Before You Cut That Scene... Read This

In partnership with

→ Can’t wait to see your answers. Poll results are coming next week!

Last week, we talked about the data trap — that moment when numbers start steering the story instead of supporting it.

This week, let’s explore what happens after that realization.

Here are today's marketing pointers 👇:

• Intro → Find out the common thread behind strong creative teams.

• Data vs Gut → Discover 4 quick ways to bring your intuition back into the room.

• Brand Spotlight: Ffern → The slow-burn ad that breaks every “best practice” and still wins.

• Growth Memo → A reminder that balance beats obsession.

• From Me to You → A tool that reminds us ads can still feel human.

• Acronym Therapy → ROAS gets a new meaning.

Let’s dive in!

INTRO

Numbers Tell You What, People Tell You Why 

Every strong creative team I’ve seen, big or small, has something in common: they use data, but they don’t let it drive.

They treat numbers like feedback, not orders.
They test ideas to understand people, not to please algorithms.

Here’s a pattern that shows up often: Brands dig into retention graphs, hook rates, and drop-off points, trimming every scene that underperforms until their ads all look the same. The numbers hold, but the work loses its spark.

Then the shift happens. Instead of cutting what doesn’t perform, they ask why. Maybe that quiet pause, the stumble, or the imperfect shot wasn’t a problem—it was what made the ad feel human.

When they stop editing out those moments, engagement goes up. So do the comments: “this feels real,” “finally someone said it.”

For example: Dr. Squatch, a fast-growing U.S. DTC brand, leaned into UGC video on its website — and saw conversion rates among video-engaged shoppers hit nearly 10%, with peaks as high as 26%.1. ¹

The takeaway? Data doesn’t tell you what to remove. It tells you where to look closer.

PLAYBOOK

How to Balance Data and Intuition

Here are a few ways I’ve seen small teams keep that balance right:

✨ Let numbers spark questions, not answers.
If a line underperforms, don’t assume it’s bad. Ask why it didn’t land and whether the audience needed more context or a different emotion.

✨ Test for feeling, not just format.
When running A/B tests, try shifting the emotion behind the message, not only the words or visuals. You’ll learn much more about what truly connects.

✨ Review results as a team, not a spreadsheet.
When everyone only sees data, they forget the story. Bring your creative team into the review talk about what you noticed, not just what performed.

✨ Protect one creative risk in every campaign.
Leave room for one thing you can’t fully predict. That’s where originality lives.

THE WHY

Why This Matters Now?

Most brands are optimizing faster than ever. But faster isn’t always smarter.

The real advantage belongs to teams that can read the data and still trust their instincts the ones who make space for what feels true, even if it isn’t measurable yet.

It’s not anti-data. It’s data with perspective.
When you trust both the numbers and your gut, you don’t just make content that performs. You make work that lasts.

BRAND SPOTLIGHT

Ffern

Ffern, an artisan fragrance label, released a film about a woman harvesting apples, washing them in a stream, and pressing them into cider. It looks nothing like a typical ad. No product shot. No call to action. The cider isn’t even what they sell.

The film slows down. It lingers on texture, sound, and rhythm, the water, the weight of fruit, the stillness. It feels more like memory than marketing.

In a feed full of fast cuts and hooks, that restraint stands out. By ignoring the usual playbook, Ffern made something people wanted to watch, not because it sold quickly, but because it stayed with them.

🪞 Growth Memo

From Me to You 🎧

If you haven’t yet, check out Roku Ads Manager — a self-serve platform that makes TV advertising feel human again.
It’s a good reminder that clarity, accessibility, and real audience understanding still win, even in a world obsessed with targeting and automation.

Shoppers are adding to cart for the holidays

Peak streaming time continues after Black Friday on Roku, with the weekend after Thanksgiving and the weeks leading up to Christmas seeing record hours of viewing. Roku Ads Manager makes it simple to launch last-minute campaigns targeting viewers who are ready to shop during the holidays. Use first-party audience insights, segment by demographics, and advertise next to the premium ad-supported content your customers are streaming this holiday season.

Read the guide to get your CTV campaign live in time for the holiday rush.

Learn more.

MEMORABLE THINGS

The Memo-ry 

Data shows you what works.
People remind you why it matters.

The best marketers don’t pick sides. They bridge what numbers say and what people feel.

Acronym Therapy 🧩

ROAS
Return on Ad Spend.

Also: Reminder — Only Art Sticks.
Because the campaigns that move people usually start from instinct, not instruction.

NEXT WEEK

Part 3: The Empathy Edge 💬

We’ll talk about why emotional insight is becoming the new competitive advantage and how marketers can build campaigns people actually remember.

Until next week,
Creative Strategist
The Marketer’s Memo