Practitioner pattern · Stav Zilbershtein (Co-founder and CEO of MaxFusion, the AI UGC tool recommended throughout; Cantina Labs results are from a MaxFusion customer)
Make AI ads look obviously AI instead of passing actors off as real
Guest's platform view: much better response; fake before/after claims turn viewers off
Workedpaid-social
What they did
Across MaxFusion customers: AI ads get a much better response when they don't pretend the AI person is real. Use formats that are clearly AI: funny skits, jokes, Pixar-style or cartoon animation, absurd realistic characters (a guy in a huge Elvis wig with a buffed-up body), talking objects (a muscle screaming 'I'm tired! I'm dehydrated!'). Avoid fake transformations and testimonials ('here's me before and after the app'); these feel like lying and are illegal in some jurisdictions. A suggestive hook that makes no false claim is fine.
What happened
Guest says ads that don't pass AI people off as real get a much better response; no numbers
“if you don't try to tell people that an AI person is real, you get a much better response.”
“The only turn-off for people is that, I don't know, transformation, you know? A fake person says, "Here's me, and here is me after the app."”
“just don't don't go for cheating people uh with a fake testimonial. That's anyway in some jurisdictions not even legal anymore.”
Related topics
Get tactics like this every Monday
New tactics from the week's founder interviews, each linked to where it was said.
More from this episode
- Cantina Labs: Make cheap AI ads: a scroll-stopping hook, the use case, a download askGuest says both ads worked; no numbers
- Cantina Labs: Remake your viral hook with different-looking actors, or in a cartoon styleOriginal hook went viral on TikTok; results of the remakes not shared
- Start AI video ads on cheaper models, not the most expensive oneGuest says top models burn credits fast; cheaper ones cover most hooks
- Ryze: Run AI-made singing drama ads that tell a story before showing the productOver half of the brand's live ads use the format; guest says people watch and buy
- Ryze: Run a mock apology ad that recaps your claims, then reveals a dealBrand runs several versions; guest expects high view time; no numbers
- Have AI write ad angles and scripts from real competitor ads, then generate videosAds made; not run yet, host will report numbers later
- Launch a $300/day trial-start campaign with 10+ creatives in one ad setPlanned; host's earlier campaign had too few creatives
- Drop the free-vs-paid feature table from your paywall; list benefits insteadHost says apps that removed it saw a lift; no numbers
- Give the weekly plan a 3-day free trial instead of 7 daysHost says it performs a bit better; fewer cancellations is his guess why
- MaxFusion: Open a shared Slack channel with each big customer and ship their asks fastFounder credits it for how the product looks; no numbers