AI Ads That Don’t Look AI-Generated

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

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

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

This issue is sponsored by Proxima.

This tool has delivered outstanding performance boosts across numerous accounts. The highlight? It promises to enhance your Meta efficiency, and if it doesn't, they'll compensate for any lost revenue.

We recently introduced a brand to Proxima's new AI Audiences + Predictive CAPI test, and the results have been exceptional. If the test doesn't succeed for you, they'll fully refund any lost revenue. It's been the simplest decision I've made all year.

Check out Proxima

BEST LINKS OF THE WEEK (on popular demand)

My favorite finds

• 8 figure brand ad creative strategy

• Some really good creatives

• Dan Nelken once said, "Great headlines aren't great sentences – they're great ideas expressed in words."

• We should all start doing UGCs like this

So I recently re-started my podcast. Earlier, it used to be Growth Marketing Stories, Now I’ve turned it into What’s New With Advertising (Audio/Youtube). I’ve changed the format too.  And, I have a partner Marco Lange. 

Today, I will share some of the big takeaways from our discussions and two Ads that are working for us. Important, most insights came from Marco this time, so all credit to him.

Let’s start…

How to Make AI Video Ads That Don’t Look Like AI Ads

AI-generated ads are improving, but they still feel robotic. Viewers notice quickly. That’s a problem because the moment an ad feels fake, people scroll past it.

So how do you make AI ads that feel real?

Here are some proven tricks—shoutout to Marco for sharing some of these insights. You can check the complete conversation here.

1. Make AI-generated people smaller

AI-generated faces often don’t sync perfectly with the voiceover. If the model is full-screen, it’s obvious.

One simple fix is to shrink them down.

Make the AI characters 40% smaller. Now, the lips are too small to analyze, so people don’t notice the mismatch. It keeps the ad feeling natural.

2. Cut between A-roll and B-roll

People catch on to lip-sync issues after a few seconds, so don’t give them time.

A good trick is to cut quickly between the AI character (A-roll) and other visuals (B-roll). For example, show the AI-generated person talking for one or two seconds, then switch to a product shot, testimonial, or lifestyle clip—while keeping the voiceover running.

3. Keep the AI character in the background

Another trick is to push AI models into the background instead of placing them front and center.

If an AI-generated person is slightly out of focus, it’s harder to notice the lips. The viewer focuses on what they’re saying, not how their lips move.

4. Add intentional imperfections

Perfectly polished AI videos feel too clean—which ironically makes them feel fake.

One way around this is to leave small flaws on purpose.

Marco shared a great example: an AI-generated spokesperson with a rough green-screen cutout. It looked like a real person edited the video in a simple app like CapCut, making it feel more authentic.

Another trick is to add moments where the AI character looks down or away—it mimics real human behavior and makes the ad feel more natural.

5. Don’t overuse the same AI face

Some AI-generated faces are used over and over in different ads. If people see the same AI model too often, they catch on.

A good rule: Rotate between different AI-generated models or mix them with real footage so the content doesn’t feel repetitive.

Thanks to our partners who support this newsletter.

AI Alone Won’t Save Your Ads

Marco tested this. The AI-written scripts flopped. But when a creative strategist stepped in, ROAS tripled.

The AI vs. Human Experiment

Marco and his team tested three approaches:

Phase  1 - AI-only scripts 

Ads written purely by ChatGPT. No human edits.
ROAS: 0.8 (which was terrible).

Phase  2 - AI with minor human tweaks 

Using AI tools like Icon.me to generate scripts, and then make slight adjustments.
ROAS: 1.0 (a small improvement, but still not great).

Phase 3 - Scripts written by a creative strategist & AI

AI writing is heavily edited by a human who understands ad psychology.
ROAS: 2.99 (almost 3X better than AI-only scripts).

Almost the same budget. The same product. The only difference was how the script was written. 

Why AI Still Falls Short

AI can generate ideas, but it struggles to make people feel something.

Great ads connect emotionally. They make people laugh, feel curious, or relate to a problem. 

Right now, AI isn’t great at turning an idea into a real emotion—and that’s what stops the scroll.

The best approach is to use AI as a tool, not a replacement.

• Let AI help with brainstorming—it can give you angles you might not think of.

• Use AI to analyze trends and reviews—so you can find common pain points.

• But don’t rely on AI to write the entire script.

If you want ads that actually convert, you still need a human touch. (Our jobs are safe, lol, at least for a few more years 😜)

Check the full scoop here on Youtube.

Ads That Are Working For Us

Venn Diagram Ads

What it is: A simple static ad format highlighting two benefits that overlap.

• Why it works:

  • Identifies the two most important benefits to the target audience.

  • Simple, visually appealing, and easy to understand.

• Key learning: Venn diagram ads work when you find the right benefits that resonate with your audience.

Direct Competitor Comparison Ads

What it is: A side-by-side ad format that compares a brand’s product to a well-known competitor, highlighting key differences. (This ad was shared by Marco)

Why it works:

• Showcases clear advantages (e.g., fit, pocket features, price) in a direct, visual way.

• Blurring the competitor’s logo subtly increases curiosity and engagement.

• Anchoring a higher price (by the competitor) first makes our product’s price seem like a better deal.

Key learning: Direct comparison ads are effective when done tastefully. You need to address the real issues of your audience.

You can file these ads that are working for us, and save the swipe file board.

Next week, I’m sharing a carousel that worked for me. Don’t forget to subscribe to the pod to know exactly why and how.

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.

Three ways I can help you, whenever you are ready:

• Work with me to get you growth from paid marketing. Book a call here. I’m open to more clients now.

• Level up your paid marketing by joining my community, where we share the latest tactics and get nuanced paid marketing questions answered here (we are now 70+, but there is a waitlist to join).

• Promote yourself to 13,350+ highly qualified paid marketers by sponsoring this newsletter. Advertise here.

And if this was forwarded to you, subscribe below with 1-click: