Rowena Jayne
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Case studies & results

Creative feedback how to guide

 

Everyone’s favorite creative practice.

It can get real tense and precious and dramatic in that room or comment section—but I swear, it doesn’t have to be this way. Great feedback systems need trust. This starts by both sides of the table agreeing that you’re on the same team. The rest? All helped out by some acceptable rules.

  • Use these rules like you would grade an essay; if your note breaks a principle, it may not be truly helpful.

  • Use these rules like rules of a board game; if you bend them, your partnership might not be harmonious.

  • And use these rules to get there faster; once you get used to making speedy, discerning decisions, a lot more gets done.

Move it forward

The main goal of feedback is to get to the finish line. Don’t hold up or false start.

  • Kick off when you have the strategy and brief buttoned up

  • Don’t move the goal posts mid-process

  • Consider what notes will get you to deliver on time

Good questions to ask:

  • Does this note conflict with strategy?

  • Is this note something that blocks the team?

  • Does this note hold up delivery—if yes, will the payoff be worth it?

Problems not solutions

Avoid trying to solve what’s wrong—that’s on the creative team. Instead point out what’s causing friction.

  • Clearly call out the problem with copy or design

  • Share inspiration as opposed to instructions if you have ideas

  • Suggestions are great—everyone can be creative— but try to avoid giving solutions

Good questions to ask:

  • Is this note a re-write or design instruction?

  • What isn’t working as far as strategy?

  • Have you identified what’s wrong or just asked for a specific change?

  • How does the creative impact the messaging or strategy?

Explain “the why”

Explain why something needs changing and tie that back to the brief, industry stats, or internal research.

  • Stat sig research that relates to the channel, media, etc.

  • Widely proven industry norms, such as subject line best practice

  • Design or copy that go off brief, e.g. a consumer voice for B2B

Good questions to ask:

  • How does the copy or design go against the brief?

  • Is there data to back up the note or is it personal preference?

  • Is this a subjective note or based in established fact?

  • Is there a clear way to show why the creative won’t work as is?

  • Is there past research to back the requested change?

Progress over perfection

More than three rounds of feedback has diminishing returns, creates scope creep, and bloats the timeline. (That is, unless it’s a high level campaign with complex strategy or branding.)

  • Gut check notes aren’t based on personal preference

  • Keep feedback rounds to a minimum, based on impact and LOE

  • Consider future testing if you’re blocked on a decision

Questions to ask:

  • Is this something you would be willing to dedicate a future test to?

  • Does the note warrant pushing the deadline?

  • Are you willing to spend resources going into further rounds?

  • Are you willing to hold other projects to go into future rounds?

  • Will the notes drastically alter the outcome?

Don’t sweat details

Let the creative team polish and perfect—and trust that they are before and after every round. Each word or pixel has a reason.

  • Use the 80-20 principle to determine the most impactful notes

  • Avoid the urge to tweak copy to what you anecdotally prefer

  • Instead of “pixel-pushing” zoom out and gut check against the brief

Questions to ask:

  • Will the creative fail without this change?

  • Are the changes “nice-to-haves” or major?

  • Will incremental changes matter vs. bigger strategic swings

  • What are the top 1–3 notes that will make the biggest difference?

Consolidate the feedback

Oftentimes, multiple stakeholders may need to sign off. Consider implementing a RACI (system to determine whose feedback is blocking) and consolidate.

  • Identify one key stakeholder to gather feedback

  • Have them settle conflicting, unnecessary, or repeated notes

  • Avoid a “free-for-all” comment system

Questions to ask:

  • Was this note acknowledged in the original brief?

  • Is this changing the goal posts in the brief?

  • Does this note conflict with a previous feedback round?

  • Are there conflicting notes in the feedback?

  • Is there a succinct way to frame the note?

  • Has the creative previously been green-lit?

  • What are the top three notes that will have the largest impact?

How to settle a deadlock

Even with the best will in the world, you might not always agree. In this instance, it’s ideal to set up a decision tree. Ideally, marketing and creative lean on fact-based decisions over opinion—but this isn’t a hard and fast rule, in practice.

In the instances where you have some strong opinions, it’s best to weigh up the testing opportunity against the level of effort and the return on investment. Most importantly, set up a system for breaking a deadlock. Who makes the final call?

Consider a RASCI to help with these decisions. This identifies roles and responsibilities, which can be crucial for tough or speedy feedback navigation.

Ideal number of revisions

We don’t live in a perfect world, but if we did, three rounds of feedback should get most creative projects where they’re supposed to be. Even in larger efforts—high spend, 360, multi-touch, brand anthems, etc—the principle behind the phases should be set. Large revisions, u-turns in strategy, a or a change in message shouldn’t come through in the third phase or round.

Did you find these thoughts helpful?

Amazing. I love creative and marketing—even the process part—so I hope this had some helpful nuggets. Like, subscribe, etc.

 
Rowena Harris