{"id":727727,"date":"2026-05-16T03:55:13","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T00:55:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dean-kadi-talks-clients-ignoring-performance-data\/"},"modified":"2026-05-16T03:55:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T00:55:13","slug":"dean-kadi-talks-clients-ignoring-performance-data","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dean-kadi-talks-clients-ignoring-performance-data\/","title":{"rendered":"Dean Kadi talks clients ignoring performance data"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2599accd409\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2599accd409\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dean-kadi-talks-clients-ignoring-performance-data\/#Dean_Kadi_shared_a_real-world_PPC_story_about_the_consequences_of_ignoring_performance_data_and_overriding_a_winning_ad_strategy\" >Dean Kadi shared a real-world PPC story about the consequences of ignoring performance data and overriding a winning ad strategy.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dean-kadi-talks-clients-ignoring-performance-data\/#The_campaign_was_performing_exceptionally_well\" >The campaign was performing exceptionally well<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dean-kadi-talks-clients-ignoring-performance-data\/#The_client_wanted_to_pause_all_winning_ads\" >The client wanted to pause all winning ads<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dean-kadi-talks-clients-ignoring-performance-data\/#The_dangerous_assumption_behind_the_new_strategy\" >The dangerous assumption behind the new strategy<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dean-kadi-talks-clients-ignoring-performance-data\/#%E2%80%9CWed_prefer_this_to_be_a_winner%E2%80%9D\" >\u201cWe\u2019d prefer this to be a winner\u201d<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dean-kadi-talks-clients-ignoring-performance-data\/#What_agencies_should_do_in_situations_like_this\" >What agencies should do in situations like this<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dean-kadi-talks-clients-ignoring-performance-data\/#The_results_tanked_%E2%80%94_exactly_as_expected\" >The results tanked \u2014 exactly as expected<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dean-kadi-talks-clients-ignoring-performance-data\/#Returning_to_UGC_restored_performance\" >Returning to UGC restored performance<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dean-kadi-talks-clients-ignoring-performance-data\/#The_bigger_lesson_let_data_tell_the_story\" >The bigger lesson: let data tell the story<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dean-kadi-talks-clients-ignoring-performance-data\/#Common_PPC_mistakes_agencies_still_encounter\" >Common PPC mistakes agencies still encounter<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dean-kadi-talks-clients-ignoring-performance-data\/#AI_wont_fix_a_bad_strategy\" >AI won\u2019t fix a bad strategy<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dean-kadi-talks-clients-ignoring-performance-data\/#Final_thoughts\" >Final thoughts<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dean-kadi-talks-clients-ignoring-performance-data\/#Topics_on_this_page\" >Topics on this page<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"subhead\" itemprop=\"alternativeHeadline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Dean_Kadi_shared_a_real-world_PPC_story_about_the_consequences_of_ignoring_performance_data_and_overriding_a_winning_ad_strategy\"><\/span>Dean Kadi shared a real-world PPC story about the consequences of ignoring performance data and overriding a winning ad strategy.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"bialty-container\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"rll-youtube-player\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/EB14i8NCEuE\" data-id=\"EB14i8NCEuE\" data-query=\"feature=oembed\" data-alt=\"EP364 - The PPC Expert vs. The Client\u2019s Gut Feeling ft Dean Kadi\"><\/div>\n<p><noscript><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"EP364 - The PPC Expert vs. The Client\u2019s Gut Feeling ft Dean Kadi\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/EB14i8NCEuE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/noscript>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>In a recent PPC Live podcast conversation, Dean Kadi, Head of Paid Growth at One Link <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Media<\/a>, shared a real-world agency experience where a client insisted on replacing high-performing Meta ads with heavily branded creative \u2014 despite clear evidence that the existing strategy was delivering strong results. The discussion highlights the tension agencies often face between expertise and client preference, while offering valuable lessons on communication, testing, tracking, and why data should always lead decision-making in PPC.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"the-campaign-was-performing-exceptionally-well\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_campaign_was_performing_exceptionally_well\"><\/span>The campaign was performing exceptionally well<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Dean Kadi and his team at One Link Media built a highly successful Meta advertising strategy for premium woodworking brand Rubio Monocoat using user-generated content (UGC). By testing multiple creators, hooks, formats, and messaging angles, they improved the account\u2019s ROAS from around 2.1x to consistently between 3x and 4x. Their testing revealed that the biggest purchase driver was not the product\u2019s variety of colours, but the fact that customers only needed one coat of product, saving significant time and effort.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"the-client-wanted-to-pause-all-winning-ads\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_client_wanted_to_pause_all_winning_ads\"><\/span>The client wanted to pause all winning ads<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Despite strong performance, the client unexpectedly requested that all successful UGC ads be paused in favour of heavily branded static and video creatives. The new ads looked polished but failed to feel native to the Meta platform, which is often critical for engagement and conversion. The decision wasn\u2019t based on performance issues but on the client\u2019s preference for more traditional branding.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"the-dangerous-assumption-behind-the-new-strategy\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_dangerous_assumption_behind_the_new_strategy\"><\/span>The dangerous assumption behind the new strategy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The client based their new creative direction on a survey suggesting customers liked the brand\u2019s colour range, assuming this was the primary reason people purchased. However, the agency\u2019s testing data had already proven otherwise. This highlights a common mistake in marketing where internal assumptions or isolated feedback override broader performance data and real-world customer behaviour.