😰 Paint your audience’s worst fears

Harmonic’s Reddit ad using one text exchange is a masterclass in simplicity:

Why It Works

You don’t need to be an investor to feel the pain of missing out on a deal—everyone has experienced missing out on something due to a lack of timely notifications or reminders.

The simplicity in the text messages is what makes it effective: no unnecessary details, just the worst case scenario framed in the most direct way possible.

By the time you’ve read the interaction, the solution—Harmonic—feels like a no-brainer. 

Another strength of this ad is its passive recall. Even if someone isn’t fully paying attention while scrolling, the familiar visual of a text message exchange sticks. 

How to Apply This Concept

This ad works because it plays on urgency, familiarity, and a worst-case scenario. You can do the same by creating a simple mock conversation that highlights a pain point your product solves.

A quick text exchange is easy to design using tools like Figma, Canva, or AI-generated chat screenshots.

This approach works across industries, not just for SaaS. Even physical products can benefit from it. A vacuum cleaner brand, for example, could showcase a conversation like:

Mock up your own worst-case scenario, keep it concise, and make your product the obvious solution.

And that's all for today. But if you want some more ad inspiration, make sure to study today's sponsor:

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