For ecommerce brands, creative fatigue is one of the toughest hurdles. When audiences grow numb, engagement wanes, and meticulously crafted campaigns fail to deliver results, even the most seasoned marketers can find themselves scrambling for solutions.
But what if we told you that creative fatigue isn't the end of the road? What if it's actually an invitation—a challenge to reimagine, innovate, and break through the noise in ways you never thought possible?
To tackle this head-on, we went straight to the source, sitting down with three ecommerce marketing experts:
- Peter Bacon, CMO and Co-founder of Step Brothers Media, has over a decade of experience crafting data-driven marketing strategies that elevate brands, drive loyalty, and clear the static when campaigns falter.
- Dylan Jones, Founder of Buddies Snacks Company and CMO of Podium, merges creativity and analytics to drive results, leveraging his extensive experience in digital marketing to scale impactful campaigns.
Together, they offer a holistic approach to marketing that treats creativity as a renewable resource when nurtured correctly.
*Some responses in this blog have been edited for clarity and brevity*
Polar: What exactly is creative fatigue, and what are the telltale signs?
According to an industry leader: "Creative fatigue is when your ads stop resonating with your audience. Each platform operates differently – on TikTok, fatigue can set in after just a few days, while on Meta, you might get weeks or months if the algorithm favors your creative.”
They point to key indicators like scaling and conversion rates. “Scaling means the ad grows within the budget you’ve set. Spending $15 per day and increasing to $22 isn’t scaling, but spending $100 with a CPA under your target is a win. If an ad spends $5,000 and has a CPA of 10x your target, that’s a losing ad. On the other hand, steady drops in ad conversion rates signal fatigue"
Dylan: “For me, it’s part instinct. If I’ve been targeted by an ad six times and I’m irritated, that’s a gut-level sign of fatigue.
Polar: When signs of fatigue appear, what’s the best way for marketers to respond?
Dylan: “First, identify your funnel position. Top-of-funnel ads typically fatigue in 3-4 weeks, while bottom-of-funnel ads last closer to 6-7 weeks. Use an analytics tool to monitor performance and rotate creatives strategically.”
Peter: “Start with fresh angles. I’ve seen amazing results with unexpected approaches – like creating ads that mimic text messages or FaceTime calls. You don’t need a huge production budget. Focus on curiosity and testing.”
Additional insights: “Be purposeful with your next creative. Every new creative should respond to insights from the previous ones. Instead of overhauling everything, test different formats to find what clicks with your audience.”
Polar: For brands working with tight budgets, where should they focus their efforts across platforms?
“Foster a ‘less is more’ strategy”
An experienced marketer notes: "That is my approach with growing businesses. If you’re spending $1,000 a day and splitting it across Meta, TikTok, Google, and Snapchat, is that really effective? Probably not. Larger brands spending $80,000 a day can afford that spread, but smaller brands can’t compete at that scale.”She suggests focusing on platforms where you can achieve the best ROI.
They suggest, “for smaller brands, TikTok and Pinterest offer better engagement and lower costs than Meta. Connected TV (CTV) is also an underutilized channel for smaller businesses. Start small, incorporate brand awareness, and build a foundation for long-term growth."
Polar: When it comes to testing, what principles ensure the best outcomes?
Peter: “I follow the 70-20-10 rule. Spend 70% of your budget on proven performers, 20% testing new angles and channels, and 10% on experimental ideas that might fail but could surprise you. Don’t waste resources trying to fix tired creative—use this framework to find new winners.”
Another expert adds: “I typically look back at least five days, then compare it to the prior period before making decisions. This avoids reactionary moves, like shutting off an ad that underperformed yesterday but has been a top performer overall. If I spot fatigue, I keep the ad running while briefing in new creative, ensuring there’s no performance gap during the transition.”
Polar: Is there an ideal limit on the number of campaigns a brand should manage at once?
One expert explains, “larger brands with $80M GMV should run no more than 6-10 campaigns at a time, each with 3-5 ad sets and 4-7 ads per set. For smaller businesses around $5M GMV, I recommend 2-4 campaigns with no more than 30 ads live. This avoids spreading budgets too thin and ensures platforms focus spend on the best-performing creatives.”
Polar: In what ways can segmentation play a role in minimizing creative fatigue?
Peter:
“If someone’s already in your funnel, why hit them again on Meta?”
“You’re just creating too much exposure. Instead, segment audiences to make messaging more relevant. On a basic level, you split your groups into leads—people who never purchased, customers who’ve purchased once or more, and then your VIPs. That’s how I’ve always broken it up. Once they’re in your funnel, shift them to email or SMS. Those channels are less intrusive and much more cost-effective than ads, especially for retention efforts.”
Additional insights: “For instance, your email and SMS channels are inherently more for existing customers, so they might respond to something different than a new customer on Meta. Your existing customer might think, ‘Yeah, two sweatshirts for $80—amazing, love that, great,’ because when they buy a sweatshirt from you, one is usually $80. But a new customer might think, ‘$80? That’s a lot of money.’ There’s nuance there, and I think understanding what works best by channel and within your customer base is really what helps drive effectiveness on each channel.”
Polar: How critical is branding to driving ad success and standing out?
Peter: “If any CMO or VP of Marketing says ad creative needs to be on brand, they’re missing the point in today’s world. Branding matters, but it’s not one-size-fits-all. Your website must align perfectly with your brand identity, but platforms like Meta require ads that engage and resonate—even if they’re not flawless.”
