We tested 112 pieces of creative for clients in 2025: 47 TV spots, 38 radio, 27 outdoor/OOH. Of those, 18 came back recommending material changes before airing; 4 we recommended not airing at all.
The cheapest full pre-test we ran was a fraction of one 30-second airtime slot on prime radio. The most expensive pre-test was less than a single evening-prime-time TV slot. The comparison writes itself.
The counterfactual — creative that went to air without being tested — shows up in our brand-tracking data six weeks later as flat or negative brand-health shifts, which is exactly what pre-testing is designed to prevent.
