Welcome back to the latest edition of Funnel Vision, the weekly newsletter that puts performance creative & growth marketing in focus. Brought to you by the crew at Ready Set.

Katy Perry is headed to space with an all-female crew. The solar system is full of mysteries, but we may finally solve the most pressing one: In space, can anyone hear you roar?

Here’s what’s inside:

• A breakdown of our top-performing ads of the year (so far)

• Actionable takeaways to inspire your next creative win

• The news you need to know from the social sphere

Reading time: 4 minutes

PERFORMANCE CREATIVE

Our Best Ads of 2025 (So Far)

We’ve delivered 243 unique creative concepts to clients so far in 2025.

These three performed the best.

Let’s dive in and dissect what made these top-performers shine—while gathering a few winning tips for your next creative breakthrough along the way.

Real stories, real impact

Brand: Atticus
Length: 30 seconds
Platform: TikTok
Thumbstop: 40.9%

This ad from Atticus—a law firm specializing in disability benefits & workers' compensation—highlights real customers sharing honest, unfiltered stories of finally finding help, sometimes after years of fighting.

WHY IT WORKS 🧠

🔎 Authentic stories – By spotlighting stories of honest frustrations and genuine relief from real customers, the ad cuts through the noise in a highly skeptical industry—positioning Atticus as a trusted partner for navigating the daunting disability benefits process.

🚀 Native aesthetic – The shot-on-iPhone, everyday look underscores the ad’s raw authenticity, seamlessly blending into TikTok and Reels feeds where audiences expect genuine, organic content.

⚖️ Compliance via first-person experience – Because the ad features actual customers sharing their own stories, it avoids overstepping legal boundaries. Personal experience, while just as compelling as blanket factual claims, often doesn’t require formal substantiation—provided it stays realistic.

STEAL THIS 💡

1. Leverage genuine testimonials – UGC-style clips featuring real people build instant trust for brands with skeptical audiences.

2. Emphasize emotional relief – Depict the “before” struggle and “after” resolution to show how your service truly changes lives.

3. Make it native – Ditch the polished look for something raw and unfiltered; modern audiences value sincerity over perfect production.

Bring real stories front and center, and watch trust—and results—rise.

What’s in the bag?

Brand: Self Financial
Length: 26 seconds
Platform: Meta
Thumbstop: 30%

This UGC-style ad features a young mom casually revealing her “go-to” credit card. By leveraging the viral “what’s in my bag?” TikTok trend it keeps viewers engaged.

WHY IT WORKS 🧠

👜 TikTok-inspired curiosity – Leaning on the popular trend creates a sense of curiosity and intrigue, boosting watch times and engagement. I mean, come on—we all want to know what’s in the bag!

🤳 Native aesthetic, conversational tone – The ad’s vibe is casual and organic, from both an aesthetic and messaging standpoint. It looks and feels native, and everyday language helps demystify a complex product.

🎯 Creative does the targeting – Instead of explicitly targeting "young moms looking to build credit," featuring someone who fits that profile enables Meta’s algorithm to find and serve the ad to the right audience.

STEAL THIS 💡

1. Lean into mundane details – Everyday scenarios (like rummaging through a purse) create instantly relatable moments that spark interest.

2. In the algorithm we trust – Feature the people whom you want to attract to your brand in your ads — in this case, a young mom.

3. Always show disclaimers – This is a fintech ad so it’s naturally heavy on disclaimers. But no matter your vertical, adding the proper disclosures is vital for compliance. Plus, from what we’ve seen it has a negligible impact on performance.

Keep it clear, keep it real, and let curiosity-driven storytelling do the rest.

If you asked me on a deeper level about this ad…

Brand: Hers
Length: 22 seconds
Platform: TikTok, Meta
Thumbstop: 31%

Just like the trend it leverages, the promise this ad conveys is deeper than just getting thicker, fuller hair; it’s about getting your confidence back.

WHY IT WORKS 🧠

🔎 Timely trend power – Capitalizing on the “If you asked me on a deeper level” viral trend lends an emotional depth that resonates quickly—perfect for cutting through clutter on Meta and TikTok.

✏️ Copy + talent = conversion – The actor in this ad draws attention and aspiration with her thick, healthy hair. The addition of the the vulnerable, hopeful copy meets viewers where they’re most anxious about hair loss and promises a solution.

⏱ Short & impactful – At just 22 seconds, the ad grabs interest with a native hair opener, addresses pain points (“thinning hair,” “regrow in months”), and closes with an uplifting promise—all in the blink of a scroll.

STEAL THIS 💡

1. Trend as a storytelling vehicle – When done right, popular trends can anchor your message and feel instantly familiar to your audience.

2. Move quickly – To capitalize on this trend while it was still hot, we combined existing footage with new copy rather than wait for an expensive and time-consuming reshoot.

3. Test on multiple platforms – Not all creative works cross-platform, but this one did. If the ad feels native to multiple platforms, run it.

Real emotion meets timely execution—one quick clip can spark new confidence in both hair and ROI.

Want your brand featured?

At Ready Set, creative is our bread and butter.

We help brands stand out with bold concepts that perform, and we can help yours, too.

Curious to learn more? Reply to this email and let’s chat!

CLICKABLE LINKS 👆️ 

🪓 CMOs aren’t just marketing brands—they’re marketing the importance of their own roles, according to a Gartner/Adweek study on the real reason chief marketers get fired.

🥲 Meta is reportedly considering launching Reels a standalone app, despite misgivings from Instagram that its baby isn’t ready to leave the nest.

🤖 This viral video shows two AI assistants communicating in “gibberlink mode”—and we thought Gen Z spoke funny.

📉 CPM for ad space on streaming services is dropping, making it a more affordable and viable option for small business advertisers.

⚖️ TikTok released a report on the ROI of balancing short-term sales impact with long-term brand growth on the platform.

🪐 The seven planets in our solar system will align for a planetary parade on February 28 (If you’re reading on Friday, that’s tonight! Fingers crossed for clear skies.)

Thanks for reading!

That’s all for this week. Seeya next time 🫶 

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