Transcript
0:00if you suck at writing ad copy like I do
0:03here is a philosophy that I've coined that um
0:07that really helps me write high converting ad copy
0:10specifically for paid social
0:12so um
0:13my name is Brendan I've been running ads for a very long time
0:16and the most most of the time
0:17the agencies I worked at had copywriters in creative department
0:21so by the time I would upload ads
0:24all that was taken care of for me
0:26um but I worked at an agency a while back called 9:30
0:30and that agency was owned by a man named Kenneth Shen
0:34and Kenneth one time sat down with me and said Brendan
0:37you don't have a philosophy for uh
0:40copywriting and that concerns me
0:42so Kenneth really pushed me to like
0:44go out and find a philosophy that I believe in that I can back up
0:49that I can point to why certain ads did not convert well
0:53it's because oh
0:54you didn't follow this philosophy of ad
0:56you know a
0:57a ad copywriting and it has worked wonders for me
1:02every ad that has had this philosophy
1:04especially in paid media or paid social
1:08has been a winner um
1:10I mean there's been
1:11obviously
1:11the creative in the ad itself as a huge component if it's a winner or not
1:15but the copywriting around the ad is what is so important
1:19so let me show you what I mean
1:20so I like to use the Ada framework
1:22I looked into Ada Pass and all other copywriting frameworks
1:26and I think this translates really well into writing copy for um
1:30paid social with attention
1:32interest desire
1:33and action
1:34like moving people from capturing their attention all the way to making or like
1:37to taking an action which is important for performance media
1:41you really need to get people quick right um
1:44introduce your ad or your product to new people and then convert them
1:47here's a couple examples
1:48this is one from Bobby where the attention is not the first thing
1:52the attention is here because the first thing someone notices
1:55or the way an ad is consumed is the creative
1:59so the image or the um uh video
2:03one thing about the creative is
2:05if you think about a billboard
2:08billboards can't really say too much on them because people drive by them fast
2:12and obviously you can't look at a billboard um uh
2:17too long or you'll crash
2:18but people scroll on their phones way faster than they drive by billboards
2:23so for your headline text within the ad itself
2:27it has to be less than seven words
2:29so made for gas
2:30crying and fussiness so this is good attention
2:33this is a good page break
2:34it's all dark green you see
2:36baby formula if you're in market
2:39and then it simply says made for gas
2:41crying and fussiness so it's like
2:42very direct and short less than seven words here
2:46now the interest then adds to this
2:49so someone stopped the scroll and read this
2:51and they're interested now
2:53now the interest section
2:54which is the primary text
2:56can now explain the offer a bit more
2:59um so if someone finishes reading this and they realize it's easy to digest um
3:05Bobby organic
3:06gentle tolerance recipe they know what it is now
3:10and now if they come down here
3:11to desire which is the headline
3:13a tolerance recipe like no other
3:15so this is showing the desire of what could be
3:19if you bought this product
3:21you would have a tolerance recipe like no other
3:24and then action is very simple
3:26with meta it they have default called to actions like shop now
3:29so that is how I use uh
3:31the Ada framework and
3:32I mean we can do it for here
3:33to attention trade in and save uh
3:36on your new iPhone fifteen uh
3:38interest save on iPhone 15 by trading in your Android phone
3:42so this is for people with androids
3:44it's probably targeting people with Android phones
3:46which you can do um
3:47and then it says down here
3:49the desire switch to iPhone 15
3:50this is like starts with a verb
3:52tells them what could be if they click this learn more button
3:55which is the action so now that we've gotten that figured out
3:58I have this template here
4:01um
4:01and this is a fake ad I pulled from Canva just to give me something to look at
4:05but I like to write my ad copy with the ad on the screen
4:09so I write specific ad copy for the ad
4:12if you work for a larger agency
4:13like I used to uh
4:15sometimes you have copywriters on staff and then designers on staff
4:18where the designers are doing their own thing
4:20and then the copywriters are doing their own thing
4:22and then you mash them together and uh
4:25yeah basically um
4:28the copy doesn't work for the specific ad um
4:31so here is my template I use
4:35uh this is a really good template
4:36it also says like attention
4:37it tells me what I need to write for the in ad creative
4:41the interest for the ad copy here um
4:44for the description text what I need to add here
4:47the supporting text here um
4:49oh sorry
4:49this is the description this is the headline text
4:52so it tells me what could be
4:53it explains it all um
4:55and then the action based off like
4:57whatever metas defaults are uh
4:59and using this is how I've written really high performing ad creative
5:04another tip is
5:05I've created a project within GPT that explains all of this to GPT
5:11so I just upload the image
5:12explain like please write the fillyard copy uh
5:15we need to blah
5:16blah blah blah blah
5:17and then GPT freaking hit
5:19knocks it out of the park
5:20I review it each time I might say
5:22remove m dashes I might say
5:25don't use the word boost elevate or revolutionize
5:28but for the most part this one GBT really did well
5:31here's like Discover
5:32New Suite a sweet new copy fix whatever
5:36um but anyways
5:37this is how I've been writing ad copy
5:39and any ad that I see performing well in any account that I audit um
5:43they it unknowingly follows this template
5:46so I have a similar philosophy with using Ada for paid search specifically
5:51especially now that Google's taking away options
5:53if you want I can make another video talking about that
5:56but I know this video is long
5:57uh I'm just hoping I can provide some value to some of the marketers out there
6:00that suck at writing ad copy just like I do
Mind Map
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Viral Breakdown
Hook (first 3 seconds)
- Verbatim opening line: "If you suck at writing ad copy like I do, here is a philosophy that I've coined that really helps me write high converting ad copy specifically for paid social."
