4 New Media Buying Experiments Worked for Me

+ An AI tool that's changing the broll game.

What's up, Marketers! This is Aazar.

This newsletter is about leveling up your paid growth marketing skills by analyzing the best brands' paid strategy, tactics, positioning, and value props.

This newsletter is divided into:

  • Sharing what I've learned (this issue)

  • Sometimes sharing some other performance marketers’ lessons with you (

  • And I analyze & compare the best ads on the internet

What’s New In Advertising Episode:

Here’s what you get in this episode:

  • An ad format that’s working for me and why

  • Onboarding a new DTC client, should I take it based on the numbers I share?

  • Why you should sell features in fashion

  • How to fix an ad account struggling suddenly

  • Plus, the AI tool that’s making broll game easier

My favorite finds

The past few months have been full of testing, failing, retesting, and finally… finding traction.

So, I will keep today’s newsletter short (specially it’s Easter Sunday) and share four real-world insights from my recent campaigns.

1. Split image and video ads into separate ASC+ campaigns

We used to run both image and video ads in the same Advantage+ campaign.

It looked fine on paper.

But in reality?
The image ads were hogging the budget. Video ads barely got delivered.

So we made one change:

  • Created one campaign for image ads

  • Created a separate one for video ads

That alone helped both formats perform better.
It had better ad spend. Better data. Easier to scale.

2. “Bad” ads aren’t always bad—they just need the right campaign setup

We ran a full month of creative testing. No clear winners.

Instead of starting over, we tried this:

  • Collected all the “non-winning” ads

  • Put them into a single Advantage+ campaign

  • Let the algorithm pick

Surprise: 1–2 ads turned out to be scalable winners.

Sometimes the problem isn’t the ad.
It’s the testing environment.

3. One small change turned our worst format into the best one

We made 30+ video ads for an edtech client.
None of them worked. Not even close.

The client was ready to give up on video altogether.

Then we made one change: We replaced the student voiceover with a parent’s voice.

Same visuals. Same story. But, totally different result.

The performance jumped overnight.
Cost per lead dropped. Conversion rate improved.

Sometimes, you’re one tweak away from breakthrough.

This was the script template:

Here’s the structure-only template—no script, just the framework:

1. Hook

  • Grabs attention immediately

  • Mentions unexpected achievement

2. Problem / Spark

  • Explain the hook

  • Introduces how did that happen after the hook explanation

3. Solution / Action Taken

  • Shows what was the solution

  • Mentions early success

4. Wow Factor / Credibility Boost

  • Expresses surprise or pride at the accomplishment

  • Reinforces the impressiveness of the outcome

5. Resource / Tool Introduced

  • Introduces the program or product, platform, or method used

  • Includes name, who it’s for, and how it helps

6. Process / Features of Resource

  • Outlines what the resource teaches or enables or solves

7. Closing / Personal Endorsement

  • Shares a personal takeaway or endorsement

  • Optional CTA or encouragement for others to explore it

Here’s the example video that I use for my DTC, education and health client. It works regardless of the niche.

4. SMS verification = better leads + happier sales team

Lead quality has been a big struggle for most lead-gen businesses.

We added SMS verification to our forms.

Here’s what happened:

  • Fewer junk leads

  • Better close rates

  • Less frustration for the sales team

The below screenshot is from the SMS lead conversion and look at the cost.

No fancy automation. Just a simple filter. It made a massive difference.

Thanks to our partners who support this newsletter.

Tools worth checking out:

Atria: You're only as good an advertiser as your swipe file. Atria helps save good ads and analyze them in-depth. But the best part? Their AI helps me create concepts and scripts within seconds. Check it out for free. Most importantly, they now have built-in ad analytics to make more winning ads.

Creative OS: Don’t waste your designer’s time in copying swipe files. Get all static ad templates to increase your experiments and ad creatives’ velocity. Check it out here.

P.S. Check out Speechify’s AI voice over and dubbing. It’s making our editing job so much easier compare to Eleven Labs.

Happy Growing with Paid Social,

Aazar Shad

Since this newsletter is free, I do it to follow my curiosity. But I’d love it if you could leave some feedback so I know if I am helping you or not.

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