Research shows that emotionally resonant ads are twice as likely to drive immediate sales—underscoring the value of connected insights in helping marketers create campaigns that truly win with consumers.

Ahead of Cannes Lions, where the creative industry’s best work is celebrated, Zappi, a leading consumer insights platform, has released its third annual State of Creative Effectiveness report in partnership with VaynerMedia, a global creative and media agency. The report provides one of the most comprehensive evaluations of advertising effectiveness, rooted in real consumer feedback.

Analyzing over 4,000 ads tested through Zappi’s Amplify ad system and responses from more than 1.6 million U.S. consumers, the report offers deep insights into how advertising is evolving. It also draws on a new nationally representative survey of 1,000 Americans, exploring perspectives on AI, celebrity endorsements, humor, and branded storytelling. A standout finding: ads scoring in the top 25% on emotional resonance are, on average, twice as likely to drive immediate sales, offering brands a clear roadmap for delivering ROI.

“Advertising is always evolving—and today’s consumers expect more. They want to be informed, but they also want to be entertained,” said Nataly Kelly, Chief Marketing Officer at Zappi. “The brands that succeed are those that involve consumers in the process, test iteratively, and learn over time. This year’s State of Creative Effectiveness affirms that creativity, when powered by connected insights, becomes not only more effective—but also more impactful, memorable, and human. We’re proud to partner with VaynerMedia to bring this view of the advertising landscape to the industry.”

Top 2025 Advertising Learnings

  • Emotion drives performance: Ads in the top quartile for emotional connection deliver nearly double the sales impact (78th percentile versus 41st). Humor boosts enjoyment but does not always translate to purchase consideration.
  • Celebrities boost visibility but not always effectiveness: Celebrity ads increase distinctiveness (3.5/5 versus 3.3/5 average) and feature in 1 in 4 ads, but their average brand impact (55th percentile) lags behind non-celebrity ads (63rd percentile). Seamless brand fit is essential.
  • Category insights:
    • Food & beverage: Delivers the strongest short-term purchase lift, with 29% increased brand consideration.
    • Pet care: Scores highest in emotional connection (68/100) and love (39% vs. 28% U.S. average).
    • Personal care: Excels in relevance (3.9/5) and emotion (61/100).
    • Financial services: Lags in emotion (47%) and distinctiveness (3.6/5) but shows progress through humor (17%) and purchase uplift (15%).
    • Telecommunications: Scores lower on emotion (45%) and distinctiveness (3.4/5) but slightly above average in humor (10%) and purchase uplift (21%).

“Putting the consumer at the center isn’t just a philosophy—it’s how we build strategies that embed brands into culture,” said Wanda Pogue, Chief Strategy Officer at VaynerMedia. “Content at scale, informed by real-time consumer feedback, creates more opportunities for meaningful connections and reduces the risk of wasted media spend. Insights can’t be afterthoughts—they are essential to creating impactful and efficient campaigns.”

Zappi’s Amplify system allows brands to test creative in real-world conditions, track performance across campaigns, and continuously improve outcomes. It powers the creative systems of progressive brands like PepsiCo, which has achieved a 30% increase in creative effectiveness since adopting the platform. A study by Forrester Consulting further confirmed these results, showing that brands using Zappi have realized a greater than 5% lift in return on ad spend (ROAS) compared to traditional market research approaches.

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