Instilling creative excellence: How brands can build a culture of effectiveness with WARC and ANA’s ABE Framework

By Oluwaseyi Lawal

WARC, the global authority on marketing effectiveness, and the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) have unveiled a new white paper titled Building Belief: What It Takes to Instill a Culture of Creative Effectiveness.’ This research continues their joint effort to help brands fully tap into the power of creativity in advertising.

The report is based on a global survey of over 300 brand owners conducted in early 2024. Findings reveal that while 71% of marketers are committed to achieving creative excellence, only 37% believe their organizations possess the necessary capabilities to produce groundbreaking creative ideas. These results align with previous research conducted by WARC, LIONS, and ANA in 2023, which identified organizational culture as the primary barrier to creative success within companies.

Despite numerous studies over the last decade linking creativity to business performance, marketers still face challenges convincing top leadership of its value. To address this, WARC and the ANA introduced a groundbreaking white paper in 2023, ‘Building a Culture of Creative Effectiveness,’ which outlined the ABE (Align, Build, Embed) framework. This framework presents six key building blocks designed to help brands achieve their creative effectiveness goals by developing supportive strategies, structures, and processes. Over the past year, the ABE framework has gained traction with several leading brands, becoming one of the core pillars of the Global CMO Growth Council, a partnership between the ANA and LIONS.

The latest phase of this research, detailed in ‘Building Belief: What It Takes to Instill a Culture of Creative Effectiveness,’ provides quantitative insights that further validate the ABE framework’s value. The study highlights that brands implementing three or more building blocks from the ABE framework (referred to as “3+ marketers”) are far more successful in achieving creative effectiveness. These marketers find it easier to justify creative investments even during economic downturns, link campaign performance to sales, and prove creativity’s impact on business outcomes.

Aditya Kishore, WARC’s Insight Director, noted that despite the strong desire for creative excellence, many marketers lack confidence in their ability to deliver. He emphasized that building belief in creative capabilities requires fostering a culture of creative effectiveness within organizations. The ABE framework provides brands with a clear path to shift perceptions, identify necessary processes, and harness the power of creativity for greater impact.

Bob Liodice, CEO of the ANA, underscored the need for measurable structures to unlock the potential of creativity. He emphasized that the ANA remains committed to driving progress and is pleased to collaborate with WARC on this initiative.

One key finding from the latest report is the concept of the “3+ marketer,” who applies three or more ABE framework elements. These marketers consistently demonstrate better performance across several areas, from justifying creative investments to proving creativity’s benefits in concrete terms. Brands are advised to begin integrating the ABE framework, as the research clearly shows that each additional building block increases creative effectiveness. The report also encourages brands to embrace a “maturity curve” concept, acknowledging that while aligning with C-suite priorities is essential, the creative effectiveness journey extends far beyond boardroom conversations.

Much of the work outlined in the “Build” and “Embed” stages of the ABE framework can be initiated within the marketing department itself, meaning marketers don’t need to wait for full corporate approval to start their journey toward creative excellence. Defining what successful creative effectiveness looks like can begin internally, allowing the marketing team to gain momentum and catalyze change throughout the organization.

The ABE framework—developed by WARC, LIONS, and ANA—offers a comprehensive approach to creative effectiveness. It was built through detailed research, including WARC’s Rankings database and interviews with brands that have successfully executed campaigns known for both creativity and effectiveness. The framework is structured around six key building blocks that guide organizations in their creative effectiveness journey:

Under the “Align” category, the first building block is ensuring vision and alignment by gaining buy-in from the C-suite, particularly the CEO and CFO. The second is establishing the right metrics and evidence that align with leadership’s priorities.

In the “Build” stage, organizations need to create structures and processes for CrEff (creative effectiveness) operations and identify key stakeholders responsible for driving this agenda. They also need to establish a common language and consistent framework for evaluating creative work across the organization.

Finally, the “Embed” phase emphasizes the importance of genuinely partnering with agencies, making them part of the broader creative effectiveness strategy. The last building block focuses on diffusing the creative effectiveness agenda throughout the organization using all available internal channels.