8 Ad Creative Examples to Make Your Campaign Pop

Remember those old-school infomercials that made you believe you desperately needed an avocado slicer at 2 AM? Fast forward to today, and the world of ad creatives has evolved into an art form that’s not just about selling a product but about telling a story, evoking emotions, and building connections. We're talking about ads that make you stop scrolling, laugh, cry, or even click that "Buy Now" button without a second thought.

What is an ad creative?

Before discussing the ad examples, let's define ad creative. At its core, an ad creative is the heart and soul of your advertisement. Its blend of images, videos, animations, text, and design elements conveys your message and inspires action to promote a product or service.

Think of it as the magic sauce that turns a simple ad into an unforgettable experience. Whether it’s a quirky video, a stunning image, or a clever tagline, the ad creative makes your campaign jump at your audience.

What types of ad creative exist?

When it comes to ad creatives, variety is the spice of life. Different formats cater to different platforms and audience preferences. Let’s break down the main types of ad creatives that can make your campaign stand out:

1. Visual ads

• Image ads are affordable, which makes them the bread and butter of visual advertising. They rely on striking visuals and compelling designs to grab attention. Whether it's a stunning photograph, a sleek graphic, or a colorful illustration, image ads are perfect for platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and display networks.
• Video ads are a powerhouse of engagement. They can tell a story, demonstrate a product, or evoke emotions in a matter of seconds, making them incredibly effective. They can range from short clips on social media to longer, more in-depth commercials on YouTube or TV. The key is to hook your audience in the first few seconds and keep them watching.

2. Text ads

• Search ads are text-based ads that appear at the top of search engine results pages (like Google). They aim to match user queries with relevant ads based on keywords, attracting clicks from users actively searching for specific products or services.
• Social media text ads on social media platforms like X (Twitter) and LinkedIn offer text-based ad formats that can be highly effective. These ads often blend seamlessly with organic content, using punchy copy to draw attention. The challenge here is to be concise yet compelling, making every word count.

3. Audio ads

• Radio ads might seem old school, but they’re still a powerful medium, especially for local businesses. These ads rely solely on audio to capture attention, often using jingles, catchy slogans, or engaging narratives to leave a lasting impression.
• Podcast ads. With the rise of podcasting, audio ads have found a new home. Podcast ads can be incredibly effective because they come from trusted hosts and feel more like personal recommendations than traditional ads. You can pre-record or read them live, adding a layer of authenticity that resonates with listeners.

5 tips for creating a winning ad creative

Let’s get those creative juices flowing with these tips to make your ad creatives stand out.

#1 Keep it authentic with UGC

Don’t be afraid of user-generated content (UGC). Due to its authenticity and reliability, UGC videos resonate with audiences. To gain the most value from UGC videos, you can work with creators to develop different versions of the first attention-grabbing seconds. They can record multiple versions of the hook using different emotional, humorous, or informational scripts.

Take a look at this TikTok ad by Virage London, which promotes the durability of their jewelry. The ad builds trust with customers through transparency, showcasing the jewelry being tested with multiple harsh methods on camera. The low-fi quality adds to the authenticity, as they aren’t using heavy production or polishing, signaling they have nothing to hide. 

#2 Enhance image ads with text overlays

Adding some storytelling text makes all the difference. When dealing with static image ads, you don’t have a lot of space to work with. Your message must be sharp, clear, and straight to the point. Choose one theme and stick with it.

Sephora gets this right in its display ad by highlighting a single theme: flexibility through different delivery and pick-up options. It shows four ways to get their products: curbside pick-up, in-store pick-up, same-day delivery, and free shipping, giving customers control over how they shop. This variety helps Sephora reach a diverse customer base with just one image. 

Research indicates that 41% of people are willing to pay extra for same-day delivery, and 43% of consumers value free shipping as much as fast shipping. That means Sephora's display ad has ingeniously aligned with diverse consumer preferences.

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#3 Use emojis and bullets in your ad copy

Getting social media scrollers to stop and read your ad can be challenging, especially if your text is longer than a sentence. That's where emoji and bulleted lists come in handy. They make your ad copy more visually appealing and digestible, leading to a higher click-through rate (CTR).

Just look at how effortlessly Slate Milk's ad draws you in, not only with its static image but also with its “emojied” post copy. Oh, and notice how they cleverly used emojis to double as bullet points.

#4 Stay ahead of industry trends

Stay ahead by weaving the latest social media trends into your ads. That means using popular formats, styles, or content themes currently trending online. Whether it’s incorporating trending memes, movies, or humor into your creative, aligning with what’s hot can significantly boost your ad’s relevance and engagement. 

If you’re not keeping up with the latest trends, your competitors indeed are, so inject some of that viral energy into your ads to captivate and connect with your audience. 

