How Tele2 Achieved a 5X ROI Boost in Google Ads Using AI-Driven Creativity

The digital advertising landscape is currently experiencing a profound transformation, spurred by the swift adoption of AI-powered tools and platforms. As marketers increasingly lean on data-driven strategies, measuring and optimizing the return on investment (ROI) of creative assets has become a crucial focus. In 2025, a report commissioned by Google and crafted by Madison and Wall revealed how AI is revolutionizing media planning, budgeting, and campaign optimization. The report also emphasized the growing significance of understanding the role of creativity in driving advertising success.

Tele2, a prominent telecommunications company, has been at the forefront of this movement. By using AI to measure and boost the ROI of its creative assets in Google Ads, Tele2 has realized tangible benefits of data-driven creativity. This case study offers valuable takeaways for marketers seeking to leverage AI to maximize their campaign potential. In this article, we will explore Tele2's strategies, tools, and methodologies. We'll also incorporate broader industry trends to offer practical advice for marketers. The central question we seek to answer is: How can marketers effectively measure and enhance the ROI of creative assets in Google Advertisement using AI and data-driven approaches?

I. The Role of Creativity in Driving ROI

Creativity is often hailed as the heart of advertising, but its impact on ROI has historically been challenging to quantify. Research indicates that creative elements account for nearly 50% of campaign ROI, making them a critical factor in advertising success. However, isolating the impact of creativity from other variables—such as platform, budget, and product—has long been a hurdle for marketers.

Tele2’s perspective on advertising is refreshingly pragmatic: they view it as an investment. This mindset underscores the importance of quantifying creative impact to secure board-level buy-in and justify marketing expenditures. To achieve this, Tele2 partnered with GroupM and Google to develop a next-generation marketing mix model (MMM) enhanced by AI for Google Ads. This model allows for granular analysis of creative components, such as mood, colors, music, and even specific visual elements like sunsets or human presence.

The insights gained from this approach are profound. For instance, Tele2 discovered that Google Ads featuring widely known phones and prominent logos performed significantly better. Specific attention drivers, such as calm music, human presence, and nature scenes, were also found to improve viewer retention rates. These findings highlight the importance of marrying creativity with data - driven insights to maximize ROI.

II. AI-Driven Measurement and Optimization

Tele2’s AI-powered approach represents a paradigm shift in how creative assets are measured and optimized. By leveraging Google Cloud Vision API, Tele2 developed an algorithm capable of analyzing creative elements within their ads. This AI-powered visual feature detection tool fused with traditional MMM methodology to provide a comprehensive understanding of creative effectiveness.

One of the key metrics Tele2 used was viewer retention rate, which served as a proxy for creative quality. The assumption was that longer watch times indicated higher attention and, therefore, superior creative. The model ranked ads as ‘good’, ‘average’, or ‘poor’ based on retention rates and pinpointed specific components associated with higher or lower performance.

The insights were transformative. For example, Tele2 found that increasing the size and prominence of their logo at the start of a Google Ads video significantly boosted retention rates. Other attention drivers, such as calm music and voiceovers, were also identified as critical factors. By overhauling their advertising based on these insights, Tele2 achieved a 5X increase in ROI for underperforming ads.

This case study demonstrates the immense potential of AI in creative testing and optimization. By reducing lead times from weeks to days and predicting brand lift with high accuracy, AI is revolutionizing the way marketers approach creative development. For instance, Topkee’s comprehensive Google Ads services, including creative production and AI-driven ad reporting analysis, can help businesses achieve similar results. Their tools, such as TTO for tracking and TM for customer behavior analysis, enable marketers to optimize campaigns with precision, ensuring higher engagement and ROI.

III. Tools and Technologies for Creative ROI Measurement

The tools and technologies available for measuring creative ROI have evolved significantly in recent years. Google Cloud Vision API, for instance, enables visual feature detection to analyze creative elements and their impact on engagement. This tool allows marketers to dissect ads at a granular level, identifying which components resonate most with audiences. For example, it can detect visual elements such as logos, colors, and human presence, providing actionable insights to refine creative strategies.

AI-powered marketing tools are also gaining traction for their ability to excel in specific tasks. For example, Pencil and Pencil Pro are generative design tools that streamline creative production and scale output. These tools are particularly valuable for marketers looking to optimize their creative workflows without compromising quality. Similarly, Topkee’s TTO tool offers a comprehensive solution for managing multiple advertising accounts, enabling precise data tracking and conversion event synchronization. This ensures that creative campaigns are aligned with measurable business goals.

YouTube’s AI ad formats, such as Video Reach Campaigns, further enhance creative ROI by optimizing ad delivery based on audience signals. By leveraging factors like demographics, time of day, and device, these campaigns maximize reach and engagement, ensuring that the right ad is shown to the right person at the right time. Additionally, Topkee’s TM tool provides advanced customer tracking capabilities, allowing marketers to generate custom landing URL links and monitor ad performance in real-time. This level of granularity ensures that creative assets are continuously optimized for maximum impact.

IV. Strategies for Enhancing Creative ROI

To maximize creative ROI in Google Ads, marketers must adopt a data-driven approach to creative development. This involves using AI insights to refine components such as logo placement, color palette, and messaging. For example, Topkee’s creative production services leverage AI to generate tailored graphics and text that align with market trends and audience preferences, ensuring higher engagement. Tele2’s success in overhauling their ad creatives based on AI analysis serves as a compelling example of this strategy in action.

Localized and personalized campaigns are another effective way to enhance creative ROI. By leveraging AI to uncover local insights, marketers can tailor creatives to specific audiences. For instance, Topkee’s keyword research and TM tools enable businesses to identify region-specific keywords and track user behavior, ensuring ads resonate with local audiences. Lay’s “Genieten is een simpel recept” campaign, which tapped into Dutch and Belgian moments of joy, is a testament to the power of localized creativity.

Finally, building multi-format creative assets is essential for maximizing reach and engagement. Topkee’s comprehensive Google Ads services, including YouTube ads and Google Display Network ads, provide diverse formats to ensure ads reach a wide audience. Creme Egg’s campaign, which utilized 12 ad formats for YouTube Video Reach Campaigns, demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach. By providing the AI platform with a diverse creative palette, marketers can ensure that their ads resonate with a wide range of audiences.

V. Challenges and Future Trends

While the adoption of AI in creative ROI measurement for Google Advertisement offers immense potential, it is not without challenges. Managing the complexity of change and ensuring compliance with evolving regulatory policies are critical considerations for marketers. Additionally, fostering collaboration between human creativity and AI is essential to unlock new levels of campaign effectiveness.

Looking ahead, the rise of AI agents capable of independent task execution is set to transform media planning and creative testing. These agents will streamline processes, reduce lead times, and enhance efficiency, enabling marketers to focus on strategic decision-making.

Conclusion

The case study of Tele2 underscores the transformative potential of AI in measuring and optimizing creative ROI in Google Ads. By embracing data-driven creativity, localized campaigns, and multi-format assets, marketers can stay competitive in an increasingly dynamic advertising landscape. For those looking to elevate their campaigns, investing in AI-driven tools and platforms is no longer optional—it’s essential. By fostering collaboration between human creativity and AI, marketers can unlock new levels of effectiveness and drive tangible business results.