<!-- SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT -->
<!-- SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2025-2026 Marcus Quinn -->

## Video Ad Hooks: The Critical First 3 Seconds

Hook decision in <1 second. Every hook needs: visual pattern interrupt, immediate relevance, curiosity gap, emotional trigger, clear value promise. **Target:** 3-second view rate >50%. **Test variables:** Hook type (question/statement/visual), specificity, emotion (fear/desire/curiosity), length (1s vs 3s), visual (with/without person).

### Question Hooks (1-20)

| # | Name | Template |
|---|------|----------|
| 1 | Problem-Focused | "Still [doing painful thing]?" |
| 2 | Identification | "Are you a [type] who [struggles with X]?" |
| 3 | Yes-Set | "Want to [desired outcome]?" |
| 4 | Challenging | "What if everything you know about [topic] is wrong?" |
| 5 | Curiosity | "Want to know the secret [people] use to [result]?" |
| 6 | Direct Pain | "Tired of [specific frustration]?" |
| 7 | Future-Pacing | "What would [timeframe] look like with [outcome]?" |
| 8 | Comparison | "Why do [successful group] [action] while you [other]?" |
| 9 | Verification | "Did you know [surprising fact]?" |
| 10 | Personal | "How much money are you leaving on the table with [bad strategy]?" |
| 11 | Achievement | "Ready to [milestone]?" |
| 12 | Objection | "What if you could [goal] without [objection]?" |
| 13 | Timeline | "How long will you keep [negative behavior]?" |
| 14 | Awareness | "Do you know what's killing your [outcome]?" |
| 15 | Diagnostic | "Which of these [N] mistakes are you making?" |
| 16 | Qualifier | "If you're [criteria], watch this" |
| 17 | Rhetorical | "Who else wants [desired outcome]?" |
| 18 | Negative Assumption | "Struggling with [problem]? You're not alone" |
| 19 | Alternative | "What if there's a better way to [goal]?" |
| 20 | Direct Challenge | "Think [common belief]? Think again" |

### Statement Hooks (21-40)

| # | Name | Template |
|---|------|----------|
| 21 | Bold Claim | "[Result] in [timeframe]" |
| 22 | Shocking Statistic | "[N]% of [people] are [doing wrong thing]" |
| 23 | Negative Callout | "Stop [common behavior]" |
| 24 | Contrarian | "[Common advice] is killing your [outcome]" |
| 25 | Personal Testimony | "[Timeframe] ago I [negative]. Now I [positive]" |
| 26 | Revelation | "I just discovered why [problem occurs]" |
| 27 | Story Beginning | "This is the story of how [outcome]" |
| 28 | Single Solution | "One [thing] changed everything" |
| 29 | Warning | "If you're [doing action], you need to see this" |
| 30 | Mistake ID | "This is the #1 mistake [type] make" |
| 31 | Secret Reveal | "[Type of people] don't want you to know this" |
| 32 | Current Event | "[Recent change] changes everything for [people]" |
| 33 | Urgency | "You have [timeframe] to [action] before [consequence]" |
| 34 | Diagnosis | "Here's why your [thing] isn't working" |
| 35 | Permission | "It's okay to [non-traditional action]" |
| 36 | Attention Grab | "Attention [type of person]" |
| 37 | Achievement | "We just [impressive feat]" |
| 38 | Controversial | "[Popular thing] is overrated. Here's what works" |
| 39 | Direct Address | "If you [qualifier], this is for you" |
| 40 | Negative Consequence | "Every day you [inaction] costs you [loss]" |

### Visual Pattern Interrupts (41-55)

| # | Name | Technique |
|---|------|-----------|
| 41 | Text Slap | Bold text suddenly ("WAIT", "STOP SCROLLING") — large, contrasting |
| 42 | Unexpected Perspective | Unusual camera angle/POV |
| 43 | Fast Motion | Quick action — money thrown, product appearing |
| 44 | Face Close-Up | Extreme close-up, strong expression |
| 45 | Contrast Shock | Sudden dark-to-bright or vice versa |
| 46 | Text On/Off | Key phrases flashing — kinetic typography |
| 47 | Split Screen | Before/after or old/new way simultaneously |
| 48 | Object Drop | Product drops into frame with physics motion |
| 49 | Color Flash | Brand color fills screen then reveals content |
| 50 | Zoom Effect | Rapid zoom in/out on specific element |
| 51 | Hand-Held Shake | Shaky cam for UGC authenticity |
| 52 | Emoji/Sticker Pop | Animated emoji or "NEW" sticker |
| 53 | Graph/Data Viz | Striking chart or upward-trending animation |
| 54 | Product Showcase | Product appears dramatically (spinning, unboxing) |
| 55 | Scene Jump | Quick cut between contrasting scenes |

