Learn how to brainstorm brilliant ads and copy | You’ll get one practical recipe every two weeks | Free bonus: get 25 creative marketing cheatsheets when you sign up.
The 9 golden rules of B2B ads
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Hey! IBM’s old ads are a masterclass in B2B advertising. Here are 9 principles I've learned from them: 1. Features FirstBenefits are great, but when comparing their options, clients will list features side by side. Make sure you come out on top. 2. Show Use Cases, Not UIMost software looks the same. So, in your ads, show how the product actually helps your users. Save the product screenshots for the landing page or demo. 3. Leave Room for CuriosityDon’t spell everything out. Let them connect the dots.
4. Address the ElephantDon’t ignore the critics. Turn that tension into a story, and get people on your side. 5. Visualize NumbersStats and figures can be confusing. But when you turn them into visuals, you don’t just make the feature clearer—you grab attention, too. 6. Use AnalogiesExplain the unfamiliar through the familiar. 7. Make It RelatableStep into your customer’s shoes (or office) and see things from their POV. 8. Keep It RealToo many companies overpromise. Say what you can do—and what you can’t. Users will trust you more. 9. Write Like a HumanListen to demo recordings or grab lunch with one of your prospects. They’ll never say “cutting-edge synergy” in a real conversation. You made it! 🕺Talk soon, P.S. Check out my course: Boring Products, Fun Ads. 3.5 hours – and you'll never make a boring B2B ad again. Here's what Donovan, a copywriter at Apple, says:
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The Creative Marketer
Learn how to brainstorm brilliant ads and copy | You’ll get one practical recipe every two weeks | Free bonus: get 25 creative marketing cheatsheets when you sign up.
Read in your browser↗ Hey! Making ads for tech products is hard because product screenshots are usually boring. Great UX/UI, terrible ad hook. Volkswagen had a similar problem. Their cars had tons of unique features, but explaining them meant showing boring illustrations. Now, showing the actual features is very important – just later in the funnel. An ad should grab attention and deliver one simple message, not cover the entire pitch. So they tried a different creative strategy... Analogy...
Read in your browser↗ Hey! I created this AI ad for my client: Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the process, prompts, and prices. Step 1: Inspiration 🛠️ TikTok (free) and Perplexity ($20/mo) A few months ago, I saw a TikTok of a woman working on her laptop in the ocean. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it, but I knew it was a fantastic visual hook, so I created this little mood board. Then, while doing research for HiBob’s payroll feature launch, I saw this Reddit comment....
Read in your browser↗ Hey! Making video ads doesn’t always mean spending $50k. Sometimes all you need is a tiny production. Here’s how I created four short video ads for my client, HiBob: 1. Concepts I presented my ideas like this: 💡 Pro tip: Prepare 3-5 extra concepts. Let the client choose. 2. Scripts Then I turned the chosen ideas into scripts: Read the full script and grab this template For the visual reference part, Google’s Nano Banana makes it easy to adjust facial expressions and...