This is especially true for mid-sized brands without the budgetary firepower of the category giants they are often in head-to-head competition with. But the truth is, creative power is the most cost-effective force multiplier in marketing. It’s not a luxury, but instead is a necessity. And when done right, breakthrough creative can deliver the kind of business results these mid-sized brands crave.
Let’s get to the numbers.
The Institute of Practitioner of Advertising’s (IPA) seminal “The Long and the Short of It” study, based on 1,000+ marketing campaigns, showed that creatively awarded campaigns were 11x more efficient at driving market share growth. Another analysis by Nielsen revealed that creative quality accounts for 47% of a campaign’s sales impact , making it the single most important contributor to ad effectiveness, even outpacing reach, targeting, and recency considerations.
And for mid-sized brands, the implications are even bigger. With fewer dollars to throw around, breakthrough creative that commands attention and earns emotional engagement isn’t just a differentiator, it’s actually one of the most potent levers you can pull.
At Copacino Fujikado, we specialize in working with brands that are still building. Brands who may be moving from regional to national, looking to build presence, or fighting for relevance in emotionally distant categories. These are the challengers. The scrappy underdogs. And they’re exactly the kinds of brands that can most benefit from breakthrough work.
Why? Because mid-sized brands:
• Aren’t as bogged down by bureaucracy: There’s often room to take creative risks.
• Can pivot fast: Making them more agile in testing bold creative.
• Still have something to prove: Standout creative can accelerate the ascendence of a brand.
At CF, we don’t believe in creativity for its own sake. We are a strategy-first agency and our process is engineered to uncover the kinds of human truths that make people feel something—then filter them through brand, cultural, and competitive insights to gain power. That’s what transforms insight into true action.
“Creativity doesn’t come from just looking harder. It comes from seeing what others miss.”
— Phil Flickinger, Copacino Fujikado Director of Strategy
Our clients call us when they need to break through in emotionally distant categories, when their brand needs reinvention, or when they’re ready to move from steady progress to bold ambition. Those aren’t soft needs, they’re business needs. And great creative work based on clear, well-observed human truths, can deliver these results.
In an environment of increasing noise and sameness, “safe” work is invisible work. It’s forgettable. And inattention is the biggest cost a brand can face. What’s the opportunity cost in not breaking through and failing to drive an emotional connection with your brand? Think about what is wasted in time, energy, media and agency costs in doing work that fails to stand out or connect.
We believe in breakthrough work that wins attention without screaming for it. Because, mid-sized brands can’t afford to blend in. But with the right partner—one that knows how to unlock creative potential in even the most unexpected places—they don’t have to be part of the category wallpaper.
We truly believe every brand–regardless of size, industry or location–deserves breakthrough work.
Remarkable creative shouldn’t be reserved for brands in the sexiest categories. We’ve built our reputation not on big brand names, but on big ideas that work. Because when bold creativity meets business ambition, that’s where the real magic happens.
If you’re a brand still building—whether it’s trust, visibility, or relevance—breakthrough work isn’t just a possibility. It’s your next competitive advantage. Go get it.
