I Ran 100+ Psychology-Based Ads Last Month (Here Are The 6 That Beat Them All)

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.

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• Sharing what I've experimented and learned (this issue)

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

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

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I spent the last month running 100+ ads built around psychology and heuristics.

I ran these ads for 14–21 days, enough time to get meaningful data.

Now, I’m going to share with you the ads that were already winners.

And out of those winners… There's one ultimate winner.

(You’ll have to guess which one, I’ll reveal it at the end 😜)

Most marketers “try” psychology in ads like it’s a creative gamble.

They swap out an image, add some urgency, or throw in social proof and hope it sticks.

This isn’t that.

Today, I’m sharing a framework for how to take an existing winning ad and make it even better by swapping psychological elements at a time.

By the end, you’ll not only know which concept won, you’ll have a repeatable way to iterate on your own winners without starting from scratch.

Just to make it clear, I offer services for DTC, Health, Education & Service Brands. I’m sharing what I used for DTC tea brand.

Important credits: I learned all of this from Sarah Levinger and her paid community. She has added many more courses and is available every week on a call to help us apply these to our brands. I highly recommend to check her Skool community out.

1. Affect Heuristic

People make decisions faster when they feel something about the product before they have even tried it. 

The goal is to trigger that emotion inside the ad itself.

What I learned:
I tested two versions. Both used the same winning image, price framing, and product positioning. The only change was the headline, written to make people feel the outcome.

“As soon as I Finished It My Body Asked To Lie Down.”

• Based on the benefits of turmeric in reducing inflammation

• Rephrased to focus on the physical sensation instead of the claim

“Feels Like Something My Doctor Should Have Recommended To Reduce My Nightly Anxiety.”

• This was completely inspired by a real customer review

• I reframed the original review to make the customer feel smart for figuring it out themselves

Takeaways:

• The “doctor” headline won

• It looked cleaner and was easier to read

• Tapped into two emotions at once: reassurance and self-pride

• The win came from knowing the customer really well

• Keep a set of “golden reviews” to revisit for headline ideas

2. Social Proof

People are more likely to trust and buy something when they see that many others already use and love it. 

It taps into the idea that “if it’s good for them, it’s good for me.”

What I learned:
For this ad, I stuck to a winning formula and didn’t change a thing: the image, price framing, spices, and even the “ready in two minutes” callout stayed the same.

Headline: “Why 10,000 Chai Lovers Are Switching to This Golden Milk Tea.”

• Combines a specific number (10,000) with the product category (golden milk tea)

• “Switching” implies movement and change, which adds subtle momentum

• Speaks directly to my niche by calling them “chai lovers”

Takeaways:

• Social proof remains a solid psychological lever

• Specific numbers make the claim more believable than vague terms like “thousands.”

• Using a group name your audience identifies with (“chai lovers”) creates a sense of belonging and community

3. Scarcity

People act faster when they believe something might run out soon. Scarcity creates urgency and triggers the fear of missing out.

What I learned:
I took the same creative again and changed only the headline.

Headline: “The Golden Milk That Keeps Selling Out”

• Uses the familiar “golden milk” term that my audience already connects with

• Implies limited availability without directly saying “buy now.”

• Keeps the focus on the product’s reputation and demand

Takeaways:

• It triggered both urgency and curiosity. If it keeps selling out, it must be good

• Worked for both existing customers who recognize the term “golden milk” and new ones who associate it with health benefits

• Urgency beats logic most of the time

There was another ad that combined Scarcity and Social Proof:

4. Authority Bias

People trust products that appear endorsed or approved by someone credible. 

In ads, authority can come from experts, influencers, certifications, or even official-looking badges.

What I learned:

I used badges as the authority signal.

Badge options tested:

• “Grand Masuki Approved”

• A golden “Seal of Approval”

• “Delicious Taste Guaranteed” (close to our brand’s core promise)

Why badges work:

• They are instantly recognizable as markers of trust

• They do not require extra reading or explanation

• They give a sense of official approval, even without a named authority

Takeaways:

• The “Delicious Taste Guaranteed” badge felt most natural for the brand and audience

• If you don’t have an influencer, no problem. A well-designed badge can still build authority

• Authority signals work best when they feel real to the product, not generic or overused

5. Temporal Discounting

People value immediate rewards more than future ones. In ads, this means making them feel the benefit right now, even before they buy.

What I learned:
Again the change was in the headline and CTA to emphasize speed and immediacy.

Headline: “If You’ve Been Waiting To Feel Calm in Two Minutes, Start Drinking Glow Chai Now”

• Combines the emotional benefit (“feel calm”) with a fast time frame (“two minutes”)

• Creates the sense that relief is almost instant

• Builds anticipation before they even have the product

CTA:

• Added “Get yours today”

• Repeated time cues like “now” and “today” to reinforce the immediacy

Takeaways:

• Works best when the benefit can be felt quickly after purchase or first use

• Selling the “right now” benefit is powerful for people who buy on impulse (And for products that deliver fast)

• Use temporal discounting to create a sense of “I can have this feeling right away”

6. Salience Bias

People pay more attention to elements that stand out clearly from their surroundings.

High contrast, bold visuals, or unexpected details can pull focus and make the product more memorable.

What I learned:
There was one change in this ad. It was how I displayed one major ingredient.

Change made:

• Enlarged the turmeric element in the image so it became a dominant visual feature

• Created a stronger contrast between the product and the background

• Made the turmeric instantly noticeable, reinforcing that this is “turmeric milk” or “golden milk”

Why this works:

• Visually highlights what makes the product special

• Pulls the eye before the headline is even read

• Strengthens product association with the key ingredient

Takeaways:

• This tweak caught attention and made the turmeric benefits easier to notice.

• Salience works best when the highlighted detail ties directly to the product’s value.

• Use it sparingly. Too much can make the ad feel cluttered.

• Even a small visual change can help people understand the product faster.

So… Which One Won?

After running 100+ psychology-based ads for 14–21 days, we had a clear top performer.

The ultimate winner was… Scarcity

Headline: “The golden milk that keeps selling out”

Every concept here delivered conversions, but scarcity pulled ahead.

• You can improve a winning ad by changing only the psychology behind it.

• Keep the main creative the same and test one trigger at a time to see what’s really driving results.

• Psychology works best when it matches your audience’s mindset and your product’s natural strengths.

If you’ve got a proven ad, don’t throw it out just to try something new.

Keep the core and change only the psychological trigger, maybe it’s the headline, a badge, or one bold visual.

That way, you get more winners without starting from scratch.

Thanks to our partners who support this newsletter.

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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