Small Change, Big Impact: How a Simple Creative Update Boosted Performance

MNTN on Marketing

Marketers are no stranger to being asked to do more with less — less budget, less time, less bandwidth. And yes, that includes us. Even at a CTV advertising company like MNTN, where testing is central to our strategy, resources aren’t infinite. That’s how we found ourselves with a campaign to launch and a promo code to promote — but no new ad ready ready to go.

What we did have was a library of tried-and-true evergreen assets. So instead of building from scratch, we decided to tweak a video we already had in rotation. 

This wasn’t originally meant to be a formal A/B test. But the results surprised us — and ultimately gave us a clear case study in how small creative changes (paired with the right offer) can unlock serious performance gains.

Part 1: A Real Need, and a Fast Fix

It started with a promotion we were excited to launch: a $500 media credit for new signups using a specific promo code. We needed a CTV ad to support it — fast. But instead of  requesting net-new production from our talented (and busy) design and video teams, we asked ourselves: could we get this campaign live by making small, strategic edits to an existing evergreen ad?

The answer was yes. We kept everything else in the original ad the same — voiceover, imagery, pacing. The only changes? A persistent promo code in the lower-left corner and a new end card with a clear CTA tied to our offer. You can check it out below. 

A few quick edits were all we needed to get the asset campaign-ready. And since the original version was still running, we could directly compare performance between the two versions over the same period.

Part 2: Simple Swaps Can Have Big Payoffs

What began as a creative workaround quickly turned into a textbook A/B test. And the updated creative didn’t just hold its own — it outperformed the original in every metric we cared about.

Here’s what we saw:

Same audience. Same budget. Better performance. That’s a win in any marketer’s book, and a reminder that meaningful optimization doesn’t always require a heavy lift. 

Part 3: The Takeaway — Don’t Sleep on Your Evergreen Assets

This experiment reaffirmed one of CTV’s biggest strengths: agility. The ability to update creative quickly and then measure the impact just as fast is what makes this channel so powerful. And when creative resources are tight, that flexibility can be a gamechanger. 

Of course, there’s another element worth calling out here too: the promotion itself.

In this case, the $500 in media credit wasn’t just a perk, it was a real, tangible incentive. Because let’s be honest — folks love free money. Especially when that money comes with a clear way to redeem it.

Want to replicate this kind of lift without a full-blown production sprint? Here’s how:

1. Audit your evergreen assets. You might already have winning creative — it just needs a refresh to include timely offers or seasonal tie-ins.
2. Let campaign needs drive smart edits. If you’ve got a discount or promo code to promote, don’t wait for a whole new production cycle to get it live.
3. Use value-forward messaging. Incentives like free media spend can help push prospects over the finish line. Whatever the hook, make sure it actually hooks.
4. Stick to best practices, even when moving fast. Here are some factors to consider:
   1. Keep your logo persistent so viewers know who you are
   2. Use a clear, benefit oriented CTA
   3. Ensure your visuals and audio are still doing their job.

What’s Next?

This small change has sparked bigger ideas for our team. We’re exploring how to carry these promotional messages through to the landing page, so the viewer’s experience stays consistent from ad to site. We’re also planning a net-new video centered around this promotion, to see if an ad built from the ground up performs just as well.

For now, let this be a reminder that high-performing CTV creative doesn’t always require big swings. Sometimes it’s the small changes — made quickly and with intention — that drive real results.

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Eric Hatzenbuhler is the Director of Performance Marketing at MNTN, where he oversees paid media, SEO, and email marketing efforts. Before joining MNTN, he worked at several advertising agencies managing paid media for clients ranging from SMBs to Fortune 500 companies across industries like B2B and CPG. As a proud, born-and-raised Minnesotan, Eric combines his drive to push boundaries and challenge the status quo with a passion for connecting with others and inspiring innovative solutions.