Go beyond features. Brainstorm ad concepts by creating a three-column table: the user's practical problem (e.g., data is wrong), the resulting personal problem (e.g., I look stupid in meetings), and the product feature that solves it.
An ad focused only on a practical business issue is boring, while one focused only on personal feelings lacks substance. The most powerful ads explicitly link the two, showing how a work problem (a payroll error) causes a personal one (getting yelled at).
Don't just copy a competitor's ad. Instead, deconstruct multiple great ads into their core components. Then, reassemble a novel ad by combining a hook from one, a visual style from another, and a call-to-action from a third.
To create a scroll-stopping hook, imagine life without your product. Then, use a chain of "because of that…" to escalate a boring technical problem into a specific, personal, and comically absurd worst-case scenario that grabs attention.
It's hard to visualize a software update. Instead, compare it to something familiar that evokes the same feeling, like an outdated haircut. This makes the abstract concept clear, relatable, and memorable. A meme is the lowest-cost version of this technique.
Once a video ad proves successful, don't let it die from fatigue. Create static image ads based on the same creative concept. These can be used for retargeting, reminding viewers of the original video and reinforcing the message across more channels.
You don't always need professional actors for creative video ads. Look internally for talent, such as your BDR team. This approach is significantly cheaper, can feel more authentic, and allows you to test creative concepts before investing in professional production.
To get buy-in for a bold ad, don't ask for a big budget. Instead, propose a small, low-cost experiment (like one meme). Own the entire process from creation to launch, making it incredibly easy for your boss to say "yes" by simply green-lighting a pre-packaged plan.
A core philosophy for modern advertising is to reflect culture, not force it. Since AI-generated films aren't a mainstream medium yet, fully AI-generated ads feel cheap and disconnected. Use AI for effects but rely on human-centric production for authenticity.