- Hook pattern: Vulnerability + Bold claim ("I suck" + "I've coined a philosophy that works")
- Why it stops the scroll: Instantly normalizes the viewer's pain point ("you suck too") and promises a proprietary solution ("a philosophy I've coined"). It frames the creator as both relatable and authoritative.
Emotional Rhythm
- Beat 1 – Vulnerability/Relatability: "If you suck at writing ad copy like I do" – lowers guard, builds trust.
- Beat 2 – Curiosity: "A philosophy I've coined" – signals insider knowledge.
- Beat 3 – Tension: "Kenneth said you don't have a philosophy, that concerns me" – creates a problem that needs solving.
- Beat 4 – Relief/Clarity: "It has worked wonders for me... every ad that has had this philosophy has been a winner."
- Beat 5 – Demonstration (satisfaction): Walks through real examples (Bobbie, iPhone 15) – viewer sees the system in action.
- Beat 6 – Actionable payoff: "Here's my template" + "I created a project within GPT" – gives a concrete tool.
- Climax moment: "GPT freaking hits it out of the park" – surprise twist that elevates the solution from manual to AI-powered.
Keyword Density
| Keyword/Phrase | Frequency | Function |
|---|---|---|
| "philosophy" | ~8x | Algorithmic reach (unique, branded concept) + emotional pull (makes viewer feel they're learning a system) |
| "ad copy" / "copywriting" | ~12x | Algorithmic (high-intent search term) + emotional (core pain point) |
| "attention / interest / desire / action" | ~6x | Educational backbone – signals structure and credibility |
| "template" | ~5x | Emotional (gives viewer a takeaway) + algorithmic (how-to content) |
| "paid social" / "paid media" | ~4x | Algorithmic (niche targeting for marketers) |
| "creative" | ~5x | Bridges copywriting and design – keeps the advice holistic |
| "GPT" | ~4x | Algorithmic (trending topic) + emotional (hack/timesaver) |
Why It Spreads
- Pain-point mirroring: "If you suck at writing ad copy like I do" instantly bonds with the target audience (marketers who feel inadequate). This creates a "this is for me" signal that drives watch time and sharing.
- Framework + proof: The AIDA framework is old, but Brendan renames it "Ada" and shows real ads (Bobbie, iPhone 15). Concrete examples make abstract advice feel immediately usable, which increases saves and shares.
- The GPT hack twist: "I created a project within GPT that explains all of this" is the unexpected shortcut. Viewers who were taking notes now get a "cheat code" – this triggers the "I need this" impulse and drives comments asking for the GPT link.
- Self-deprecating authority: Admitting "I used to work at agencies where copywriters did it for me" makes him humble, then "I've been running ads for a very long time" re-establishes credibility. This tension keeps viewers engaged through the 5+ minute runtime.
What You Can Steal
- Lead with shared incompetence: Start your next video with "If you struggle with [common pain point] like I do, here's a system I built." It lowers resistance and signals you're on their side, not above them.
- Show the template, then the shortcut: First give the manual framework (Ada template), then reveal the AI automation ("I trained GPT to do this"). This creates a "free + premium" value stack that feels like a gift.
- Use the "billboard analogy": "People scroll faster than they drive by billboards – so headlines need less than 7 words." This is a sticky metaphor that makes a complex rule instantly memorable. Steal it for any platform where you need to explain brevity.
