The POE Model is a simple way to think about how brands get attention: by paying for it (paid), using their own content such as emails or blogs (owned), or earning it from others talking about them (earned). Once upon a time, brands would create content, throw paid media behind it, and hope for the best. And in many cases, the best happened! If it looked good in the boardroom and passed the brand checkboxes, it was go time. But in today’s content-rich, attention-scarce world, simply spending your way to relevance isn’t a strategy, it’s a gamble. And it's one that often fails, especially with the discerning Gen Z age group.
At Code3, we’re already seeing this major shift. In 2025, smart strategy means resisting the urge to put meaningful media dollars behind creative until it’s proven itself in a low-stakes test environment. This approach removes ego from the equation letting real engagement, not internal opinion, decide what’s worth scaling. If the creative doesn’t earn attention on its own, media spend won’t solve that problem, it will just amplify the miss.
Micro-Testing as the New Quality Control
Here's the reality: it is almost impossible to accurately pick with a 100% success rate which creative will perform best. Enter: micro-testing. MIrco-testing consists of running small scale tests using a large quantity of creative variations both in imagery and value propositions to validate strong performers before launching a broader rollout. . These smaller scale tests allow brands to make data-informed decisions with minimal risk and investment.
When a creative wins a micro-test, it signals something powerful. It proves the creative resonated with your audience without being forced into their feeds. That kind of signal can’t be manufactured. It’s earned, and it's incredibly valuable.
It tells us:
- The hook works
- The visual storytelling is compelling
- The message aligns with current behaviors and interests
- The asset is platform-native
So why would we ignore that intel when planning paid campaigns?
The Real Cost of Bad Creative
The old solution to underperformance was usually: spend more. Buy more impressions. Extend the campaign. Hope it lands. But now, the creative is the reach. On platforms like TikTok, Meta, and Pinterest, performance isn’t just about who you target, it’s about what you show them and how it’s delivered. Your media dollars can only go as far as your creative will take them.
If you’re still measuring success by impressions instead of impact, it’s time to rethink your media strategy.
Views Are the New Focus Group
One of the most important mindset shifts we coach our clients through is this: “good” is no longer defined by brand guidelines or internal approvals. Good is defined by earned views. If a piece of content can’t hold attention in a crowded, scroll-happy environment, it’s not good enough. This doesn’t mean brands should abandon quality or branding, and overall brand goals remain absolutely critical. But this means brands need to elevate creative that earns attention and meets brand standards. And the only way to find those unicorn pieces of content is through performance data, starting with organic tests.
What This Means for Your Brand
So, what does all this look like in practice?
- Start small, scale fast: Run content in a micro campaign with limited spend - as much as you can. Look at watch time, saves, shares, and comments. What’s sticking? What’s falling flat?
- Test like you mean it: Test variations early (think: hooks, visuals, copy - nothing is off limits!) and use those learnings to inform your media strategy, not the other way around.
- Only pay for what proves itself: Media shouldn’t be the safety net for weak content. It should be the rocket fuel for strong creative that’s already flying.
Building a Better Creative Engine
This approach requires an appropriate testing structure and a new creative model. One that’s:
- Scalable: Built for volume, not just one hero asset
- Platform-native: Feels native to TikTok, Pinterest, Meta, etc.
- Data-informed: Grounded in real performance, not just aesthetics or your own perception of what’s good
- Collaborative: Brings strategy, creative, and media together from day one
With this new creative approach, it’s creative that earns its place in the media plan, not the other way around.
Final Word: Micro-testing Isn’t a Trend—It’s a Smarter System
If you’re still putting paid dollars behind unproven content, you’re not just wasting budget, you’re missing a massive opportunity. Micro-testing Creative performance isn’t a bonus metric. It’s the north star. It’s how we build content that breaks through, scales effectively, and performs where it counts.
So let’s retire the old model. In 2025, creative has to earn its way in. Paid media is the reward, not the shortcut.