The inspiration for this blog post comes from Amber Myers, my Business Partner. Her ability to ask this question at just the right time is legendary. Long may she continue to do so.

A Question of Purpose

There is never a shortage of new ideas (or old ideas dressed up as new ones). Designers, copywriters, creative directors, and clients gather in brainstorming sessions eager to conjure the next award-winning headline or disruptive visual style. Yet despite this steady flow of inspiration, many campaigns end up slipping into the realm of the forgettable. They might look polished or generate a buzz, but when measured against the brand’s genuine objectives, their long-term impact is questionable at best.

This is where a deceptively simple question, “And so what?” begins to exert its power. At first, the phrase can sound blunt, even impatient. Yet its role is neither to diminish creative ambition or innovation. Instead, it ensures that every new concept, every splashy headline, and every stylised image aligns with a meaningful business outcome. As Seth Godin said:

“Without a goal, strategy is aimless, and without a strategy, marketing is meaningless.”

In other words, creativity must be linked to something bigger, a goal that shapes the way we think, plan, and execute. By repeatedly posing “And so what?”, agencies and clients alike give themselves the chance to validate whether an idea genuinely advances the brand, rather than simply existing as a short-lived spectacle.

The Hidden Pitfall of ‘Creativity for Creativity’s Sake’

Within creative agencies, there is an understandable desire to produce original work that stirs a reaction. No team wants to be accused of churning out predictable, by-the-numbers campaigns. Yet in the drive to be fresh, it’s easy to forget to ask if the concept serves a defined commercial or strategic purpose.

When confronted with “And so what?”, a visually stunning layout or a quirky tagline must answer how it contributes to specific objectives. Is it meant to shift public perception of the brand? Drive website conversions? Attract a new demographic? If it fails to connect to any tangible driver, that shiny concept risks becoming little more than a stylistic exercise.

Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman at Ogilvy, famously remarked that “The problem with the purely rational mind is that it doesn’t allow for magic.” Creativity can indeed feel magical, those moments when a designer sketches out something truly imaginative or a copywriter crafts a witty phrase that resonates deeply. Yet if no one asks what that magic is supposed to accomplish, it risks floating off into the ether, admired one minute and forgotten the next. By forcing ourselves to question utility, we keep both the magic and the commercial realities in view, making it more likely that a campaign will be remembered not just for its flair, but for its results.

Aligning Campaigns with Real Business Drivers

The core reason “And so what?” matters is that it propels teams to anchor their creative work to defined business drivers. These can range from expanding brand awareness and boosting customer loyalty, to capturing new market share or strengthening internal culture. While a single campaign cannot address every objective, it should indisputably move the dial on one or two key metrics.

Identifying the Drivers

Before brainstorming concepts, agencies and clients should hold a candid conversation about their primary aims. Are they hoping to reposition the brand as edgy and forward-thinking, or does the company want to consolidate its position as the industry’s most trusted voice? Perhaps they want to enter a new market segment that historically has been out of reach. “And so what?” offers a litmus test: if an idea does not clearly tie back to one of these aims, it may need pruning.

Defining the Metrics

Businesses often set vague targets like “increase engagement” or “improve sentiment.” Numbers, however, reveal truth. A campaign might strive for a 20% lift in email click-through rates or aim to halve the cost-per-acquisition for new customers. When these targets are set from the beginning, the creative process gains a direction. Instead of guessing what might resonate, the team crafts solutions specifically designed to influence the identified KPIs. If the numbers post-campaign don’t reach the target, the question “And so what?” resurfaces, prompting a deeper look at where assumptions might have gone awry.

Tracking the Journey

Crucially, success isn’t judged only at the end. By building in multiple checkpoints to ask “And so what?”, an agency can refine concepts mid-stream. If a major campaign element starts drifting off-course, it’s far easier to correct that path in the early stages than after final production has wrapped.

When “And So What?” Fuels Greater Ambition

A common misconception is that tethering creativity to business outcomes puts a lid on ambition. Yet often the opposite is true. With firm objectives in place, the team can experiment confidently, knowing they are not gambling on abstract whims but on innovative strategies designed to meet concrete goals.

Consider a brand that seeks to alter its reputation from stiffly traditional to refreshingly modern. By training every idea on that specific outcome, the creative team can propose bold colour schemes, edgier copy, or unorthodox media placements, safe in the knowledge that these risks support a well-defined pivot in brand perception. “And so what?” wards off the “let’s be wacky for wackiness’ sake” approach, ensuring that there’s a rationale underpinning each brave move.

David Ogilvy, often called the Father of Advertising, once stated, “If it doesn’t sell, it isn’t creative.” While today’s environment has evolved to consider brand awareness, customer experience, and reputation management as equally important, the essence remains: real creativity shows itself when it contributes to a tangible result. Tapping into “And so what?” turns that principle into practical guidance, helping agencies push boundaries within a framework that the client can confidently support.

Earning Client Buy-In Through Measurable Outcomes

The tension that sometimes arises between agencies and clients often stems from questions about return on investment. Clients might love the energy and polish of a conceptual pitch, but they also need to justify expenses and prove the project’s value to internal stakeholders or board members. By weaving “And so what?” into every aspect of ideation, the agency can clarify from the outset which metrics will define success—and exactly how the campaign is set up to achieve them.

When a client sees that creative brilliance and business goals are working hand in hand, they are more likely to approve bold initiatives. They trust that the agency is not just indulging in the latest design trends, but actively seeking pathways to revenue growth, reputational gains, or deeper customer loyalty. A clear demonstration of how an unconventional idea might help the client achieve a 30% boost in brand recall, for instance, often carries more weight than the question of whether that idea is simply “cool.”

Once the campaign is live, the agency and client alike have a transparent benchmark to measure success. If the numbers exceed expectations, the client can see that their investment in creative risk paid off. If not, it’s at least obvious where the strategy might have fallen short, allowing for a constructive post-mortem that can inform future efforts. In both outcomes, “And so what?” fosters a climate of accountability and continuous improvement.

Practical Steps: Making “And So What?” a Habit

  • Infuse It into the Brief: Right at the start, incorporate specific questions in the project brief, “What measurable objectives does this campaign serve?” so that the entire team is working from the same playbook.
  • Ask at Every Milestone: During ideation, concept refinement, and client presentations, systematically challenge each proposal with “And so what?” This ensures that any red flags or loose ends are identified before they cause expensive changes later.
  • Encourage Healthy Debate: Agencies shouldn’t shy away from critical dialogue. If someone internally or from the client’s side asks “And so what?”, treat it as a constructive nudge rather than an affront.
  • Stay Open to Adaptation: Once metrics start rolling in, be prepared to pivot if the initial solution is underperforming. The readiness to adapt, guided by real data, is how good campaigns become great.

The Question That Future-Proofs Creative Work

“And so what?” may come across as a buzzkill in the frenzied fun of creative collaboration, but in practice it becomes the guardrail that ensures big ideas don’t drift into vanity projects. By continually pressing campaigns to justify their strategic relevance, agencies and clients can sharpen their sense of purpose. This not only mitigates wasted time and budget, but it also liberates creative teams to explore bold avenues, confident that each foray still aligns with a larger ambition.

Seth Godin was right: without a goal, strategy has no direction, and without strategy, marketing loses its meaning. “And so what?” helps us pinpoint those goals and keep them in focus. Whether you’re on the agency side, tasked with crafting a memorable campaign, or a client investing in your brand’s future, this straightforward question could be the single most important tool you use. It channels creativity into something both inspiring and effective, turning every project into a genuine opportunity to make a lasting impact on the market, the brand, and ultimately, the bottom line.