Good morning. Today’s letter is being sent from Sawada Coffee. My latest fixation has been an unsweetened oat milk matcha latte with a shot of espresso.
Today, we’re talking about how to give feedback on creative work. Enjoy.
Have a question? Submit it below and you may see it answered in a future issue.
1 SKILL TO LEARN
Giving feedback on creative work is an essential strategic skill. As the strategist in the room, your job is to ensure the creative work is aligned with the creative brief. If you don’t, you risk letting the client down (they’ve likely already approved the strategy in the creative brief) and you risk losing the thread that makes the brand distinct.
Whenever I am going into a creative review the first thing I do is review the creative brief to ensure the strategy is top-of-mind. After that, there is a lovely framework — the H.O.P.E framework — created by Lindsay Pedersen, that is a trusted tool in my arsenal.
H.O.P.E stands for Heart, On-Point, and Execution.
Heart: As you look at this creative, do you like it? Just with your gut, no analysis.
On-Point: Does the creative do what you set out to do? Is it aligned with the strategy? Will it meet your goal(s)?
Execution: Are there elements of the creative that create advantages or limitations in execution? For example, if it’s copy on a billboard, will people driving down the highway be able to read it? If it’s for a new product launch, is the brand prominent enough?
Where Strategists often stumble is the On-Point part. Work can be beautifully executed, entertaining, and still not accomplish what it needs to.
1 ACTION TO TAKE
Great creative can still be “wrong” if it isn’t solving for the strategy.
This week, you’re going to evaluate the same ad against two different strategies using the H.O.P.E. framework.
Strategy One: Show that Uber One deals are so good, everyone will wish they were a student.
Strategy Two: Show Uber One for Students is the not-so-secret, secret weapon for popularity.
Watch the video. After you’re done grab a pen and paper and set a 2-minute timer.
Now, analyze the creative against Strategy One using H.O.P.E. Remember, before I review creative, I always look at the brief and strategy. This informs all parts of my H.O.P.E feedback.
Heart: Do you like it? What’s your gut reaction? Don’t overthink it.
On-Point: Does the creative accomplish what the strategy asks it to do?
Execution: Are there executional advantages or constraints?
Then, repeat the exact same exercise using Strategy Two. Notice where your answers were the same and where they changed. Put yourself in the shoes of your Creative team. How would they respond to your feedback? What could you say to help guide them in the right direction?
Remember, this isn’t an exercise about which strategy is better. It’s about whether the creative is on strategy, and learning to clearly explain when it’s not.
⭐ Curious how I’d approach this exercise? Paid subscribers can see my answers at the end of this post ⭐
1 QUOTE TO INSPIRE
“Your brand’s creativity serves a strategic purpose.” — Lindsay Pedersen
Your strategy exists for a reason. You must be the champion of it to ensure your clients get what they need. It’s easy to get pulled off-course. To chase cool ideas that look great but miss the mark. That is why your role matters so much.
You’ve got the tools. You’ve got the eye. You’ve got the guts. Now speak up and help bring amazing (strategic) work into the world.
Next week, we’ll talk about brand positioning. Enjoy the rest of the week!
⭐Below, paid subscribers can review how I’d approach today’s exercise ⭐
Remember, before I go into the creative review, I always look at the brief and core strategy. This informs all parts of my H.O.P.E feedback.
Strategy One: Show that Uber One deals are so good, everyone will wish they were a student.
Heart: Do you like it? What’s your gut reaction? Don’t overthink it.
I love it. Brian Cox is perfectly cast, and the spot confidently leans into his persona. The branding is clear from the first frame, and the storytelling feels cinematic rather than ad-like.
On-Point: Does the creative accomplish what the strategy asks it to do?
Yes. The idea directly delivers on the strategy: the deals are so good that even someone like Brian Cox would go back to college for them. Every scene builds the same joke, and the final line — “A membership so good, everyone wants to be a student” — cleanly lands the message.
Execution: Are there executional advantages or constraints?
Brand presence is unmistakable, with Uber Eats visuals and repeated verbal cues throughout. The idea scales easily across cutdowns and channels, from video to OOH and static. The main constraint is reliance on celebrity talent, which adds cost and risk; though here it meaningfully strengthens the idea.
Strategy Two: Show Uber One for Students is the not-so-secret, secret weapon for popularity.
Heart: Do you like it? What’s your gut reaction? Don’t overthink it.
It feels off. Brian Cox doesn’t feel right for the spot and the message we are trying to get across. I do appreciate though that it feels more like a mini-story versus an ad.
On-Point: Does the creative accomplish what the strategy asks it to do?
No. It is horribly off strategy. The script explicitly undercuts the idea of popularity. At one point, the roommate even says, “Brian is not as popular as you’d think.” If anything, Brian’s behavior positions him as awkward and out of place, reinforcing personal benefit over social elevation.
Execution: Are there executional advantages or constraints?
The idea scales easily across cutdowns and channels, from video to OOH and static. The main constraint is reliance on celebrity talent, which adds cost and risk, and right now Brian Cox isn’t adding anything to the spot.
The truth?
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