What's up, Marketers! This is Aazar.

This newsletter is all about giving you ad ideas to find winnings and help you scale.

This newsletter includes: My learnings (this issue), insights from other performance marketers, and analysis of top internet ads.

Heads up: this newsletter is long, I really went in depth, it might get clipped so you can find the public link here.

P.S. If you’re a health brand, I scaled a brand ad spend from $40K/m to $250K/m within 3 months. I created a short video for our team internally on our key lessons to apply to all our health clients. Reply “health” — I’ll share our key lessons with you too.

BEST LINKS OF THE WEEK (on popular demand)

My favorite finds

• Great AMA on lessons on selling ecom brands

• Are agencies cooked in the age of AI?

• Seedance 2.0 that became an meme

• Agencies bros can relate

• How does one scale an app through Meta?

• Secret to crush app content with the format

Most brands build a product, then figure out how to market it.

The best ones do it backwards.

They design the product to market itself. The innovation is so clear, so visible, so undeniable that the ads almost write themselves.

Tesla doesn't need to convince you electric cars are cool. The car does that. Products on Temu sell themselves the second you see them.

But here's what I keep seeing.

Founders build genuinely innovative products, then run ads that completely miss the point. They overexplain. They hide the best part. They turn a "holy shit" moment into corporate fluff.

Meanwhile, average products with smart creative are printing money.

So here's what this edition does:

Part 1: Shows you products that market themselves and how to advertise them without screwing it up. 

Study these. Learn the patterns. Use them to build your NEXT product with marketing baked in from day one.

Part 2: Shows you what to do when you're stuck with a product that ISN'T marketing. 

Because most of us are. Your drink won't revolutionize hydration. Your service won't disrupt the industry. That's fine. You just need a different playbook.

If you're an agency owner, Part 1 teaches you which clients to pick. If you're building products, it shows you how to think about your next launch. 

If you're stuck marketing something average, Part 2 is your survival guide. Part 2 is where I feel most marketers need help, so stay around for that.

Let's go.

#1 The Demo Is The Marketing

When your product does something people haven't seen before, just show it working.

What you can steal:

• Pick your "holy shit" moment and put it front and center. No sales pitch.

• Record it in real time. No fancy production. Rawer is better.

• Show it solving a relatable problem. Universal pain points create stronger reactions.

• One feature. One demonstration. One outcome.

#2 Stack the Pain Points

Most ads sell the solution too fast. This does the opposite. Stack problem after problem until they can't take it anymore. Then show the way out.

What you can steal:

• List the cascade. Missed alarm → missed gym → boss calling → partner annoyed → no breakfast.

• Make it visual with text overlays. People read faster than they listen.

• Ask "sounds familiar?" after stacking the pain. This creates buy-in.

• Show the transformation. "This was my life until..." Position product as turning point, not feature list.

• End with outcomes. "Stop oversleeping. Wake up on time." Not features.

#3 The Journey Is The Proof

Some products need credibility more than a quick demo.

What you can steal:

• Start with personal frustration. "We were tired of..." This makes it relatable.

• Hit them with social proof early. 50K units, 30 countries, 3K reviews.

• Share what customers love, not what you built. "Brings new life to the home" beats "advanced LED tech."

• Tie features to outcomes. "Grows 5x faster" beats "unique hydroponic design."

• End with movement language. "Join the vertical farming movement."

#4 Demonstrate Every Claim

Feature lists mean nothing. Show someone using them.

What you can steal:

• Get someone excited. Enthusiasm is contagious.

• Demonstrate every feature. Show ID in arm pocket, AirPods in shoulder pocket.

• Solve one specific scenario. "Perfect setup for a plane nap" beats "versatile hoodie."

• Reveal hidden genius. Eye mask built in but invisible.

Thanks to Atria for continuously supporting this newsletter and providing you with free access.

#5 Answer Doubt With Live Proof

Every product has one question people ask before buying. Prove it in real time.

What you can steal:

• Call out the objection. "Does this actually get hot?"

• Skip specs. Do it live on camera.

• Narrate key moments. Updates at 10 min, 15 min keep people watching.

• Let visuals speak. Puddle of sweat is the proof.

#6 Prove It Before You Say a Word (you might have seen this already)

The best proof doesn't need narration.

What you can steal:

• Create a visual test. Egg drop works because it's simple and clear.

• Show competitor failures first. Generic insole breaks. Nike breaks. This sets the standard.

• Then show yours winning. The contrast does the selling.

