Loukas Hambi's Linkedin Analytics

Most brands get performance creative wrong because they test without understanding the variables that drive conversions. If your ads aren’t converting, the data will tell you why. But too many brands ignore the numbers and keep throwing out new creatives blindly. Real growth happens when you iterate based on performance data, not guesswork. Once campaigns are live, you need to break down what’s working and what’s not so you can make targeted, high-impact changes. Here are the key metrics every brand should track (and why they actually matter).

Want to script high-converting street interview ads? Here’s our ChatGPT prompt. The right questions make or break a street interview ad. They spark engaging responses, guide viewers through awareness stages, and drive purchases. Instead of brainstorming from scratch, use this ChatGPT prompt to generate awareness-level-specific questions. Example Questions (Use these as hooks!): - Emotional: "Have you ever felt completely drained after a run? What did you do to recover?" - Controversy: "Are Electrolytes a massive scam?" - Solution Aware: "How do you currently hydrate after a run?" - Curiosity: "Do you know the main reason runners struggle with endurance in long races?" - Shocking: "Would you wash your face with this water?" The goal? Match your questions to audience awareness levels and make every response count. Need help structuring your next ad? Get in touch.

The secret to ads that convert? Storytelling that puts your customer in the hero’s seat. Most brands make one critical mistake with their ads: they position themselves as the hero and they don’t identify the ‘villain’. I’m seeing storytelling becoming more and more important. Trends show that longer form ad creative is working; especially more raw, organic storytelling. As a result, I wanted to resurface the well know StoryBrand framework as a reminder.. Here’s how your ads should follow this proven storytelling structure: 1️⃣ A character (your customer) - They’re facing a real problem, whether it’s dull skin, uncomfy leggings, or overpriced supplements. 2️⃣ They have a problem - Highlight the pain point. Make them feel it. Speak to the frustration they already know. I’ve learnt the more honest and vulnerable the better. This is what your audience will relate with. 3️⃣ They meet a guide (your brand) - Enter: your product as the solution. But don’t just talk about yourself, show how you understand their struggle. 4️⃣ The guide gives them a plan - Break down how your product solves their problem clearly and simply. Give them a step-by-step path to success. 5️⃣ Call them to action - “Shop now,” “Try today,” “Join 10,000+ happy customers.” Guide them to the next step. 6️⃣ End in success - Paint the picture of life after purchasing. Happy skin. Confidence. Savings. Better workouts. Whatever success means to them. Stop making ads that talk at your audience. Start telling stories for them in authentic, conversational ways. Who’s leaning into storytelling in 2025? 👇

The brands that win this year are the ones that understand the power of format diversification. This will massively unlock new reach. As consumers, we like to consume the same message in different ways. We consistently re-create ads with winning messaging, using different vehicles. Here are formats to iterate on as a way to maximise your video volume for paid media once you find winning messaging: 1. Podcast  2. ASMR 3. Public Interview 4. Secret Filming 5. Facetime format 6. Whiteboard  7. post-it note / card hold-ups 8. Ai voice-over mashup 9. Creator re-creation (use same script in different creator) 10. Static Carousel Story  11. Motion Graphic Ad 12. Unboxing w/ voice-over 13. Raw face-to-camera  14. Product Demonstration Narrative More creative format diversification = more volume = more chances to scale. Which of these are you already using?

This ad framework feels nothing like an ad. Most ads get ignored because they feel like ads. Overproduced, staged, and easy to scroll past. But the best-performing ones feel real. Like a moment someone just happened to catch on camera. That’s what Secret Filming is designed to do, make ads that don’t look or feel like ads, but still sell. It’s a creative framework designed to: ✅ Feel authentic and unscripted ✅ Show a product in action without looking staged ✅ Trigger an emotional response that makes people share When should brands use this? - When authenticity is key to conversion - When the benefit of the product is better shown than explained - When targeting under-40 audiences who crave realism and social proof The secret to success? The audience MUST believe it’s real. That means: - Casting people who feel like real customers - Prioritising natural reactions & interactions - Crafting a scenario that could happen in everyday life - Don’t shill the product within the first 20 seconds We’ve used this to create viral, high-performing ads that don’t just blend into the feed, they stop people mid-scroll. Want to see some best in class examples? Here’s a board of our favourites to save as inspo -

My recent observation: 90% of our top-performing podcast ads embrace massive conflict. Most pod ads fall flat because they lack this. The best aren’t just conversations; they’re debates, disagreements, and clashing perspectives that keep listeners hooked. Take this example: - One character is skeptical about a product. - The other has seen it transform their life. - Throughout the ad, they push back against each other, leading to a natural, compelling argument. This dynamic keeps audiences engaged because it mirrors real-life discussions. Without tension, there’s no reason to keep listening. Start implementing this in your creatives now.

IF YOU’VE CREATED PODCAST ADS… TRY THIS NOW. Blending high-prod podcasts with UGC is a great way to iterate existing ads. I’m sure you’ve seen this style of ‘tiktok shop’ ads absolutely ripping organically. The creator will film their laptop showing an expert or influencer talking about a problem, solution or desired outcome, and then cut-out to reveal the solution. This helps build trust and validation before bringing the brand in as the best solution. We took existing podcasts ads from our clients and fused it into low-production, raw creatives. This technique is a simple way to borrow credibility from existing footage, drive engagement, and make ads feel native. From a single podcast ad, we’re able to rip 15-20 variations; delivering the same message in a new format. Ride the wave to drive bigger scale whilst working smarter not harder. If you’re running podcast ads you should be testing this format.

This static format never gets old. A killer headline, strong product shot, social proof (PR) and clear hierarchy - that’s all you need. A message that lands in three seconds or less. Think of it like a billboard on a motorway. If someone can’t read and understand it instantly, it’s too complicated. The best static ads strip everything back, making the headline the hero. When done right, this format stops the scroll, grabs attention, and sticks in the mind - because the best ads aren’t just seen, they’re remembered.

