Data Meets Design: Finding the Balance in High-Impact Ad Campaigns

A high-performing campaign starts with a strong message but getting that message to land across platforms requires more than just good creative. It takes data.

Understanding how, when, and where your audience consumes content is essential to building ads that not only look good but work hard. That’s where data-driven creative comes in. It blends analytics and artistry to create campaigns that speak clearly, connect emotionally, and show up where they matter most.

And in Pittsburgh, local insights show us exactly where to start.

01 | What Local Media Habits Reveal About Attention

Before you design headlines, storyboards, a commercial, or launch a digital ad, you need to know where your audience is paying attention.

According to Marshall Marketing data, Pittsburgh-area adults are actively engaged across multiple screens:

Media Usage in the Past 7 Days:

· 99% accessed the internet

· 90% watched television

· 78% watched local TV stations

· 68% watched television through apps like Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime

· 49% used a connected device like a Fire Stick or Apple TV to stream

Caption: Marshall Marketing data shows high usage across both traditional TV and streaming platforms, validating the need for cross-screen creative strategies.

These insights confirm what advertisers already sense: today’s viewers don’t think in platforms, they move between them. Creative needs to do the same.

02 | Let Data Set the Foundation for Great Creative

Data isn’t here to limit your creativity, it’s here to focus on it.

When you understand where your audience is watching, how often they’re tuning in, and what formats they prefer, you can make creative decisions that feel intentional and relevant, not random.

· In counties like Beaver and Westmoreland, local TV viewers are especially strong, making them ideal markets for longer-form, brand-building messages.

· High internet usage across all areas means digital creative should reinforce the message, picking up where TV leaves off.

· Streaming adoption (68%) means your ad needs to work whether it airs live or plays mid-scroll.

A single message can appear on TV, mobile, and streaming, but how it’s written, designed, and delivered should change based on the platform and viewing behavior.

03 | Artistry Brings the Message to Life

Once data defines the direction, creativity brings it into focus.

Design, tone, voice, and pacing, all these elements help your message do more than just inform. They help it connect.

TV remains a powerful space for storytelling, tone, and emotion. It sets the tone for your brand and creates a moment of presence. Digital, on the other hand, gives you flexibility, short formats, interactive components, and motion that’s built for scrolling.

Together, they deliver the best of both worlds:

· Creative that feels trustworthy and complete

· Assets that flex to match each screen

· Messaging that reflects the real-life behaviors of your audience

04 | Track, Adapt, and Refine Without Losing the Story

When you combine creative ideas with performance insights, your campaign doesn’t just launch, it learns.

You can:

· Refine based on where engagement is strongest

· Test different visuals or formats across platforms

· Adjust pacing or messaging in response to real-time results

This is where the balance between analytics and artistry really shines. Your message remains consistent, but how it's expressed can evolve, without losing clarity, tone, or impact.

Great Campaigns Are Built on Both

Analytics and creative aren’t competing forces. When used together, they create campaigns that feel intentional, responsive, and aligned with how people consume media, especially here in Pittsburgh.

Data tells you what to say. Creative decides how to say it. And together, they help your brand show up clearly, consistently, and effectively.

Connect with WTAE Advertising to build campaigns rooted in insight and brought to life across every screen.