Like – Dislike

“Like – Dislike”: Why Is It Not Enough?

This week has been particularly active in discussing creative solutions for communication campaigns. The primary focus has been on video, the most powerful tool in modern communications. Throughout my 20+ years as a producer of television, advertising, and promotional projects, I have repeatedly encountered how creative work is evaluated: simply as “like” or “dislike.”

Often, this judgment doesn’t reflect personal preferences but rather the opinions of a group, making it difficult to assess the evaluator’s competence. Have they seen similar projects before, or do they simply have an opinion? Sometimes, it seems that dislike is merely a way to avoid providing constructive criticism or engaging in a deeper discussion. However, the goal of any creative project is not only to please a client, colleague, or partner but also to achieve results with the target audience. This audience speaks a different language and possesses a distinct mentality, culture, and media consumption habits. The real challenge lies in presenting your culture in a way that captivates a global audience. One project by our studio, Dars Films, was prepared for Estonia in 2022. It has a similar challenge.

How to Determine Whether a Project Is Truly Effective? Several objective methods go beyond the subjective “like – dislike” approach. Below are three key methods:

1. Testing with the Target Audience

It is crucial to remember that promotional videos are not created for the client but for a specific target audience. If a client dislikes a video that resonates well with their customers, the project succeeds. Test screenings, focus groups, and user behavior analytics are the best ways to assess audience reaction.

2. Professional Jury at International Festivals

Over the years, I’ve realised that participating in international film festivals, where judges make decisions without personal bias, is one of the best ways to evaluate a project’s creative level objectively. Just as the choice of media platform affects the effectiveness of a communication campaign, the choice of a film festival determines the value of the awards received. Some festivals receive only dozens of submissions, while others receive hundreds or even thousands. In this regard, I particularly value participation in the CIFFT series of international tourism film festivals https://www.cifft.com/

3. Metrics and Analytics

Creativity can be subjective, but numbers are not. Views, engagement, conversions, watch time—all indicators show the success of the project. Data provides much more valuable insight than random opinions.

How to Validate Opinions on Creative Work? Accepting and understanding their reasoning is essential when someone shares their opinion on a project. A helpful approach is to ask clarifying questions:

• What similar projects do you like?
• Why do you like them?
• What precisely makes them strong from your perspective?

This method shifts the discussion from subjective judgments to identifying what matters to the client and how those elements can be effectively communicated to the audience.

I once discussed a series of promotional videos about Almaty that our studio, Dars Films, produced in 2016–2017. Only five out of over a thousand people who saw my Facebook post left negative comments. Curious, I asked them why they disliked the videos. After several follow-up questions, one finally named a video they liked. It turned out to be a completely different type of video—without a tourism focus, logos, slogans, or voice-over narration. The discussion ended when I asked the final question—“What exactly do you like about this video?” This experience reinforced how subjective opinions can be and the importance of understanding their context.

The Role of Public Discussion

Creative studios should engage in social media discussions. Personal biases or hidden agendas can influence private conversations. However, when discussions are public, arguments become visible to many, compelling people to justify their opinions.

From “Like – Dislike” to Objective Criteria

One of the most common ways to evaluate a video project is based on personal perception—whether the client likes it or not. However, creative solutions are not designed for a small group of individuals; they are aimed at a target audience. If a client is thrilled with a video but it doesn’t work for viewers, it’s a failure.

The objective measure of success is achieving the intended impact, which includes creating a strong and appealing image, breaking outdated stereotypes, presenting investment opportunities, attracting tourists, building a memorable brand, and evoking the right emotions.

Whenever I receive feedback on a video project, I always clarify how and where it was viewed. Context significantly affects perception:

• Was there sound? Most social media users watch videos without sound or in noisy environments, while sound is a key element in television projects.
• What language was used? Sometimes, a client watches the English version without understanding the language, losing the emotional and narrative impact. A successful video is not just a sequence of frames; it tells a complete story that resonates with the audience.
• What screen was it viewed on? The screen of a phone, computer, monitor, TV, or cinema influences the perception of music, sound effects, voice-over narration, color transitions, and overall dynamics.

For example, in 2019, our studio, Dars Films, produced the Sunrise in Kazakhstan series in English, Russian, and Kazakh. The English version was shown on BBC News to showcase Kazakhstan’s tourism potential to a global audience. However, some partners in Kazakhstan, unfamiliar with English, recognised only familiar landscapes and cityscapes. Watching the Kazakh version completely changed their perception of the project.

The “Sunrise in Kazakhstan” project proves that video content is not just about visuals. It’s about voice, storytelling, intonation, and the emotions conveyed through music.