Reply.io experimented with using visual metaphors and memes to communicate their key messages. This was their best-performing LinkedIn ad based on a 375% increase in click-through rate.

#5 Test your creatives

To really get it right, you must test multiple creatives, which can be costly for small businesses. Instead of hiring a full-time designer, consider an all-in-one solution like Madgicx’s Creative Workflow.

It allows you to efficiently produce and test multiple ad creatives with a team of design talent on standby. What’s great is that you can also spy on competitor ads to keep up with industry trends. Test drive it for free for 7 days  – designs are ready in just 48 hours.

How to test and optimize your ad creative

How do you know if your ads will hit the mark? Testing and optimizing your ad creative is crucial to ensure your campaigns are as effective as possible. Here’s how you can do it:

1. A/B testing

Relying on intuition alone is not enough. Regularly testing and optimizing your creative ensures better performance and higher returns on ad spend. 

A/B testing, or split testing, involves creating multiple versions of your ad to see which one performs best. Change only one element at a time, such as the headline, image, or CTA, to pinpoint what drives better results. This method helps you understand what resonates with your audience and allows you to make decisions based on real data.

To learn how to set up effective A/B tests, read our comprehensive guide about creative testing.

2. Monitor performance metrics

Keep a close eye on key performance metrics such as click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and engagement levels. These metrics will give you insight into how well your ad is performing and where there might be room for improvement. Tools like Meta Ads Manager or Madgicx’s One-Click Report provide comprehensive data to help you track and analyze these metrics.

3. Use creative analytics tools

Let's be honest: if you're running more than a couple of creatives, it’s nearly impossible to analyze their performance manually without significant time and effort. Analyzing performance with tools like Google Sheets is time-consuming and labor-intensive, often leading to missed opportunities and suboptimal ad performance.

Advanced creative analytics tools provide insights into your ads' performance, revealing the nuances behind why specific creatives succeed and others fall flat. By analyzing data, such as engagement rates, click-through rates, and conversion metrics, these tools allow you to make informed decisions to enhance your ad performance. 

Tools like Madgicx’s AI-powered Creative Insights are fantastic for Meta creative analytics. It has a matrix that shows how different creatives are doing across various metrics, helping you spot the best-performing combinations and areas that need tweaking. You can also track how specific creatives perform over time, which is excellent for catching trends, riding the waves of success, and avoiding ad fatigue.

Plus, with a snapshot of which ad formats your audience loves, Creative Insights makes it easy to pinpoint which creatives deserve more budget and which ones are overspending and need optimization. Try it out—it’s completely free for 7 days.

8 inspiring ad creative examples

Alright, we’re at the juicy part of the blog. Let's examine eight ads and see what creative concepts we can learn from them. Grab a notebook.

Social media platforms

1. Mira Safety’s TikTok ad

Is it a movie trailer? A brand-new video game? No, it’s Mira Safety’s TikTok ad 🦸‍♂️

The ad features a stark, dramatic still image of their safety gas mask with clear and concise USPs on the side. It packs a punch with a bold soundtrack, enhancing the product even more.

What’s great about this format is that it doesn’t need a substantial creative production budget. With high-quality graphics, audacious audio, and simple effects, you can create a similar ad without digging too deep into your production budget.

Quick takeaway 🍔👉 Bring on the drama. It doesn’t matter if you’re selling underpants or fish lines; exaggerate and dial up the drama to make your ad more impactful.

2. ColonBroom’s Facebook ad

This company takes a once-taboo topic and turns it into something humorous.

ColonBroom, known for its supplements that help with digestion and bowel movements, takes an honest and humorous approach to marketing. It’s unapologetic about including taboo elements in its ads. 

Ironically, this shock factor connects with people because we don’t expect a brand to “keep it real” with us. Their ads are also known for creatively presenting these taboo problems in a way that manages to dodge Facebook’s guidelines.

Quick takeaway 🍔👉 Introduce a shock factor to jolt your audience and make your ads command attention.

3. Urban Outfitter’s Instagram ad

Urban Outfitters sells everything from clothing to accessories to homeware. What they nail with this ad is that they aren’t trying to sell everything in their extensive catalog, which would make their ads more vague. Instead, they lean into a particular theme and aesthetic: ‘College + Dorm.

This collection showcases dorm essentials in an actual bedroom setting. Bold typography calls out purchasable items, making it easy to see what’s on offer. If you’re their target market, you can instantly picture your room adopting this cool, curated look.

Quick takeaway 🍔👉 If you have an extensive product catalog, break it down into specific, relatable themes. It helps you focus your marketing and connect better with different segments of your audience.

4. Spotify’s X (Twitter) ad

The goal here is as simple as the copy: boost Premium subscribers by dangling an irresistible promo. 

