it wrong is significant. System1 estimated that dull creativity, defined as work that generates no emotional response, is costing brands an additional $189 billion in media spend to achieve the same commercial impact as emotionally engaging campaigns.
Using its Test Your Ad platform, System1 measures audience emotional responses and links these to long-term effectiveness through its Star Rating and short-term impact through its Spike Rating. At the centre of the issue is neutrality, the absence of emotion. Neutrality is what dull looks like and it delivers no short or long-term commercial effect. If it makes people feel nothing, it does nothing.
New findings included: 4 in 5 people cannot explain why they feel nothing, proving why measuring emotion matters more than claimed responses; Category shapes dull, with business services and car services lagging, while desserts and convenience meals lead on emotion; Showmanship features drive feeling while salesmanship alone falls flat; Longer formats enable storytelling and drama, while shorter formats rely on melody and consistently used fluent devices; Humour is the most consistent antidote to dull all formats.
Wood said: “Dull advertising leaves little trace. Our findings make clear that effectiveness comes from showmanship. It’s story, drama and music that get you noticed, remembered and – ultimately – bought.”
eatbigfish, founder, Adam Morgan, said: “The Anti-Dull Dial was designed to help brands break category conventions. Emotion, drama and storytelling are a key component of that, and this report shows how to turn those principles into creative that drives real impact.”
Uncensored CMO, host and founder, Jon Evans, said: “I speak to the least dull brands in the industry every day. What makes them different? They’re not guessing. They’re using insight, emotion and creative fundamentals. This report shows how to cut through the sameness.”
