Eczema doesn’t usually get so inflamed that it resembles raw beef, but playing the 🤢 factor is a good way to get your audience’s attention. Bonus points awarded for the TikTok-native split-screen, charismatic creator collab, and 3-reasons Buzzfeed-esque setup. HarlanMD also does a good job not getting too deep into the science since most people with eczema have already been through it with their derm. We can't grill them too much over the missed hyphen in “high-strength” because it’s only a tiny mis-steak in an overall well-done ad.
Obviously we had to give the brand named ColonBroom the #2 spot. The worst part of being bloated and constipated is having to wipe your red bell pepper’s ass. It's a little gross, but not enough to taint the audience's perception of the brand. Plus, it's a pretty clever way of presenting the problem without getting flagged on FB. The copy is simple and the UGC is easy to recreate. We just want to know which other objects they have/will put melted chocolate on…
Hooking your audience with a press testimonial that compares your product to crystal meth is a high risk/high reward situation. It’s on your audience to read it as “the fries are so good that you’ll want more” and not “you'll hear the voices of the fries telling you to scratch the bugs out of your skin.” Founder stories are always worth testing, as they humanize your brand and, if you’ve ever read this newsletter before, you already know how much we like native text. Plus, the food honestly looks delicious. If we’re ever in the UK, we’ll give these Heisenburgers a try.
3 ways advertising is like fishing:
The “I’d feel guilty if…” hook is clickbaity — and that’s a good thing. Always give your audience a reason to click and learn more. Also, the UGC here feels raw and intimate. Your first thought is, “what the hell are they doing to their faces?” Once you realize what’s going on, it’s too late to stop paying attention. Also, the creators aren’t in heavy makeup so that the lash treatment can shine. Finally, reviews are the social proof that can push viewers into buying mode. Now it’s up to your landing page or easy checkout process to reel in the sale.
Fishing is still on our minds, so please excuse this next metaphor: when your product has broad appeal, you can cast a wide net. Chances are that most people out there have once asked themselves, “do I have ADHD?” That’s why this seemingly specific hook can still work across audiences. We’re also getting heavy normcore vibes — just a guy in a chair with text and VO driving the ADHD simulation. The ordinary, everyday feel adds a layer of empathy. Additional trade secret: cats always get attention. Seriously, try it.
This ad doesn’t exactly break the mold, but we respect the dramatized hook and quick cut to a very cute dog to keep you engaged. (The above statement about cats also applies to dogs.) The creator definitely knows what she’s doing on both sides of the lens, incorporating solid shots and transitions. If it was ours to iterate on, we’d shoot a more engaging and sensationalized visual to bolster the dramatic hook. Maybe we’d spill some wine, give the dog a treat to dig for, or throw in a pooping red bell pepper… Anyway, hats off to this queen of a creator and the copywriter who wrote the hook we think is sofa-king good.
POV: you’re targeting people who don’t sleep enough and you need a visual hook. Is there a more classic wake-up call than literally pouring a bucket of water onto someone’s face? App interface demos create product familiarity, and the CTA plays the long game. Once your customer quantifies their sleep debt, how do they not download the app to pay themselves back? Yes, the ad is long, but the hook ensures that your audience won’t snooze through it.
