Why Do People Hate Ads?
Ads are given a bum rap. You can fault them for cluttered sites and draining attention. But here's what most will admit privately. People don’t despise ads. People hate that they perceive their time is being squandered.
It's not advertising that's the problem. It's irrelevance.
You can create the most beautiful picture, write a compelling headline, even recruit a star. If it fails to register on the person who views it, it becomes part of the background noise. Or worse, nags them.
Now reverse script. Do you remember that particular ad that put a smile on your face, click, or even shared among friends? That's all about relevance. When ads are aware of the individual, their time, and their state of mind, they are no longer ads. They are worth.
So no, no one dislikes advertising. Everyone dislikes being misunderstood.
So, what they actually enjoy?
What Do People Actually Like?
Humans love to be understood. They love to feel relevant, clear, and somewhat charismatic.
If one ad speaks their language, fixes a problem they care about, or simply tickles them sufficiently without trying too hard, then it becomes magnetic. It ceases to feel like advertising. It feels more like their friend who knows them telling them that they should have it.
That's what people respond to:
Personalization
Discuss their situation, not their demography. “Women aged 25–40” is not a personality.
Story
Humans memorize stories, not features. A story people can identify with will always triumph over a description of advantages.
Emotion
Make them laugh. Make them feel acknowledged. Make them curious. Emotion comes before logic in their head.
Usefulness
Teach them something. Show them how it works. Show them a better day in their head.
Brev
Respect their time. Mean more, but talk less. If it takes too long to get to your point, you’ve already lost them. Good commercials never make sales pitches. After they reach out, sales are automatic.
The Real Reason People Hate Ads. How to craft perfect ads that engage people.
Top 5 Ads and Why They Worked
Good ads don’t yell. They talk to us. We feel them, are curious about them, or are educated by them. Below are five all-time great ads that nailed the brief — frequently with their simple big idea at their center and a link to view them in action.
Apple - Shot on iPhone
Concept: Empowering individuals to become creators. Apple transformed camera ad messaging specs into stories, telling about what ordinary people were capturing with their iPhones.
Why it worked: It was authentic. No elaborate studio lighting — just ordinary people performing magic.
Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfje2C2sHDMDove – Real Beauty Sketches
Concept: You are more beautiful than you think. Dove wanted to bring in a forensic sketch artist to draw women based on their own perceptions compared to other people's perceptions.
Why it worked: It was gritty, emotional, and delightfully human. It sidestepped product and appealed to sentiments of self-esteem.
Check it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpaOjMXyJGkOld Spice – The Man Your Man Could Smell Like
Concept: Unconventional, high-speed humor that redefined mens' grooming commercials. Quirky Old Spice became the unexpected, outrageous mens' brand.
Why it succeeded: It was humorous, catchy, and unlike anything found on supermarket shelves.
View it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owGykVbfgUENike – You Can’t Stop Us
Concept: Split screens that showcased unity, perseverance, and resilience through sport during moments of international challenges.
Why it succeeded: Visually stunning and emotionally powerful. It touched a communal conscience, not just athletes.
Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WA4dDs0T7sMSpotify – Wrapped Campaign
Concept: Making user data a celebration. Spotify Wrapped provided its users with a customized year's breakdown of their music and made it downloadable.
Why it worked: Everybody loves to read about themselves. It made them the center of their own story.
Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oygrmJFKYZY
How to Craft the Perfect Ad
Ways to Write Your Perfect Ad
Start from real conversations, not assumptions. Before you draft a Google Doc or come up with brilliant one-liners, converse with your audience. Understand what inhibits them, what increases their anxiety, what excites them. Understand how they themselves describe their own challenges, not how your staff talks about them in strategy meetings. Messages that always work are based on real, messy human insight not speculation.
build your key message and I mean brutally honest
Whichever platform you're writing for a static graphic, a 10-second reel, or a YouTube pre-roll the message should land hard and fast. It's got nothing to do with big words. It's got everything to do with clarity, empathy, and cadence. Write what they have to hear, not what you have to write. Cut your copy until it moves you. If it doesn't stop your heart, it's not gonna stop theirs.
Now bring it to life visually simply and effectively
Film or design isn’t about looking good. It’s about compelling people to feel. Your ad should be understandable in 3 seconds, but deep enough to have substance. Get attention for simple structure, thoughtful color, body communication, and subtle cues that reinforce the emotion of the message. If it doesn’t bring emotion to life on playback, it still has work to do.
Lastly, collaborate with a pro and don’t hide your ego
Even brilliant makers need a sharp second pair of eyes. Find a designer, a creative director, or copyeditor who will not hold back in telling you their thoughts. Ask them to poke holes. Effective advertising commercials are never made in a vacuum. Commercials are made in iterations of refining, testing, and retooling until they don’t just look wonderful they work.
