🧟 Ugly Ads

Sold ugly. Sounds funny — but it's true.

More and more B2C brands (and now others too) are relying on conscious imperfect ads.

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No glossy campaign, no studio look, no “100,000 CHF production day.”

Instead: mobile phone videos, everyday setting, natural language. And it works.

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What are ugly ads?

An ugly ad is not an accident.

She is intentionally imperfect, but still well-thought-out.

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She:

• looks like a normal post
• uses everyday language
• refrain from excessive branding
• looks like “from real life”

Important: Ugly doesn't mean “bad.”

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The content must still be strong:

• good hook
• clear story
• visible benefit

The ad should stand out — but like a normal post, not like an advertisement.

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Why do Ugly Ads work so well?

Because people advertising filter away.

Automatically Subconsciously. Without thinking.

When an ad looks like classic advertising, you scroll past it.

If it looks like a normal post, you'll get stuck.

Ugly ads are added to the feed.

They don't feel strange—they feel familiar.

What you should keep in mind with Ugly Ads

🔇 Show less brand

Logo, colors, fonts? As little as possible.

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💡 No studio lighting

Natural light looks more real.

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🏡 Real background

kitchen, living room, desk. No empty space, no green screen.

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📱 Use the smartphone

Produce directly from your phone. No camera setup.

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🗣️ Speak like your target group

Easy, direct, just like you're talking on the platform.

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💥 Imperfect but not trashy

Too excessive seems cheap. Find the balance between real and effective.

How to build good ugly ads

🎯 Set a small budget

This forces you to think creatively — just like creators on TikTok or Insta.

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🧪 Test multiple variants

Production is fast. So produce more. And let the target group decide what works.

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⚡ Work at speed, not perfection

The faster you can implement, the closer you are to current trends.

Ugly ads thrive on relevance.

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🙃 Sell without selling

Not a bunch of advertising copy. Share an experience. Show an aha moment.

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The button is selling — not you.

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Conclusion: Ugly is the new beautiful

Ugly ads break the rules — and win.

They appear approachable, courageous and different.

You don't need millions of dollars in production.

Just courage, clarity and trust that “real” often works better than “perfect.”

Have fun trying it out. And remember:

It is not about less quality. It's about more impact.