Make the investment case traceable to the audience
Build the approval case around audience behaviour, then show how the proposition and creative follow from that understanding. Audience and industry research should establish the landscape before creative development begins. The proposal should answer the questions senior leaders are likely to ask: what does the audience research tell us, how much will the campaign cost, and what returns are expected? Make the costs explicit and keep return assumptions realistic.
Give the creative a clear job in the approval discussion: demonstrate how it answers the audience-focused brief. A persuasive proposition and rigorous brief give decision-makers a reason to support an unfamiliar approach beyond its novelty. Relevant examples of successful campaigns, within or outside the industry, can also help make the case for a bolder investment. Use those examples as inspiration, while keeping the proposed campaign's rationale rooted in its own audience, strategy and budget.
Sources: How to Inspire Decision-Makers to Be Bold, The problem with playing it safe