Emotional response drives ad effectiveness, study

A new study from System1 and partners examines why some advertising delivers results while other campaigns fail to connect, highlighting the role of emotion, storytelling and execution in driving effectiveness.

System1, in collaboration with eatbigfish, Uncensored CMO, Peter Field, the IPA and Amplified, has released research as part of the Cost of Dull initiative. The report builds on earlier findings to explore how brands can move beyond ineffective creative work and improve both short- and long-term performance.

From identifying dull work to improving outcomes

The study expands on previous analysis presented in The Extraordinary Cost of Dull, shifting focus toward practical approaches that enhance creative effectiveness. Drawing on research led by Orlando Wood, the report examines how elements such as salesmanship and showmanship influence audience engagement and business outcomes.

System1 estimates that ineffective creative work, defined as advertising that generates no emotional response, results in an additional 189 billion dollars in media spend required to achieve comparable impact to emotionally engaging campaigns.

Measuring emotional response in advertising

Using its Test Your Ad platform, System1 evaluates emotional reactions including happiness, surprise, fear, disgust and anger. These responses inform its Star Rating for long-term effectiveness and Spike Rating for short-term impact.

The findings identify neutrality, or the absence of emotion, as a key issue. Ads that fail to generate any feeling tend to produce neither immediate nor lasting commercial results.

Category differences and creative drivers

The report highlights variation across categories, with business services, home and garden, and car services showing lower emotional engagement. In contrast, categories such as candy, desserts and convenience meals perform more strongly.

It also identifies executional differences. Creative approaches that rely on storytelling, drama and music tend to outperform formats focused on voiceover, on-screen text or testimonials. Longer formats support narrative development, while shorter formats depend on consistent brand assets such as characters, taglines and jingles to create quick emotional impact.

Humour and storytelling improve effectiveness

The research points to humour as a consistent driver of engagement across formats, alongside storytelling techniques that create memorability and differentiation.

Orlando Wood, Chief Creative Officer, System1: "Dull advertising leaves little trace. Our findings make clear that effectiveness comes from showmanship. It's story, drama and music that get you noticed, remembered and - ultimately - bought."

Adam Morgan, founder, eatbigfish: "The Anti-Dull Dial was designed to help brands break category conventions. Emotion, drama and storytelling are a key component of that, and this report shows how to turn those principles into creative that drives real impact."

Jon Evans, founder and host, Uncensored CMO: "I speak to the least dull brands in the industry every day. What makes them different? They're not guessing. They're using insight, emotion and creative fundamentals. This report shows how to cut through the sameness."

The full report can be accessed here

www.system1group.com

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