### Combination Hooks (56-65)

| # | Name | Template |
|---|------|----------|
| 56 | Question + Statistic | "Did you know [X]% of [people] [fact]?" |
| 57 | Statement + Question | "[Bold claim]. Want to know how?" |
| 58 | Visual + Text Slap | Striking visual + bold text overlay |
| 59 | Personal Story + Result | "[Timeframe] ago: [struggle]. Today: [success]" |
| 60 | Warning + Question | "If you're [doing X], are you [consequence]?" |
| 61 | Negative + Positive | "Stop [bad]. Start [good]" |
| 62 | Identify + Promise | "[Type]? Here's how to [goal]" |
| 63 | Shock + Explanation | "[Shocking fact]. Here's why it matters" |
| 64 | Challenge + Invitation | "Think you can't [goal]? Watch this" |
| 65 | Pain + Solution | "Struggling with [problem]? I found the fix" |

## UGC-Style Ad Creation

Smartphone-shot, casual, authentic — native to platform, higher trust, lower cost, faster iteration than studio production.

**Sourcing:** Hire (Fiverr/Billo/Insense: $100-500, 3-7 days) | Customer testimonials (incentive) | Internal team (free, fastest).

**Brief template:**

```text
CREATOR: [Name/Type] | PRODUCT: [What] | OBJECTIVE: [Goal]
TARGET: [Demographics, pain points, desires]
MESSAGES: 1. [Main benefit] 2. [Differentiator] 3. [Social proof]
SCRIPT: 0-3s [Hook] | 3-10s [Problem] | 10-20s [Solution] | 20-30s [Benefits] | 30-40s [Proof] | 40-45s [CTA]
FILMING: Vertical 9:16, smartphone, natural light, casual setting, captions
DON'T: Sound like an ad, use jargon, be overly promotional
DELIVERABLES: 1x 30-45s vertical, raw footage, paid ad usage rights
```

**Filming:** Vertical 9:16, natural light (face window/golden hour), person fills 60-70% at eye level, speak TO camera like FaceTiming a friend, 3-5 takes varying hooks/energy, capture B-roll.

**Editing:** Minimal (raw feel), jump cuts for energy. Captions required (85% watch muted) — large font, high contrast, synced. Tools: CapCut, InShot, Canva, Premiere Rush, VEED.io.

### Script Frameworks

**1. Problem-Discovery-Solution:** Hook: "I used to struggle with [pain]" → Tried everything, nothing worked → Discovery [timeframe] ago → Results: "Within [time], [result]" → CTA: "Link in bio" / "Use code [CODE]"

**2. Transformation Story:** Hook: "[Time] ago I [negative state]" → Daily struggles/emotions → Turning point: discovered product → Journey: early result → bigger result → now → "The difference is [mechanism]"

**3. Comparison/Alternative:** Hook: "I switched from [popular] to [product]" → Old problems → What's better: [1], [2], [3] → Results since switching → "Make the switch"

**4. Unexpected Benefit:** Hook: "I bought [product] for [reason] but [surprise]" → Original intent → Unexpected benefit → Why it matters more → Recommend for the surprise benefit

**5. Direct Recommendation:** Hook: "If you [qualifier], you need this" → Why it's perfect for [audience] → Features + benefits → Personal results over [timeframe] → Where/price/guarantee

### Performance Optimization

**Test variables:** Creators (age/gender, personality, expert vs everyday) | Settings (location, indoor/outdoor, framing) | Hooks (question vs statement, problem vs result) | Angle (transformation, review, comparison, tutorial, unboxing) | Length (15s/30s/45-60s).

**Iteration:** 5-10 variations → 3-7 days (min 50 purchases/creative) → top 20% get variations → retire bottom 50% → repeat weekly.

| Phase | Timeline | Actions |
|-------|----------|---------|
| Validation | Weeks 1-2 | 5 concepts, small budget, find winning angle |
| Variation | Weeks 3-4 | 10 variations of winner, different creators, test hooks/lengths |
| Scale | Weeks 5+ | 5-10 creators/month, 20+ ads in rotation, retire/promote |
| Systematization | Ongoing | Creator roster, template briefs, approval flow, content calendar |