Google Trends is a goldmine for ad creative that most brands ignore. Here's how we use it to find angles that actually convert: 1. Look at 5-year trends to spot real demand (not just hype) 2. Study related searches to uncover hidden hooks 3. Map seasonal spikes to time launches perfectly Example: We were researching multivitamins and found: - "Gummies vs tablets" = instant creative angle - January search spike = perfect launch timing - Regional differences = geo-targeted campaigns Most brands guess what their audience wants. The smart ones use data to craft creative that converts. Pro tip: Compare competing niches. Sometimes the best insights come from adjacent markets that solve the same problem differently. What data are you using to guide your creative strategy? 🤔

One ad can completely change your business. Foreplay was built on this one simple but powerful idea: the right creative can unlock scale, drive massive growth, and take a brand to the next level. The latest episode of D2C Diaries is live, and this one’s packed with gold. We sat down with Zachary Murray Murray, founder of Foreplay.co, to break down: - How he scaled Foreplay from idea to 10,000+ users - Why most brands fail at creative iteration - AI’s role in ad creative (and why it’s not replacing humans yet) - The secret to scaling ad spend without tanking ROAS Most brands already have a winning ad, they just don’t realise it. Instead of constantly chasing new creative, the smartest brands double down on what’s working and iterate aggressively. The ones scaling the fastest? They’re testing 50-100 variations a month, not waiting for a “perfect” ad. This episode is a must-listen for anyone running ads in 2025. Links in the comments. 🚨 ALSO, we're running a giveaway alongside Foreplay... for more details head to the ep.

Most brands kill their best ads too soon. They launch, see results, then move on, thinking they need something new. But the truth is, scalable ads aren’t created, they’re engineered. Here’s what makes an ad truly scalable: - It runs for 60+ days without fatigue - It consistently ranks among top 10 spenders in the account - It’s duplicated across multiple campaigns, concept vehicles and audiences We don’t start from scratch every time. We build on what’s already working. For example, when scaling Nothing Fishy, we took a static ad that already performed well and: - Create 10 variations of the winning hook (“Did you know 80% of people lack Omega 3?”) - Created 10 variations of the subject in the image (UGC shot with a PR headline). No guesswork. No wasted spend. Just strategic iteration. Scaling isn’t about making more ads. It’s about making better versions of the ones that already work. If your ads keep dying after a few weeks, it’s not the algorithm, it’s your approach. Ready to elevate your brand with performance-driven creative? Let’s chat.

Organic style swipe image carousels ARE KILLING IT as an ad format for us. They are so underutilised by most brands and one of the easiest ads you could create. We’ve been testing organic founders story carousels at scale and pushing to paid when we find a winner that drive the most reach and engagement. 1. Pick 5-10 statics of the founder and their journey 2. Open on a ‘POV: [you suffer with problem] 3. Through storytelling, agitate the problem, and influence the motivation towards creating the solution. Chat GPT can build these simple carousel scripts at scale. 4. Turn this into a Tiktok carousel. People are sleeping on organic as a testing ground for paid concepts. It's a low-cost way to validate what resonates with your audience.

I sold painted shells on the beach at 10 years old and now I run two agencies with 80+ people 🤯 I’ve always been obsessed with building things from the ground up. Looking back, I’ve always been drawn to the zero to one journey, starting from nothing and building something real. Both my grandad and dad bootstrapped their businesses, so I saw firsthand what passion and freedom really looked like. That drive led me to build Hambi Media, a creative machine for ecom brands, which later merged with Soar With Us to bring performance and creative under one roof. Then I built For You Advertising with my co-founders Olly, Joe and Liam which is one of the only official TikTok partners in the UK. Fast forward to today, and we’ve built 3 teams with over 100+ people, growing 200% YoY, working with some of the best brands in DTC. Truly humbling. So grateful. Last week, we brought everyone together in Manchester, our biggest team meetup yet. A day packed with: ✅ Celebrating our biggest client wins of 2024 ✅ Hosting a workshop to redefine our mission & values as a fully merged agency ✅ Setting the vision for 2025 and beyond ✅ Ending the day with a well-earned social at DIECAST More than anything, the day reinforced what I’m most proud of, not just the work we do, but the culture we’ve built. An agency where people actually want to be. This is just the beginning. 🚀

Every 7-figure agency I spoke to is doing this one thing to stay ahead in 2025. Not long back from South Africa, where I spent the weekend with 6 other agency owners, all running at 7 and 8-figure scale. We spent 2 full days digging into how we’re using AI across creative, media buying, ops, and strategy to drive better performance for the brands we work with. No fluff. No theory. Just real, in-the-weeds conversations about what’s actually working and where the opportunity still is. One thing that hit hard: There’s so much value in spending time with other founders in the same position. You realise quickly that you’re not the only one navigating the chaos. It’s something I want more of this year. Deeper convos, smarter circles, shared learning. Big takeaways. Bigger plays coming. More to come on what we’re rolling out off the back of it.

We’ve been testing blatant AI-generated statics across multiple accounts, and the new GPT just made them even better. Our previous AI ads were already converting well. When you combine these eye-catching visuals with a strong offer and sharp copy, they hit. Especially in static-heavy testing cycles, AI is now a legit weapon for: - Rapid iteration at scale - Match visuals to winning headlines - Scale creative volume without draining production resources This isn’t about replacing UGC or high-prod creative. But for concept validation or scaling static volume fast, it’s proving its place in the stack. This is going to make emotional triggers and copy even more important now that static saturation is going to 100X. Image 1: DALL-E + Illustrator + Photoshop Image 2: Chat-GPT 40