The New Rules of Advertising

You’ve been there—you’re scrolling, half-distracted, when suddenly an ad stops you in your tracks.

And it’s not because it was a beautifully designed image or a perfectly narrated video. It stood out by doing less. Maybe it was bold. Maybe it was jarring. Maybe it was just a few big, simple words on a blank background.

Ads are getting shorter. Simpler. Designed to stop you in your tracks.

15 seconds used to be the sweet spot for video ads. Now, six-second ads are outperforming longer ones. And sound? No longer a guarantee. Video ads have to deliver their message instantly—without relying on a voiceover or music to do the heavy lifting.

And it’s not just video.

Static ads are shifting too. What used to be carefully designed graphics are now minimal layouts with a blank background and just a few bold words. The best ads today are distilled to their sharpest, clearest message.

Why? Because attention spans are shrinking, and so is patience. People don’t want ads. They want quick answers. Social platforms know this, which is why their algorithms reward ads that get to the point fast.

The brands that win aren’t the ones telling the longest stories—they’re the ones making the most impact in the shortest time.

The Best Ads Do One Thing: Focus

Good ads highlight one pain point, offer one clear solution, and hyper-target the right audience at the right time. Instead of trying to be everything to everyone, they meet people where they are with a message that resonates instantly.

Effective ads grab attention, spark curiosity, and drive action without over-explaining.

This Shift Makes Ads More Fun

Unlike a website or an email campaign, ads aren’t locked in for months. They’re a fast-moving playground where you can test messaging, visuals, and positioning in real time.

Marketers now have more room to play, take risks, and push boundaries.

A single ad test can tell you:

• Which problem resonates most with your audience

• Which words or visuals actually make people stop scrolling

• What stands out in a sea of sameness

And the best part? These insights go beyond ads. You can apply them to landing pages, sales messaging, nurture sequences, and more.

Ads Work Best When They’re Part of a Bigger Strategy

Great ads don’t just grab attention, they lead somewhere (and no, we don’t just mean the literal landing page they lead to). The most effective campaigns connect to a larger journey, whether that’s a compelling piece of content, an offer that makes sense in the moment, or even leave the recipient with a memorable experience.

This shift in advertising is happening fast. If you’re running ads but aren’t an ad specialist, you need

to know what’s working, what’s a waste of budget, and how to make your ads do more with less.

That’s exactly why we created A Practical Approach to Building Epic Ad Campaigns—a practical guide to making ads work.

It breaks down:

• The fundamentals of ad success

• What works (and what doesn’t)

• A handy checklist to keep you on track

If you’ve ever wondered how, why, or when to run ads (and what to expect along the way), this guide is for you.

And I’d love to hear: What’s an ad that’s caught your attention recently? Let me know.