Week of Aug 25th

The best ads don’t feel like ads, they feel like conversations, recommendations, or inside jokes. The most effective brands know how to blend seamlessly into social feeds, making their content feel organic and engaging. Here are three clever ad styles that brands can replicate to drive curiosity, trust, and conversions.

#1. “The World’s Best-Smelling Sunscreen” Testimonial

🔥 A bold, attention-grabbing testimonial claims this might be the best-smelling sunscreen ever. Below it, the product lineup from the same brand is displayed, along with a short description. This format capitalizes on social proof and curiosity-driven marketing.

🔥 Use a strong, intriguing claim. Phrases like “This might be the best [X] ever” immediately spark interest and make people want to see if the hype is real.

🔥 Feature multiple products. Once attention is captured, displaying a lineup encourages customers to explore more options, increasing potential cart value.

#2. “Wait… How Much Did That Cost?” Snapchat Thread

🔥 A Snapchat-style chat thread where one person asks if a new LinkedIn campaign has launched, only to find out the team actually ran an ad in a trending newsletter (TL;DR) instead. The casual back-and-forth ends with someone asking about the cost and whether they can run another ad next week, making the ad feel like an insider conversation rather than a direct promotion.

🔥 Leverage FOMO. The casual tone makes it seem like savvy marketers are already onto this strategy, making others curious about what they’re missing out on.

🔥 Make your ad feel like a leaked chat. Using text-message or chat formats makes the content feel more personal, less salesy, and highly engaging.

#3. Video Reply

🔥 A video starts with a user-submitted question, followed by a video reply that delivers the answer in an engaging way. This format mimics the natural flow of a TikTok or Instagram, keeping it authentic and engaging.

🔥 Encourage real audience interaction. Let users submit questions and feature their comments or usernames in the replies to make it feel interactive.

🔥 Hook viewers with curiosity. Start with a relatable problem or intriguing question, so people feel compelled to stick around for the answer.