Methodology

How Elemental Proof™ works

A rigorous, bias-free framework that measures creative effectiveness across four dimensions — turning subjective opinion into quantified evidence.

The status quo

Why traditional testing fails

Focus groups suffer from groupthink. A/B tests measure clicks, not comprehension. Committee reviews reward consensus over courage. Every method has a blind spot — and those blind spots cost brands millions.

73%

of campaigns fail to meet objectives (Gartner)

$37B

wasted annually on ineffective creative (Forrester)

89%

of CMOs say "gut feeling" still drives final decisions

The four dimensions

What we measure and why it matters

Fire

Spark: Ignites desire.

Does your creative grab attention instantly? We measure first-fixation speed, emotional peaks, and spontaneous arousal. If it doesn't spark, it doesn't start.

Sub-metrics

First-fixation speedEmotional peaksSpontaneous arousalAttention hold
Spark87/100
First-fixation speed78/100
Emotional peaks91/100
Spontaneous arousal82/100
Attention hold85/100
Water

Flow: Feels effortless.

Can your audience process the message without friction? We track cognitive fluency, comprehension speed, and mental load. Great communication flows; it never stumbles.

Sub-metrics

Cognitive fluencyComprehension speedMental loadMessage clarity
Flow92/100
Cognitive fluency88/100
Comprehension speed72/100
Mental load69/100
Message clarity90/100
Air

Lift: Elevates the brand.

Does exposure shift brand perception upward? We measure attribute transfer, premium perception, and brand equity uplift. One touchpoint should make the brand feel more, not less.

Sub-metrics

Attribute transferPremium perceptionBrand equityMemorability
Lift74/100
Attribute transfer71/100
Premium perception80/100
Brand equity76/100
Memorability84/100
Earth

Ground: Builds trust.

Is the message credible? We assess trust markers, scepticism reduction, and willingness to recommend. Without trust, nothing else holds.

Sub-metrics

Trust markersScepticism reductionRecommendation intentCredibility
Ground88/100
Trust markers92/100
Scepticism reduction86/100
Recommendation intent79/100
Credibility88/100
Failure modes

We don't just score — we diagnose

Every underperforming dimension maps to a specific failure mode. fo:gro identifies the pattern, explains the risk, and recommends the fix.

Spark

The Echo Chamber

When a leadership team mistakes internal consensus for audience truth. The campaign resonates in the boardroom but falls flat in the market.

Flow

The Cognitive Overload

When clever concepts sacrifice clarity. The audience works too hard to decode the message and disengages before the point lands.

Lift

The Brand Disconnect

When creative execution undermines brand equity. A bold campaign that wins attention but erodes the very perception it was meant to build.

Ground

The Trust Deficit

When messaging triggers scepticism instead of confidence. Claims feel too good to be true, or tone misreads the cultural moment.

The process

From upload to Proof Deck in five steps

01

Stimulus anonymisation

Brand markers, logos, and identifiable elements are stripped to prevent priming bias. The creative is evaluated on its own merit.

02

Multi-panel simulation

Over 5,000 virtual panellists across diverse demographics process the stimulus independently. No groupthink, no moderator influence.

03

Four-dimensional analysis

Each panellist response is scored across Spark, Flow, Lift, and Ground using validated psychometric and behavioural models.

04

Composite scoring

Individual dimension scores are weighted and combined into an overall Elemental Proof score with a qualitative rating from Critical to Exceptional.

05

Failure-mode detection

AI identifies specific patterns that predict underperformance — not just what the score is, but why it might fail and how to fix it.

Scoring scale

Understanding your score

85
Example composite
81–100ExceptionalTop-tier creative that will outperform category benchmarks.
61–80StrongEffective creative with minor optimisation opportunities.
41–60ModerateFunctional but unlikely to differentiate. Specific fixes recommended.
21–40WeakSignificant gaps identified. Revision required before launch.
0–20CriticalFundamental issues. Creative unlikely to achieve objectives in current form.
Live example

A sample Elemental Proof score

This is what your team receives — a clear, quantified breakdown of creative performance with actionable next steps.

85
Composite
Strong
Spark87/100
Flow92/100
Lift74/100
Ground88/100

This creative performs well across attention and trust metrics. Primary opportunity: Lift score suggests brand attribution could be strengthened. Consider increasing logo presence in the final frame and reinforcing category-specific language in the headline.

See the methodology in action

Upload your first creative and receive a full Elemental Proof score in under 24 hours.