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The ads that hooked me and the offers that converted me
Your ad creative gets the click. Your offer gets the conversion.
Brandon Blum
January 25, 2026
Did you know that 85% of the time, people are consuming your paid and organic content on MUTE?
Make sure the content you’re creating reflects this behavior. Put captions on every piece of video content. And don’t over-obsess with music/audio. The editing/design and overall concept are what matters more than anything.
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👋 Hey, I’m Brandon Blum. I’m the Founder and Managing Partner at New Edition - a Brooklyn-based creative agency that creates winning creative for emerging consumer brands.
Everything below are genuine examples of brands I've encountered, filtered through the lens of working in the eCommerce industry and understanding the tactics these operators are putting to work.
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MAKE YOUR CUSTOMER FEEL LIKE THEY’RE WINNING
Over 60% savings? I’m compelled.
I’ve been getting served with pretty powerful ad creative from Serene Herbs, lately.
I haven't purchased it yet, but I nearly did the other night. Their offer felt too good to pass up, even if marked up aggressively - which I’m sure was what they did.
I recommend this offer to clients often. Customers want to feel like they're winning, even if it's partially an illusion.
Important caveat: This doesn't work for every brand. A luxury skincare brand discounting 50% sends conflicting signals and undermines positioning. Match your offer to your brand identity.
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ADD A FREE, WELL-TIMED GIFT WITH PURCHASE
They’re not offering this anymore, but here it is so you can see.
I tell this story to clients constantly. When my 1-year wedding anniversary approached, I saw an Instagram ad from Lime and Lou for a custom canvas print of our wedding song with our names and date. I was instantly sold—our first dance was deeply meaningful to me.
On their product page, I discovered an offer: spend above a certain threshold and get a free 5x8" canvas print of a wedding photo included. Two gifts for one price? Two ways to surprise my wife? I bought immediately.
This offer was brilliant. It understood my emotional needs while making business sense for them—they maintained margins, negligible shipping increases, and built lasting loyalty.
The takeaway: Find the leverage in your business model. Where can you bundle or add true, well-timed value for your customer without destroying profitability?
👇 FREE AD CREATIVE TO BRAND OPERATORS WHO READ THIS NEWSLETTER 👇
MAKE THE CASE FOR SUBSCRIPTION
Plant Paper’s product page was optimized for my needs—subscription was the primary option, with clear quantity and cadence choices.
A few months ago, Plant Paper's Instagram ad converted me immediately. TP is something you don't want to run out of, so subscription made sense.
I felt understood, and confident they'd solve a real problem (my anxiety about running out).
The takeaway: Category-specific, but obsess over this part of your funnel. Any confusion or friction here WILL kill conversions with cold audiences. Make customers feel understood and understand who they are and the need you’re solving for.
IN SUMMARY
The difference between a clicked ad and a conversion often comes down to one thing: the offer.
Here are three that are working.
Make them feel like they're winning
Add a free, well-timed gift
Show significant savings if they subscribe
What's working for your business? Respond directly to this email - or email me ([email protected]) - I'd love to help you stress-test your offer.
Until next week ✌️