The ad copy is spot-on, clearly laying out the offer: “3 months of Premium for $0.99.” A direct call to action (CTA) with “Sign up now” nudges you to act immediately. 

This almost-free trial is also a great idea. People are often skeptical of entirely free offers, thinking there’s a catch or that it’s just a lead-generation tactic. Charging a small fee can mitigate this skepticism, making users feel more comfortable that the offer is genuine and worthwhile.

It is also a classic example of psychological pricing. It’s low enough to be perceived as almost free but high enough to create a psychological barrier that makes the offer feel like a bargain. 

The visuals are eye-catching, with bright purple and yellow colors that stand out in users' feeds, far removed from their usual green brand colors. All the critical info is front and center, easy to read at a glance, making the ad both attention-grabbing and practical.

Quick takeaway 🍔👉 Do whatever it takes to stand out, even if it means abandoning brand colors. Sometimes, a dirt-cheap offer can be more effective than something completely free.

5. Google Pixel 8’s YouTube ad

Google’s promo video for the Pixel 8 features the Pixel 7 Pro and an iPhone and tells a spooky tale in the woods. The iPhone confesses it's a little scared, not by the story itself, but by the soon-to-be-launched Pixel 8's impressive features.

The ad has garnered attention online, and its popularity is due to the ad weaving a captivating narrative, drawing viewers in from the start. It sets the stage with suspense, curiosity, and anticipation—much like a thrilling movie trailer.

The genius lies in portraying the Google Pixel 8 as the story's hero. Instead of focusing solely on technical specs or features, the ad anthropomorphizes the phone. It becomes relatable—a character with desires, fears, and aspirations. Viewers connect with it on a personal level.

The visuals are stunning, with crisp, cinematic shots. The audio—whether it’s suspenseful music, crisp sound effects, or the voiceover—is meticulous. These elements elevate the ad’s production value, leaving a lasting impression.

Quick takeaway 🍔👉 Humanizing a product or brand, weaving a compelling narrative, and investing in high-quality production can create engaging ads that resonate with audiences.

Search engines

6. King Swing Google ad

King Swing has nailed it with its ad’s punchy headline: “We Do Swing Sets, Nothing Else.” When a company focuses solely on one thing, it likely excels at it. That is niche marketing done right.

I also appreciate the ad’s conversational tone and empathetic approach. By acknowledging the significance of the purchase with “We get it, it’s a big purchase,” King Swing breaks away from typical business formality. They appear genuine and approachable instead of glossing over customer concerns, showing they’re ready to work with you rather than just sell to you.

Quick takeaway 🍔👉 Nail your niche with a bold, focused message. While other brands aim for perfection or gloss over issues, be honest with your audience—tell it like it is to build trust and engagement.

7. Bing ads

This Bing ad by Walbest features the headline, "Walbest Dog Bone Chew Toy for Aggressive Chewers." The ad stands out because it pinpoints its target market very well. Highlighting “for aggressive chewers” targets a niche market, suggesting their toys withstand rugged use. 

This precise targeting attracts the right audience who need durable toys and enhances the ad’s relevance. It’s effective because it directly addresses a specific need, boosting engagement and click-through rates on Bing.

Quick takeaway 🍔👉 Directly address your niche needs by being extra specific.

Traditional media

8. Temu’s television ad

Temu, an online shopping app, has recently gained popularity for its affordability. Offering a wide variety of products at significantly discounted prices, it’s an attractive option for budget-conscious shoppers. The Temu TV commercial wins you with its catchy tagline, "Shop like a Billionaire," —because who wouldn’t want to shop like a billionaire?

The ad creatively blends real-life and animated elements to showcase the platform's extensive range. It starts with a woman using the Temu app from her point of view, giving viewers a firsthand experience of the app. She adds an item to her cart and, in a flash, she’s wearing the dress, highlighting the ease of shopping on Temu. This strategy also quickly establishes that Temu offers clothing.

As the woman navigates through various scenarios, she taps a button, and everything she dreams of appears—even quirky items like wigs for strangers. The point is to emphasize that you can find anything on the app, no matter how unusual. The ad also features AI dancers—blink, and you might miss the clues! 

The commercial shows how you can seamlessly combine real people, artificial intelligence, and animation into one vibrant ad. 

Quick takeaway 🍔👉 Use a catchy tagline and blend animation and AI with real-life elements to add depth to your ad.

Still thirsty for more ad inspiration? Madgicx’s Ad Library is like a well of creative inspiration for Meta ads where marketers draw ideas for captivating content. 

You can browse and save any ads you like and then brief our design experts once you’ve found some ad styles you want to try for your brand. You’ll receive your high-quality ads in just 48 hours. 

After approval, they’re automatically loaded into Meta Ads Manager and ready for launch. You can try the Ad Library for FREE—no strings!