Practical report guide
How to read a creative benchmark.
A score becomes useful when you know what it is compared with, how reliable the comparison is and what decision it supports. Start with these questions before changing your ad.
By Oussama Nakhil · Updated 28 September 2026
1. Is this the right comparison?
Check the platform, market, category, format and creative length. A short vertical product demonstration and a long brand film face different viewing conditions. A larger mixed pool is not automatically a better comparison.
Look for the actual peer count and any fallback to a broader group. If the report only has directional context, treat it as a prompt for review rather than a precise market ranking.
2. What was observed, and what was modeled?
Observed
Public views or engagement are recorded outcomes, with their own limitations. Exposure and media delivery can affect them.
Modeled
Creative scores and predicted attention are model outputs. They are not measured sales, eye tracking or consumer recall.
BuyerLens answers are simulated hypotheses. They can explain a possible objection, but they do not independently validate a RoastIQ score.
3. Which part of the ad should change?
Use the five checks to locate the issue: Beat the Skip, Get Noticed, Brand Impact, Sell Proposition and Build Brand. Read the evidence next to the creative. A low score alone is not an editing brief.
For example, if the report identifies a late brand cue, specify the scene, the brand asset to introduce and the elements to preserve. Check the actual frames before accepting the recommendation.
4. What would make you back this version?
Bring the brief, diagnostic evidence, review ownership and available outcome data together. Record the decision and its reason. If the stakes require consumer measurement or a controlled campaign test, say so before committing the budget.
Sample size alone does not establish confidence. A narrow cohort may be noisy, and repeated ads from the same brand are not independent observations.