Takeaways From Three Scary Good Ads (to Spark Your Next Big Idea)

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.

The scariest part of spooky season isn’t the costumes or the creepy decor—it’s the whopping $11.6B Americans spent on Halloween in 2024. That includes:

• $3.8B on costumes
• $3.5B on candy
• $1.2B on child therapy bills after insisting on posting “we ate all your candy” videos on social media.

In today's edition, we're dismembering the best ads we shipped in October to harvest their spine-tingling secrets of success.

Let’s get the vision.

Reading time: 4 minutes

We shipped 236 client ads last month. Here are the three concepts that rose to the top.

Hundreds of trembling, shivering concepts went into the Ready Set Haunted House of Monstrously Successful Ads. Only three came out.

Cue evil laugh

From spooky dances to monster mashups to devilish tricks, let’s dissect these performers to see what makes them tick.

Ready the swipe file, here be creative tactics you don’t want to miss.

The Frankenstein Ad ???

Brand: Hers?| Length: 14 seconds?| Platform: Meta

This ad from women’s health brand Hers takes a page straight from Dr. Frankenstein’s book.?

Just as the good doctor meticulously constructed his monster from the best available parts, this ad stitches together proven elements from past campaigns into a powerful new creation.

WHY IT WORKS ??

?? The Laboratory Effect: Each element was previously tested in isolation and proved successful. The "no appointments" hook, beach transition, and feature callouts all performed well in past iterations.

? The Voltage Spike: The living room-to-beach transition hook achieved a 50% thumbstop rate in a previous campaign. Lightning struck once, so we captured it in a bottle and used it again.

?? The Control Group: The ad maintains one constant (the phone-viewing pose) while changing variables around it, creating a perfect test environment for the transformation message.

STEAL THIS ??

1. Map your past winners' DNA to create a database of high-performing elements from previous campaigns, tagged by their specific performance metrics.
2. Follow the mad scientist's method. Test elements in isolation first, then combine only proven winners into new creations.
3. Always be testing. Continuously refresh secondary elements (talent, product shots, feature highlights) while maintaining your proven core mechanics.

BOTTOM LINE ??

Your next hit might just be buried in the graveyard of expired concepts. Exhume your past top-performers to isolate winning elements that can be combined into brand new ads. Then, wait for lightning to strike ?

Spooky Moves, Serious Results ??

Brand: DoorDash | Length: 10 seconds?| Platform: TikTok

Just like our dancing skeleton Dasher, this ad hits all the right moves, turning a simple recruitment message into a "spooktacular" spectacle.

WHY IT WORKS ??

?? Right message at the right time: The window for seasonal ads is short. Like kids maximizing their candy haul, you gotta move quick to capitalize.

?? Platform-perfect: By employing native TikTok elements (POV format, trending dance moves, dynamic camera work) it fits right into the FYP.

?? Keep it simple: This ad delivers the entire value proposition (sign up → deliver → earn) in just 10 seconds through a simple, sequential story arc.

STEAL THIS ??

1. Don't just tap into trends, customize them for ideal timing. Plan seasonal campaigns 45-60 days out to perfect the creative while keeping it relevant.

1. Optimize for sound-off with captions, especially if the message is short. Reward sound-on viewers with trending music and catchy voice overs that enhance, not carry, the message.

1. Stop the scroll. Think of non-obvious ways to position your offering in a way that stands out and hooks the viewer's attention.

BOTTOM LINE ??

Don't overlook the impact of seasonal ads. Just like the big days themselves, they're fleeting—but they also present an opportunity for outsized gains with the right creative strategy and perfect timing.

Lucky Gas Prank ??

Brand: Brigit | Length: 44 seconds?| Platform: Meta

Halloween isn’t complete without the “trick” portion of trick-or-treat. This ad from FinTech brand Brigit delivers—and keeps us engaged—with a timeless prank.

WHY IT WORKS ??

?? Misdirection magic: The lucky gas panic creates genuine tension that releases into satisfying catharsis—and smoothly showcases Brigit’s features in the process.

?? Problem → solution: The “crisis” instantly resonates with the target audience's fear of unexpected expenses, making Brigit's solution feel naturally relevant rather than forced.

??? Authentic dialogue: The natural couple dynamic make the ad feel unscripted and organic.

STEAL THIS ??

1. Start with tension, not features. Create a compelling human moment before introducing your product to boost emotional investment and message retention.

1. Switch up the setting. If you’re shooting UGC ads, try placing talent/creators in a car. Sounds strange, but we’ve seen clear performance spikes from this simple switch.

1. Transform fears into features. Identify your audience's anxieties and showcase your product naturally solving them rather than just listing benefits.

BOTTOM LINE ??

When you make viewers forget they're watching an ad until after they've already invested in the story, your message sticks without feeling like marketing.

Want to see your brand on this list next month?

At Ready Set, creating & shipping winning concepts is what we do.

Want us to do it for you, too?

Drop us a line and let’s chat about how we can help your brand break through plateaus and hit a new level of paid media performance.

Let’s chat →

CLICKABLE LINKS ???

?? Five major tech giants (Alphabet, Apple, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft) reported Q3 earnings last week. Together with Nvidia and Tesla they make up the “Magnificent 7”; companies that collectively control $16.33 trillion in market value.

?? Apple had a big week. It announced several new Macs and the highly anticipated Apple Intelligence, which is now live with the iOS 18.1 update.

?? Here’s how brands are engaging young, skeptical consumers. It’s giving skibidi rizz.

That’s all for this week.

As always, thanks for reading. Appreciate you ??

Dan Moran, Content Marketing Manger, Ready Set | Sleepless | Airpost

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