He adds, “Many premium brands aim for perfection, but what grabs your attention might not grab mine. Success comes from trying, testing, and iterating—not chasing perfection, but focusing on what works.”
Polar: How do you craft messaging that resonates with your creatives? Does tone make a difference?
“Language matters.”
An expert reveals: “For some brands, direct messages like ‘50% off sitewide’ outperform softer messages like ‘up to 75% off.’ Customers value clarity and transparency—they’re quick to spot when only a small portion of inventory reflects the highest discount, which can erode trust."
The advice continues, "The key is understanding your audience’s expectations and shopping behavior. For example, brands that rarely run sales might see ‘up to 60% off’ perform well because it feels special, while brands with frequent markdowns might find customers holding out for the steepest discounts. It all comes down to knowing what offer structure resonates most and aligning your messaging accordingly.”
Polar: What strategies ensure your creatives turn interest into purchases?
Peter: “It all starts with using customer data effectively. For instance, we use Klaviyo to manage exclusions on Meta. We pull past customers and exclude them, focusing instead on recent website visitors. Depending on the purchase cycle, we’ll look at 7, 14, or even 90-day windows. If someone hasn’t bought yet, your priority should be capturing them through email or SMS—retention channels that are far more cost-effective than ads.”
“Getting people to the site is just the beginning,”
he adds. "You need a strong sign-up incentive that compels action. Many brands hesitate to offer too much, but if someone doesn’t use the code, you’re not losing anything.
The real question is: what’s the most compelling offer to secure that first-time purchase? Even if you’re just breaking even, they’re now in your funnel. When someone signs up, emphasize their code—‘Here’s your code. Don’t miss your code.’ Without that initial nudge, you risk losing them. Urgency is key to crossing the first line and building long-term engagement."
Polar: What’s your approach to keeping ad creative dynamic and engaging over time?
Peter: “Start by identifying your high performers and amplifying them. Once you’ve found a winner, make small, iterative changes to keep it engaging. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel—just enough to maintain interest. Also, borrow ideas from unexpected places—look beyond your industry. I’ve worked in men’s fashion but often draw inspiration from supplement or mattress brands—they market incredibly well.”
Dylan: “Think of your ad strategy like cooking. You wouldn’t eat the same meal every day, so why show your audience the same creative repeatedly? Take the time each week to brainstorm new ideas. Look for trends in other industries or even pop culture—what if you mix 1950s pinup art with modern TikTok aesthetics? Or early 90s MTV collage styles? It’s about experimenting, blending different elements, and investing in creativity.”
Additional insights: “Cutting through is about understanding what your audience is attracted to about your brand. Creative is always king, and diversity is key to staying fresh. Use a mix—graphic-only ads, refreshed versions of historical top performers, influencer content, UGC, and editorial formats. Experiment to see what clicks.”
Polar: For the bigger brands that have a solid foundation, what’s the best way to scale your creatives effectively?
Peter: “Test incrementality. We introduced one new creative—a talking head format—and then ran a three-cell test to measure the impact. The test included:
- Holdout Group: No spend adjustments.
- Business-As-Usual (BAU): Regular spend levels.
- Elevated Spend: A 40% increase in spend.”
“We were able to see if there’s a point of diminishing returns between the BAU and the full scale. Between $5,000 and $10,000 daily spend, for instance, we didn’t see any additional incremental dollars. But once we hit $11,000, boom, performance shot back up. When it comes to incrementality, seasonality plays a huge role. It really depends on the brand and the timing.”
Polar: Any closing advice for brands looking to stay ahead with their creative strategies?
A seasoned expert suggests: “Remember that ‘less is more.’ Focus on directing resources toward the best-performing creatives, ensuring platforms allocate spend efficiently rather than diluting budgets across too many ads.
It’s a logical approach, but marketers without extensive media buying experience often struggle to embrace it. They worry about not having enough creative variety in the market, yet concentrating on fewer, high-performing ads provides significantly more opportunity for scaling success.”
Dylan:
“Be patient.”
“The large brands we admire today, like Louis Vuitton, didn’t achieve success overnight. They only seem massive now due to the scale and budgets they command, but it took decades to build that foundation—they started in the 1800s. Growth potential exists if you’re willing to play the long game.
The challenge today is that founders often chase quick exits, aiming for fast results. This mindset bleeds into marketing expectations, but impatience is often the real issue. You won’t outpace the competition by rushing the process.
The good news? You have more tools than ever. In the digital era, a single piece of viral content can make you the next big thing—but even that success depends on creativity, strategy, and, most importantly, patience.”
Creative fatigue is a hurdle every brand encounters, but it’s far from a dead end. As our experts have shared, recognizing fatigue provides an opportunity to anticipate it, strategize around it, and transform it into a call for innovation.
The brands that succeed are those that view creative fatigue as a natural step in the marketing journey to uncover new ways to connect with customers and reinvigorate their marketing efforts.
If you’re curious how Polar can help overcome creative fatigue, chat with our experts to see how you can leverage these features:
- Creative Studio to monitor and analyze your Meta creatives.
- First-party Pixel to accurately track customer journeys for your channels and campaigns, and restore marketing signals for all ad Conversion APIs.
- Causal Lift to track the true incremental value of your marketing efforts across existing and new channels, digital or offline.
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