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"wed-prefer-this-to-be-a-winner\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CWed_prefer_this_to_be_a_winner%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>\u201cWe\u2019d prefer this to be a winner\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>One of the most telling moments in the discussion came when the client admitted they simply wanted the new creative <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>roach to succeed. Dean pointed out that paid media doesn\u2019t work based on preference or hope \u2014 audiences decide what resonates. No matter how strongly stakeholders feel about a campaign direction, performance data ultimately determines success.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-agencies-should-do-in-situations-like-this\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_agencies_should_do_in_situations_like_this\"><\/span>What agencies should do in situations like this<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Dean advised agencies to stay calm, professional, and evidence-led when disagreements with clients arise. Rather than arguing emotionally, marketers should clearly communicate risks, explain their reasoning, and document recommendations in writing. By maintaining professionalism and allowing the data to speak for itself, agencies can protect relationships while still standing behind their expertise.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"the-results-tanked-exactly-as-expected\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_results_tanked_%E2%80%94_exactly_as_expected\"><\/span>The results tanked \u2014 exactly as expected<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The new branded creatives quickly underperformed, with rising acquisition costs and declining efficiency across Meta campaigns. Although the agency continued testing audiences and optimisation strategies, the core issue remained the creative itself. After approximately eight weeks of poor results, it became clear that the client\u2019s new direction was not working.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"returning-to-ugc-restored-performance\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Returning_to_UGC_restored_performance\"><\/span>Returning to UGC restored performance<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Once the client agreed to reintroduce the original UGC ads, campaign performance improved rapidly within just a couple of weeks. The return of native-looking content and proven messaging angles restored the account\u2019s efficiency and validated the agency\u2019s original strategy. Interestingly, Google Ads performance remained relatively stable because those campaigns relied more heavily on branded search activity.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"the-bigger-lesson-let-data-tell-the-story\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_bigger_lesson_let_data_tell_the_story\"><\/span>The bigger lesson: let data tell the story<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Dean\u2019s biggest takeaway was that agencies should rely on data rather than emotion when navigating difficult client situations. Sometimes clients need to see underperformance firsthand before accepting recommendations. By consistently presenting clear reporting and measurable outcomes, marketers can use evidence to guide conversations and rebuild trust.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"common-ppc-mistakes-agencies-still-encounter\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Common_PPC_mistakes_agencies_still_encounter\"><\/span>Common PPC mistakes agencies still encounter<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Beyond this client story, Dean highlighted poor tracking setup as one of the most common mistakes still seen in PPC accounts today. Missing server-side tracking, incorrect event configurations, and weak conversion tracking setups can severely impact optimisation and reporting. Even the strongest campaigns struggle if the underlying data infrastructure is flawed.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"ai-wont-fix-a-bad-strategy\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"AI_wont_fix_a_bad_strategy\"><\/span>AI won\u2019t fix a bad strategy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Dean also warned against overreliance on AI tools in marketing. While AI can improve efficiency and speed up workflows, it cannot compensate for weak strategy or poor thinking. Marketers still need to critically evaluate outputs, refine prompts, and apply human judgment, because clients ultimately hold people accountable \u2014 not AI systems.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"final-thoughts\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_thoughts\"><\/span>Final thoughts<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>This story serves as a reminder that successful PPC campaigns rely on testing, data, and strategic discipline rather than internal opinions or branding preferences alone. Agencies must balance professionalism with confidence in their expertise, document their recommendations carefully, and trust performance metrics over assumptions. In the end, audiences decide what works \u2014 and the data almost always reveals the truth.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ttd-topics-display\">\n<div class=\"ttd-topics-content\">\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Topics_on_this_page\"><\/span>Topics on this page<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<div class=\"ttd-topics-links\">Pay-per-clickMetaUser-generated contentRubio MonocoatAdvertising campaignGoogle AdsArtificial intelligenceData-driven decision-makingMarketing strategyMinecraft<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ttd-topics-show-extra-button\">+5 more<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Technology<\/a><\/span> category.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/dean-kadi-talks-clients-ignoring-performance-data-477749\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dean Kadi shared a real-world PPC story about the consequences of ignoring performance data and overriding a winning ad strategy. In a recent PPC Live podcast conversation, Dean Kadi, Head of Paid Growth at One Link Media, shared a real-world agency experience where a client insisted on replacing high-performing Meta ads with heavily branded creative&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":727728,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2026\/05\/PLTP-Image-13.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-727727","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/727727","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=727727"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/727727\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/727728"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=727727"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=727727"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=727727"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}