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Why Creative-Led Advertising Is Crushing Metrics (and What Every Brand Is Missing)
- Nicholas Kuhne
- 3h
- 3 min read
With insights from Dave Valentine, CRO of Finch
There’s a quiet shift happening in digital advertising.Not loud. Not trending. But if you listen closely, you’ll hear it in the brands that are scaling while others stall. It’s in the difference between generic “best practices” and results that actually move the needle. And it starts with a man who lives by a river, next to three waterfalls, and has scaled ten businesses that together have driven over $1 billion in client revenue.
Dave Valentine doesn’t just talk growth—he architects it. From overseeing global brands to helping small ecommerce shops punch above their weight, he’s built Finch into the kind of performance marketing agency that dares to ignore what Google or Meta tells you to do—and delivers better results for it.
Here’s what he thinks we’re all getting wrong.
Creative isn’t just king. It’s your only advantage.
Forget targeting. Forget algorithm tweaks. If you’re not investing in compelling, conversion-driven creative, you’re not even on the board.
“In the last 18 months,” Dave says, “creative has become the most important factor in ad performance.” Photography, video, copywriting—this isn’t about aesthetics. It’s about telling a better story than your competitor and cutting through AI-generated sameness.
And when platforms suggest “optimised placements”? Be cautious. “They’re not your friend,” he warns. “They’ll help you make just enough money to stay—but not enough to spend less and earn more.”
The biggest brands are guessing too.
Here’s the kicker: Fortune 50 CMOs are winging it more often than you think.
“There’s this assumption they must know what they’re doing,” Dave explains. “But a single-location coffee shop owner I worked with made sharper marketing decisions than half of them.”
Smaller brands aren’t paralysed by legacy processes. They can afford to test, fail, and learn fast. That agility is becoming a serious competitive advantage.
Don’t trust the attribution. Trust the journey.
Attribution is broken. Platforms like Meta and Google routinely claim credit for the same sale—leading to warped data and wasted spend.
Dave’s solution? Marketing Mix Modelling (MMM). It looks at the full journey a customer takes—whether they saw your ad on TikTok last week, Googled you three days later, and bought yesterday.
This isn't guesswork. It's a more accurate model for mapping influence across channels. “You’re not wasting money when you test,” Dave says. “You’re buying information.”
Followers aren’t for ego. They’re for economics.
One of Dave’s most powerful insights?
“Someone who follows you is 6.8x more likely to buy.”
It’s not about building vanity metrics. It’s about lowering your customer acquisition cost by warming up audiences. Spend $0.30 to gain a follower. Spend $6 to convert them—versus $42 for cold traffic.
The playbook: tell your story. Use lo-fi video. Invite people to follow. Then retarget.
The platforms you’re ignoring are your biggest opportunity.
If you’re still only using Meta and Google, you're behind.
Last year, Pinterest Ads delivered the highest ROAS across Finch clients. Snapchat Ads are underpriced. Reddit Ads offer exceptional niche targeting. Spotify Ads and Acast allow high-impact podcast advertising.
Finch routinely tests these with clients—even absorbing the risk to prove they work. One campaign on Pinterest delivered a 22:1 return on ad spend. Real numbers. Modest budget.
From $1M to $50M: It’s a mindset shift.
Most brands think scaling is about more spend. It’s not. It’s about precision and psychology.
At $20M, you’re managing risk, inventory, and repeat customer retention. That starts immediately after purchase. Instead of a receipt email, Finch helps brands reinforce emotional trust: “You just bought something handcrafted, organic, ethically sourced.” That one moment can double your chances of retention.
Brands that scale don’t just advertise. They build long-term relationships.
Where Finch is going next
Finch is evolving into a full-stack ecommerce growth engine—combining consulting, creative, logistics, analytics, and media.
Dave’s team is launching three new podcasts, acquiring tools and agencies, and creating a knowledge ecosystem where founders can learn, grow, and connect.
“We don’t want to be just another agency. We want to be the ecosystem where ecommerce brands grow.”
What Next?
👉 Learn more about Finch and Dave’s team at finch.com
🎙️ Want to grow your own podcast? Start with Acast advertising
📌 Explore underutilised platforms like Pinterest Ads, Reddit Ads, and Spotify for Podcasters
🎧 Get started with podcasting or apply to be a guest:https://www.joinpodmatch.com/nickkuhne
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