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

Legend has it that Ernest Hemingway called the blank page his “white bull”, a mythical adversary he faced down each day. And while most of us aren’t penning Pulitzer-winning opuses, there’s comfort in knowing that even the greats wrestled with creative paralysis.

Here’s what’s inside today’s edition:

• 3 high-performing ad angles to reboot your brain

• The key difference between creative themes and concepts

• All the latest industry news you may have missed

Reading time: 4 minutes

CREATIVE STRATEGY

3 Proven Creative Themes for When You’re Out of Ad Ideas

Out of ideas for your next ad? You, my friend, are the latest victim of creative block.

Hey, we’ve all been there—every marketer, advertiser, and creative to ever run ads has hit the wall at some point. But with campaigns fatiguing by the minute and pressure to deliver fresh creative mounting, that solidarity is cold comfort.

When the idea bank runs dry, it’s tempting to recycle the same old angles and hope for the best. But while iteration has its place, it’s only half the equation—novelty and variety are critical performance drivers.

We can’t make your ads for you. (Wait—scratch that. We’re literally a creative agency. So yeah, we absolutely can.)

But in the meantime, here are three proven ad angles (plus a bonus) to breathe new life into your campaigns.

It’s not guesswork. It’s a system. Pick one, get inspired, hit refresh.

Theme vs. Concept: Know the Difference

First, some theory.

🙄🙄🙄

We know, we know… but before you roll your eyes, stick with us—this is important.

Marketers often use themes and concepts interchangeably when describing creative. But there’s an important distinction that can unlock exponential variety in your ads:

• Theme = the strategic lens or narrative angle. It’s the big idea or overarching narrative behind the ad, like positioning the product/service as core to an aspirational lifestyle.

• Concept = the specific creative execution within a theme. How the idea shows up in the ad, like a GRWM-style video showing a creator using your product during their morning routine.

Different themes reframe how people perceive your brand. Exploring multiple concepts within themes unlocks dozens of new ideas and creative approaches.

See? Told you this was important!

Okay, enough theory. Let’s get into the real reason you’re here.

3 Creative Angles That Actually Work

There are dozens of creative themes you could explore—but we’ve curated these for a reason. They’re not just popular. They’re versatile, repeatable, and proven to perform across brands, budgets, and verticals.

Use this like a creative brainstorm kit. Pick a theme. Try a new concept. Repeat.

1. Product-Centric 🧪

By focusing on the product itself—what it is, how it works, and why it’s better—it anchors your messaging in clarity and confidence.

Concept ideas for product-centric ads:

• Hands-on walkthrough of how the product works in real time.

• Highlight one specific feature that solves a common problem.

• Unboxing: Capture the experience of receiving or opening the product.

2. Lifestyle & Aspirational ✨

Ads that show your product/service as part of an ideal lifestyle connects your offer to identity and emotion by highlighting how it makes life better, easier, or more enjoyable. This Nespresso ad does a great job.

Concept ideas for lifestyle and aspirational ads: 

• Day-in-the-life content featuring someone using the product naturally.

• Cinematic or mood-driven montage of the “after” state your product enables.

• Creator-led storytelling about how the product fits into their routines or values.

3. Testimonial & Social Proof 💬

Build trust and social validation by showing real people endorsing, reviewing, or validating your product.

Concept ideas for testimonial and social proof ads: 

• UGC-style video of a customer sharing their experience.

• Before-and-after visual transformation or success story.

• Quote carousel featuring real reviews or star ratings.

Bonus: Trend-Based & Reactive ⚡

Ads that tap into current trends, cultural moments, or social conversations give your strategy cultural relevance and momentum.

Concept ideas for trend-based and reactive ads.

• Quick-react video using trending audio, memes, or challenges.

• Real-time response to an event, holiday, or pop culture moment.

• Collab with a trending creator or influencer tied to a current conversation.

Your Move

When you cycle through the same handful of angles, performance suffers. Platforms get less variety. Audiences get bored.

Pick a new theme. Try a new concept. Give the algorithm something to work with—and give your performance a lift.

PS: Want help scoring the diversity of your current ads? Get a sneak peak at the beta version of our brand new Creative Diversity Score tool →

CLICKABLE LINKS 👆️

⛈️ Former OpenAI researcher co-authors gloomy A.I. forecast. Think Terminator meets TED Talk—just with more graphs and fewer explosions.

🏆️ Voting has opened for the 29th annual Webby Awards to decide the best of the internet. Funnel Vision's nomination for best newsletter must've gotten lost in the mail.

😬 Here are 7 tips for surviving a DTC bear market. “Try not to panic”, while implied, didn’t make the list.

🗓️ In a move that surprised absolutely no one, the TikTok ban was again extended for 75 days.

⚖️ The Meta v. FTC trial begins next week. Regulators want to unwind Instagram & WhatsApp acquisitions on antitrust grounds. Meta says the lawsuit “defies reality”.

😒 OpenAI is suing Elon Musk over “bad faith tactics”. The legal tit-for-tat is giving major Oprah energy—you get a lawsuit, you get a lawsuit, everybody gets a lawsuit!

That’s it. That’s all.

Thanks for reading! Seeya next time 🫶 

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