Growth Newsletter #258

A lot of marketers get distracted trying to impress other marketers, but what they should really be doing is converting strangers into customers.

When Nike runs an abstract, artistic campaign, it works because everyone already knows what Nike does.

And Apple can show artistic lifestyle shots because their products are already familiar. These brands have earned the right to be creative through decades of clear messaging. They’ve already established what they do and why it matters.

When you're an unknown startup trying the same approach, you're essentially asking people to solve a puzzle while doom scrolling. No thank you.

Your job here is to educate and excite your prospects, not confuse them with fancy, abstract messaging.

You have about 0.5 seconds to communicate value before they scroll past, and you can only afford to be creative once you've built clear brand association with your specific outcome.

But why is this so hard for unknown startups to accept? The answer lies in basic psychology.

The Cognitive Load Problem

Psychologist George Miller discovered that humans can only process 5-7 pieces of information at the same time. And in low-consideration span environments, like social media, that number drops even lower.

This means that every "creative" element like clever wordplay, abstract imagery, multiple messages all add cognitive load.

So the formula is simple: more mental effort = less conversions.

Example of High Cognitive Load (Low Converting):

• Headline: "Connect With Prospects In Powerful New Ways"
• Subtext: "Revolutionary AI-powered sales ecosystem"
• Visual: Abstract geometric shapes
• Mental effort required: What does this do? Who is it for? How does it help me?

Here’s how you should rewrite it:

Example of Low Cognitive Load (High Converting):

• Headline: "Get 2x More Sales Calls Booked"
• Subtext: "AI writes your cold emails in 30 seconds"
• Visual: Simple email screenshot
• Mental effort required: None. The value instantly clicks in your mind.

Now the value is super clear. You save time writing emails, and get 2 times the amount of calls booked.

But cognitive load is step one, now let’s talk about step two: context. We’ll figure out exactly what headspace your audience is in when your ad pops up.

Context Is Everything: Matching Creative to Mindset

Before writing a single word, visualize where your prospect is when they see your ad. The more descriptive, the better.

Instagram/TikTok: Entertainment Mode

• Mindset: Mindlessly scrolling, chilling on the couch, TV on, baby is crying, and your cat is trying to scale the screen door again. Distractions are everywhere.
• Consideration span: 0.5-3 seconds for initial hook
• Creative approach: Bold, simple, outcome-focused
• What could work: "47 calls booked in 30 days" with calendar screenshot and numbers in a big font.

LinkedIn: Professional Break Mode

• Mindset: Quick break between meetings, stress-eating a protein bar, while looking to learn something to improve at your job.
• Consideration span: 2-5 seconds, but higher intent
• Creative approach: Professional but direct, focus on business outcomes and tutorials
• What could work: "Here's exactly how I booked 47 calls this last month" with a loom video attached explaining your process.

Facebook: Social Connection Mode

• Mindset: Checking on high school friends you haven't talked to in 10 years, getting distracted by your uncle's political rants, seeing that your mom shared a video of a guy making tiny pancakes. Your ad should feel like content a friend would actually share.
• Consideration span: 1-2 seconds, very low tolerance for promotion
• Creative approach: Native, conversational, problem-first
• What could work: "Anyone else struggling to get clients on calls? Found this approach that actually works" with casual selfie-style video, feels like a friend sharing a genuine discovery.

YouTube: Content Consumption Mode

• Mindset: You’re trying to figure out how to “Fix a Squeaky Door in 2 Minutes” and now you’re getting an ad about tax software. You’re annoyed, about to click on the skip button, but you might give it 5 seconds if it’s actually interesting.
• Consideration span: 5 seconds before skip option, slightly more patient than Instagram/TikTok.
• Creative approach: Story-driven, can be longer, but hook still critical
• What works: "This changed how I book clients" with personal story

Now that we understand how context shapes attention, let's get tactical. Here are the four pillars that separate high-converting creative from expensive failures.

The 4 Pillars of Anti-Creative Creative

Pillar 1: Outcome-First Messaging

Stop talking about your company. Start talking about their results.

The Transformation:

• Before: "We're the world's leading email marketing platform"
• After: "Send emails that actually get opened"

Lead with the outcome they want, not the process you provide.

More Examples:

• Before: "Advanced CRM with AI-powered analytics"
• After: "Never lose a lead again"
• Before: "Revolutionary fitness technology"
• After: "Lose 10 pounds in 30 days"
• Before: "Comprehensive project management solution"
• After: "Finish projects 2 weeks faster"

Pillar 2: Ruthless Simplicity

Every word in your creative should earn its place. If it doesn't directly contribute to the value proposition, cut it.

Meaningless Phrases to Eliminate:

• "World-class" (says nothing specific)
• "Revolutionary" (overused, meaningless)
• "Cutting-edge" (what does this actually mean?)
• "Industry-leading" (according to who?)

The Edit Test: Read your headline out loud. If you can remove a word without losing meaning, remove it.

Example Edit Process:

• Original: "Our revolutionary AI-powered platform helps busy startups streamline their daily workflow processes"
• Edit 1: "AI-powered platform that helps startups streamline workflows"
• Edit 2: "AI platform that streamlines startup workflows"
• Final: "Automate your daily tasks with AI"

Pillar 3: Problem-Solution Clarity

Your prospect should instantly understand three things:

1. What problem you solve
2. How you solve it
3. What they get as a result

Here’s a high-converting formula: "Get [Specific Outcome] with [Simple Method] in [Time Frame]"

Examples:

• "Get 100 qualified leads with AI-powered prospecting in 7 days"
• "Build a profitable newsletter with our content templates in 30 minutes"
• "Book 5x more sales calls with personalized video outreach in 10 minutes"

Pillar 4: Context Optimization

Like we talked about before, design your creative for the specific platform and mindset, not your brand guidelines.

• Instagram Version: Bold text overlay, clear benefit, swipe-friendly format
• LinkedIn Version: Professional screenshot, business outcome, comment-worthy angles
• Facebook Version: Conversational tone, problem-first approach, native feel
• YouTube Version: Story setup, clear payoff, skip-resistant hook

Your Anti-Creative Audit Cheatsheet

Run every ad creative through these questions:

Clarity Check:

• Can a 12-year-old understand what I'm offering?
• Is the main benefit in the first 5 words?
• Does the visual support or distract from the message?

Simplicity Test:

• Can I remove any words without losing meaning?
• Am I using industry jargon or clear language?
• Is there only one main message?

Context Alignment:

• Does this work for someone scrolling mindlessly?
• Am I respecting their current mindset on this platform?
• Is the cognitive load minimal?

Outcome Focus:

• Do I lead with customer outcome, not company features?
• Is the benefit specific and measurable?
• Would my ideal customer instantly see the value?

The Bottom Line

The most effective creative isn't creative at all, it's clear, direct, and outcome-focused.

Save the artistic expression for when you're Nike. Until then, master the art of boring clarity that converts strangers into customers.

— Joey and the Demand Curve Team