What's up, Marketers! This is Aazar.
This newsletter is all about giving you ad ideas to find winning ad ideas and help you scale.
This newsletter includes: Analysis of top internet adsm insights from other performance marketers, and my learnings (this issue).
Here's the truth about great ads… Sometimes formats matter more than scripts.
The right hook stops a thumb cold. The right structure keeps people watching. And most of it can be copied.
We found 5 ads we couldn't scroll past, pulled apart what made them work, and put those same formats to work for our clients. These are spending now more than $1m/month in testing + scaling campaigns.
You'll get the ad inspo, the format, and the psychology behind it that makes it work.
Let's dig in.
Format #1: The Kidnapping Interrogation
Someone's been kidnapped. The kidnapper wants answers. Not about money. About where this guy keeps finding cheap Pokémon cards.
Why it works:
Doesn't look like an ad, so nobody scrolls past.
The tension carries it. You want to know the secret.
The product becomes "the secret" worth protecting.
Psychology behind this ad:
The hook does the stopping. A kidnapping scene is the last thing people expect in their feed, so the pattern break freezes the thumb before they even know what they're watching.
Side Note: This works best for service companies and any brand with one simple benefit. You save that benefit for the big reveal.
Format #2: Three Characters, One Frame
Three guys stand in one frame. Same questions, wildly different answers.
Why it works:
You instantly see which guy you are.
The guy you want to be is the one using the app.
The product wins the comparison without a hard pitch.
Psychology behind this ad:
Social comparison. People rank themselves against others, not in a vacuum. Three versions of the same guy, and the viewer quietly picks their spot, then wants the upgrade.
Format #3: The Unexpected Hook (60+ Bodybuilder)
The ad opens on a 60-plus-year-old bodybuilder. A ripped old man.
Then it goes into the product.
But the hook is the whole game here. That opening shot is what stops the right person cold.
This worked because I saw in my client’s fb groups that most of the buyers were 60+ men. And everyone was worried about muscle loss. So we went after how to fix it with muscle gain while showing the proof.
Why it works:
The face matches the buyer. Older men see themselves instantly.
A fit 60+ guy is a surprise, so people stop to look.
It filters the audience in the first second. The right people stay.
Psychology behind this ad:
Self-identification. We stop for faces that look like us. When an older man sees a strong older man on screen, his brain says "this is for me" before a word is spoken.
Aspiration. He isn't just relatable, he's the better version. That mix of "that's me" and "that's who I want to be" is what holds attention.
Format #4: The Zoom Call
A Zoom call, filmed by the laptop. Third-person POV. Looks like a random clip that was secretly recorded.
One subtle (yet important part) is that the character can hear the narrator. And he says things like, "Who just said that? How do you even know this? Am I in an ad?" He's confused the whole time, and that confusion creates a humorous vibe.
Why it works:
The format looks organic, not polished, so it blends into the feed.
The character breaking the fourth wall is genuinely interesting.
The product story runs underneath the comedy without feeling like a pitch.
Psychology behind this ad:
Pattern interrupt through format. A secretly filmed Zoom call reads as real content, not an ad, so people lower their guard and keep watching.
Humor lowers resistance. When you're laughing at the humour, you're not sitting there judging the sales message. It slips right past.
Format #5: The Suno Song UGC
This one isn't said. It's sung. A full original track made with Suno, laid over UGC footage.
Why it works:
A song ad is rare in the feed, so it stops people out of pure novelty.
Music holds attention longer than a talking head.
The date-by-date timeline makes the result feel close and real.
Psychology behind this ad:
Novelty. A catchy song where an ad should be is a pattern break, so people watch to the end.
Future pacing. Naming specific dates lets the viewer picture the transformation happening to them, on a real calendar. That's what pulls the tap.
That’s all from this week.
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 with their MCPs. Check it out for free. Most importantly, they now have built-in ad analytics to make more winning ads.
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.
How 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.