How Budget Affects Creative Perception

When comparing creative products, it is essential to consider the budget, as creativity is not just about the idea but also the entire process of transforming it into a visual and emotional form that effectively conveys a message. A video can be produced with the participation of celebrities, involving million-dollar fees, complex staged filming, elaborate sets, and advanced equipment and mechanisms. In such cases, production teams consist of dozens of people, and the project takes months rather than weeks to complete.

I believe that the Behind-the-Scenes Film, created by Dars Films during the production of Legends of the Great Steppe in Kazakhstan, would greatly interest many viewers.

Another filming format involves no actors but relies on a well-thought-out narrative structure, original visual solutions, and meticulous editing. In such cases, the emotional impact will be entirely different.

Even when a video is created using existing footage, it can still become a powerful communication tool. For example, in 2018, DARS Films produced a video for Batumi, which is still actively used to promote the city and the Adjara region of Georgia. This video showcases the destination’s life from morning to evening, across different seasons.

When promoting a destination’s tourism potential, it is often crucial to position it as a year-round destination. However, not everyone is able to showcase different seasons. The issue is not always about budget but rather the lack of long-term planning. For instance, if a country or city wants to highlight winter, spring, summer, or autumn, filming must take place throughout the year to produce promotional videos for use in the following year.

In practice, however, long-term planning for international communications is often absent, as budgeting is typically done on an annual basis. This raises the recurring challenge of how to film and prepare a promotional video for a specific season within a single calendar year. Moreover, seasonal advertising should logically be conducted before the season begins—not during or after it.

As an example of a Seasons project, I would like to highlight Autumn in Uzbekistan by DARS Films. The video for this project was created using both existing footage from our studio and materials provided by the client.

It is already known that the Autumn in Uzbekistan video has been selected as one of the 80 finalists at the 2025 CIFFT Japan Tourism Film Festival, which received over 1,100 submissions from Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Interestingly, Autumn in Switzerland, featuring Roger Federer, is also competing in the same festival. The winners will be announced next week—stay tuned for the results: Festival Link.

This example demonstrates that while budget levels influence perception, they do not always determine a project’s success. Creativity can achieve a lot—but not everything. Even with a limited budget, it is possible to create a visually powerful and emotionally compelling product that resonates with audiences and works effectively in communication.

Director’s Cut vs. Client’s Version

A director’s cut often differs from the client-approved version, and that’s completely normal. Creative studios develop projects for brands, and brands may have different priorities. It’s like tailoring a suit: even the most stylish design may be impractical if it lacks pockets or has inconvenient buttons.

Advice to fellow creatives:
Always create your director’s versions. They may become relevant if the brand’s strategy changes. Even if they aren’t used, you will have a portfolio that showcases your unique creative vision.

For example, in 2015, Dars Films produced a commercial for Azerbaijan Airlines ahead of the first European Games in Baku. We presented multiple creative concepts, one of which the client approved. Another concept, which we believed was equally strong, was developed as an animatic—a conceptual video without final post-production.

Azerbaijan Airlines, Final Cut, 2015:

The Director’s Creative Concept:

How to Minimize the “Like – Dislike” Trap in Video Production

Over the years, DARS FILMS has developed a project implementation system that allows clients to maintain control over each stage of the process while giving the director creative freedom and the ability to integrate modern technological solutions.

For us, the first step has always been to define the unique competitive advantages in order of priority. This approach ensures that the visualization of these advantages is not just a creative endeavor but also a strategic marketing task. Without this stage, project evaluation inevitably falls into the subjective “like – dislike” framework.

One example of effectively visualizing a country’s unique competitive advantages is the Azerbaijan promotional video that DARS FILMS produced in 2015.

Creating a video is not just about capturing beautiful footage. It’s a strategic effort that requires a deep understanding of the target audience, strong dramaturgy, and a compelling story that stays with viewers for a long time.

Creativity doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It is not just an idea but a tool that should work toward building strong brand associations. You are on the right track if your work evokes emotions, remains memorable, and influences brand perception.

Creativity cannot please everyone. Any visual project—whether an ad, promotional film, feature, or documentary—will trigger different reactions in different people. The key is not to seek universal approval but to understand who the specific film is for, in what context it will be viewed, and what objectives it should achieve.

A successful creative project is a visually appealing sequence and an effective tool that shapes perceptions, builds strong images, and inspires action.

I would appreciate your comments and will be happy to answer your questions. Please feel free to send me your messages either by mail to my e-mail address sergey.stanovkin@darsfilms.com or by filling out the form below.