• Prove it's real. Like in this example, they toss the egg on the ground, let it shatter.

• Stack use cases. Steel-toe boots, 12-hour shifts, Hard floors.

#7 Flip the Expectation

Prove your product works by showing it handling way more than it needs to.

What you can steal:

• Pattern disruption. "Kids dirt bike ❌ Adults toy ✅" stops the scroll.

• Show extreme use. Adult rides kids' motorcycle. If it handles him, it handles a kid.

• Match energy to product. Fast cuts. Upbeat music. Outdoor riding.

• Let action replace claims. 

I’d also like to thank CreativeOS.

Creative strategy isn't about one great ad. It's about speed, volume, iteration, and systems.

That's exactly what CreativeOS is built for.

You get instant access to thousands of high-performing static ad, landing page, and email templates — proven hooks, angles, and layouts pulled from top brands. Instead of staring at a blank canvas, you're starting from structures that already work.

Pick a template. Customize it. Launch it. Move on to the next variation.

It's the fastest way to produce more winning creative without burning out your team or sacrificing quality. Whether you're testing new angles, scaling what's working, or building repeatable creative workflows — CreativeOS is the system that makes it happen.

Check out CreativeOS

What if Your Product ISN'T Marketing?

Most products aren't groundbreaking.

Your drink won't revolutionize hydration. Your course won't reinvent education. Your service might not have a "holy shit" feature to demonstrate.

That's fine.

The brands winning with average products aren't relying on innovation. They're getting creative with everything else.

When your product isn't the star, something else needs to be. Maybe your story. The outcome. You’ll have to entertain or grab attention by doing something innovative.

Here's how they do it.

#1 Let Humor Prove the Benefit

When you can't wow them with features, entertain first.

How to do this:

• Create absurd scenarios. In the example, Robbers break in, spot mattress, fall asleep. Police arrive, also fall asleep. The comedy proves comfort.

• Exaggerate to make it stick. Real life doesn't work like this. That's the point.

• Keep it visual. The scenario unfolds fast. Anyone gets the joke.

#2 Lead With the Win

Don't sell the process. Sell the transformation.

How to do this:

• Open with outcome.

• If possible, use a street interview format. It feels conversational, not salesy.

• Kill skepticism fast. "Zero background?"

• Call out why others fail before introducing yours.

#3 Turn Your Comparison Into an Actual Competition

People watch competitions even when the winner's obvious.

How to do this:

• Show struggle vs ease. Like they show one guy mixes powder, shakes, and takes a lot of time. The other just drinks.

• Make the competitor look tedious. Every extra step makes yours better.

• Make the gap embarrassing. PRIME finishes 128g while regular hits 0g, then 25g.

• Use on-screen counters and keep it fast. This gamifies it.

#4 Make the Invisible Visible

Some benefits happen at levels you can't see. Use simple objects to show complex science.

How to do this:

• Pick easy to understand analogy

• Show process in real time. Pour through filter. Protein stays, sugar passes.

• Explain as you demonstrate. Visual and voiceover work together.

• Connect to product. After demo, drop numbers. Like 32g protein, 2g sugar, lactose-free.

#5 Use Your Product to Sell Your Product

When your service creates content, use it to build the ad.

How to do this:

• Build entire ad with your tool. Selling AI video? Make AI characters deliver the script.

• Make capability visible.

• Lead with bold claim. "Brands no longer need actors." Then prove it.

• Keep message simple. Let the visuals do the work.

#6 Sell the Feeling, Not the Function

Some products need emotion first.

How to do this:

• Open with raw vulnerability. Show emotions

• Show transformation visually. Anxiety attack → peaceful sleep.

• End with payoff, then soft CTA. She's asleep. "Try it yourself."

#7 Start With a Bang, Explain, and End With an Offer

For services people don't know they need, shock first. Qualify fast.

How to do this:

• Open with chaos. Car bursting. Something breaking. This stops the scroll.

• Flip problem to opportunity. Faulty car goes from nightmare to payday.

• Qualify quickly. 2021-2025 car? 3+ repair visits?

• Remove friction. Free. 90 seconds. No risk.

Product is marketing when you build innovation into the DNA. When you don't, get creative with story, outcome, entertainment, or attention.

Either way, you win.

Now go steal what works.

Happy Growing with Paid Social,

Aazar Shad

Two 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.

• If you’re looking to level up your creative ad strategy, check out our bootcamp recordings and resources on-demand, only for $197. Prices are going up by 30% soon. Simply pay here, I’ll send you a follow-up email immediately.