The Key to CPG Brand Growth? Optimizing Creative for a Digital-First World.

→ Download the Case for Creative Report to see how leading CPG brands are maximizing impact.

Creative Quality Score: Measures an ad’s digital suitability, indicating whether it meets platform-validated creative best practices for its intended placement.

State of Play

Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brands operate in a high-churn, high-competition landscape. With private-label brands capturing more market share and consumers deprioritizing branded goods, brand loyalty is at an all-time low. In response, many CPG brands have leaned on promotions and discounts to drive short-term sales. In the US, 28.6% of products were sold with a promotion in the 12 months leading up to June 2024, up from 25.1% three years prior. But this approach erodes profitability and does little to build long-term brand affinity.

Why Now?

The pressure to drive efficiency has never been greater. CPG marketing budgets are shrinking, falling to just 6.7% of total revenue in 2024, the lowest in five years. At the same time, CPG CMOs are increasing investment in marketing technology, recognizing that AI now dominates media buying.

The next frontier for efficiency? Creative quality.

The Opportunity

Right now, the average Creative Quality Score (CQS) across the CPG sector is 76%, with only 41% of ad spend going toward fully optimized creative. This means the majority of ads aren’t set up for success, leading to wasted spend and lower engagement.

But CPG brands that improve their CQS stand to realize tangible benefits: every 10 pp increase in CQS results in a 7.7% reduction in Cost per Completed View (CPCV).

Who’s Already Tracking CQS?

Industry leaders are taking action. Nestlé saw a 74% increase in ROAS for ads with a high Creative Quality Score, proving that creative excellence is a measurable business driver.

→ Download the Case for Creative Report to see how leading CPG brands are maximizing impact.