The ad agency approval process is the moment of truth for both clients and creative teams. At SizeIM, we see this approval gap not as an inevitable source of stress, but as a prime opportunity for agencies and brands to build deeper trust, more efficient workflows, and ultimately, better campaigns. Here, we break down exactly where misalignment happens — and how agencies can transform approval friction into strategic advantage using tactics honed by real practitioners.
What Clients Really Expect from the Creative Approval Process
Let’s get straight to the point: agencies and clients want the same thing — impactful campaigns shipped on time, every time, with zero drama. Yet what each side defines as ‘on time’ or ‘on brand’ often differs. Based on years working with top agencies and brands at SizeIM, here’s what clients consistently expect in the approval phase:
- Rapid, transparent turnaround: Clients hope for next-day creative options, quick feedback cycles, and fast launch windows, especially when campaign windows are tight.
- Immaculate brand consistency: Whether it’s a quarter-page banner or a 970×250 billboard, every asset must showcase the same logos, colors, and tone as their brand book specifies.
- Error-free, ready-for-platform files: Clients do not want to see typos, mismatched fonts, pixelation, or ad sizes that get rejected by ad networks.
- Clear roles and accountability: Clients want a single point of contact who can explain status, next steps, and how feedback will be incorporated.
- Measurable ROI and visible results: Reports that tie creative changes to clicks, conversions, and uplift — not just vague ‘brand awareness’ feedback — matter more each year.
This wish list isn’t about being unrealistic. It’s about managing high business stakes — tight growth targets, reputational risk, market pressures. And as agency partners, it is our obligation to not just nod along, but proactively manage and educate expectations.
Where Teams Fall Short (and Why)
No creative team misses the mark on purpose. Yet we see common snags in the wild:
- Approval bottlenecks: Even with advanced tools, simple miscommunications or unclear style guides slow teams down. Feedback cycles can multiply when visual expectations aren’t documented.
- Manual, repetitive resizing across platforms: Designers still spend hours creating dozens of sizes for each ad network. This invites accidental inconsistencies and late-breaking errors.
- Rushed launches, unrealistic promises: The pressure for faster results can lead to quick fixes — but this frequently results in more rounds of changes when initial quality is below par.
- Poor asset management: Without centralized brand assets and templating, even skilled teams can slip up on color, logo placement, or copy (especially in high-stress, multi-network launches).
- Feedback black holes: When clients aren’t updated regularly, anxiety builds and trust is lost — even if creative work is progressing well in the background.
These are not just workflow glitches—they’re a signal to step back and rethink the foundational process.
Bridging the Gap: Proven Strategies That Get Ad Approvals Over the Line
At SizeIM, we’ve worked closely with agency partners to create systems where both sides win. Here’s what consistently moves the needle in closing the expectations gap:
1. Define & Document Expectations Early
- Start with data-driven realism: Before kicking off, align on what timelines and KPIs are possible. Share benchmarks from prior campaigns (for example: typical turnaround times, approval windows, expected CTRs, etc.). This manages client optimism with context, not just enthusiasm.
- Build and share transparent timelines: Lay out every stage with estimated durations. For example, explain, “Initial creative: 3 days. Multi-size resizing: 1 day. Approval cycle: 24 hours per round.” Even experienced clients appreciate this roadmap.
- Spot obstacles before they bite: Bring up common variables early — like pending brand book updates, unusual ad sizes, or client-side review steps — to prevent midstream surprises.
2. Standardize and Automate the Review Process
- Use codified style guides and templates: Rely on standardized documentation for everything from logo rules to CTA language. Templates built in SizeIM (where designers can upload brand kits and manage project assets) drastically reduce avoidable errors on routine campaigns. For guidance, see this guide to operationalizing brand consistency.
- Batch create and review ads in multiple sizes: Stop the serial process of one designer, one file, one revision. Platforms that let teams create all required sizes at once (and get feedback on them collectively) not only build consistency but cut approval time dramatically.
- Centralize brand assets: With a digital brand kit (all assets, logos, colors, fonts in one place), agencies eliminate the version-control headaches that plague multi-network campaigns.
3. Build Robust, Regular Communication Loops
- Designate a single contact: Assign a senior creative or project lead who is responsible for updates, status calls, and client feedback — so there is always a clear path for communication.
- Maintain scheduled check-ins: Weekly or bi-weekly updates (even just a two-line recap) dramatically reduce anxiety on the client side and create space to spot potential misalignments early.
- Streamline feedback collection: Use collaborative approval tools where clients can comment directly on draft assets, reducing lost-in-email confusion and promoting rapid, actionable revisions.
4. Make Success Measurable (and Tie Creative to Outcomes)
- Set and align on clear KPIs for each phase: Whether it’s ad approval timing, digital asset acceptance rates, or campaign results, having quantified metrics takes subjectivity out of discussions when timelines slip or realignment is needed.
- Simplify reporting: Clients aren’t always ad tech experts, so ensure that dashboards and status reports are visual, concise, and link creative quality to performance (such as, “after moving to our new templates, CTR improved by X% compared to last quarter”).
- Use feedback as a learning tool: At the end of major projects, gather short feedback from the client (via survey or interview). Adjust internal process based on what went well and what hit snags — this turns every friction point into process refinement.
5. Lean Into Automation for Quality and Speed
- Let automation handle repetitive work: At SizeIM, we’ve seen agencies reclaim hours per week (per account) by switching to automated resizing and templating for all major ad networks. Designers focus on creativity, not minute spacing adjustments.
- Prioritize consistency over novelty (where it counts): Use automated brand-kit driven platforms to stamp out logo errors, font mismatches, and odd color choices across dozens of ad sizes.
- Empower teams to adapt rapidly: With responsive templates, it’s simple to accommodate last-minute network changes or new ad formats — no painful redo required, and approvals come in faster because everything stays on brand with no manual troubleshooting.
Key Takeaways for Agencies and Clients Alike
- The best agencies invest as much in their process as in their creative output: Render timelines, approval cycles, and communication norms just as non-negotiable as the creative brief itself.
- Empathy for the client’s pressure is not a weakness: The most trusted agencies are proactive in pushing back on unrealistic timelines — but always with data and a plan, not just stonewalling.
- Internal alignment is job zero: If your design, client service, and media-buying teams aren’t working from the same playbook, clients will feel it and deadlines will drift.
For more practical workflows, see our detailed roadmap on digital agency creative review and approval best practices.
Turn Approval Gaps Into a Strategic Advantage
Bridging the gap between client expectations and agency delivery isn’t about overpromising. It’s about being system-driven, transparent, and relentless in surfacing and solving for misalignment — which in turn, consistently exceeds client expectations.
At SizeIM, we believe agencies best serve their clients by marrying automation with strong human relationships, building approval processes where everyone wins. Ready to scale your team’s impact, reduce review bottlenecks, and keep brand consistency air-tight? See what a multi-size creative workflow can do for your agency.
