Here's how anyone can start making ads

Making ads is simpler than you think. Study what your audience consumes, use accessible tools like your smartphone and CapCut, and just start creating. Barry Hott, a growth marketing advisor who's managed over $600M in ad spend, proves that you don't need fancy equipment or a huge budget to make ads that convert.

“Just make ads!”

That's what Barry Hott told us at Motion's 2025 Creative Trends event.

If you're not familiar with Barry, he's a growth marketing advisor and consultant, inventor of 'ugly ads,' and a total ad nerd.

Barry has managed over $600M in ad spend during his 16+ years in the industry, and he still takes the time to shoot (and star in) ads himself.

You should too. Anyone can do it:

• Study what your audience consumes 👀
• Use the simple tools available to everyone 📱
• Just make the ads (seriously, just make them) 🎬

You can watch the recording from Barry's talk on YouTube or read on for a summary.

Is making ads the best use of your time? 🤔

What has a higher potential ROI than making ads?

If you create an ad that scales profitably, the time spent is well worth it.

Even if your ad flops, you’re building familiarity with the ad creation process. That knowledge is valuable whether you’re a creative making ads or a strategist planning them.

Barry’s been in the social ads game for 16 years and still shoots UGC/EGC ads for the brands he works with.

The best ads often aren't the most polished – they're the most genuine.

Think about the last ad that caught your attention on social media. Was it a big-budget production, or was it someone speaking directly to you about a problem you've experienced?

Find the balance between standing out and blending in

Making ads for social media means balancing two conflicting goals:

1. Standing out enough to grab attention 
2. Blending in enough that your ad doesn’t feel like an ad

This balance is why UGC ads work so well – they capture attention without setting off “this is an ad” alarms.

Employee-generated content (EGC) is gaining traction among DTC advertisers because it checks a lot of the UGC boxes:

• Performs well
• Cheap to produce
• Humanizes your product

On top of all that, employees have a natural reason to talk about your product so the connection to a selling point won’t feel forced.

How to make ads: Tools and techniques

Ugly ads have evolved from simple scrappy statics to simple scrappy videos. There are a ton of simple, accessible tools available for making ads:

• Shoot on your phone
• Edit in CapCut, Descript, or Veed.io
• Use native Instagram text and overlays

Don’t want to be on camera? Shoot footage of your product from a first-person point of view and just record the voiceover.

Study your audience's feed

Here's where marketers go wrong: they create content similar to what they see in their own social feeds.

You need to understand the type of content that your target demographic regularly watches. 

We touched on this in a previous Thumbstop about native-feeling social ads, but the best way to learn what your audience likes is:

• Create a fresh account
• Find popular creators in your industry
• Follow them and interact with their posts
• Let the algorithm show you what your audience sees

Ads of the week

Licorice.com – What licorice is supposed to be.

There’s a lot to like about this ad. It feels unstructured and organic, but I would wager that every shot was meticulously chosen.

There isn’t a hard sell in this video until the CTA at the end, but the product is visible from the first second. It’s still the focus of this ad, but it doesn’t feel like they’re just shoving it in your face.

Also, Barry himself is in the ad so it felt like a no-brainer.

What I love most about this ad is the positioning. They understand the reputation licorice has – it’s the candy your grandparents love, the stuff you eat last after halloween.

This ad essentially says, “we know you hate licorice, but the candy you know isn’t really licorice.” That’s so much stronger than just saying you make the best licorice.

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RTIC Outdoors – taste test.

This ad would blend nicely in the feed. Blind taste tests are a staple of organic content and it’s shot in the creator’s kitchen instead of a fancy studio.

I think this ad in particular proves Barry’s point that you don’t need perfect lighting to make a good ad.

The blind taste test format also gives RTIC a chance to highlight one of their selling points – the ceramic lining. The creator shows that she can notice the difference in taste, describing the ceramic as “fresh” and “crisp”.

It’s hard to show a difference in taste, but this taste test makes a more convincing argument than just telling your customers the tumblers are ceramic lined.

They’re selling the benefit, not the feature.

Ruggable – trendy vs. timeless

This isn't user-generated content, it's employee-generated content! This ad features two Ruggable employees debating whether things are trendy or timeless. 

We get to see some personality behind the brand, and they don’t just talk about rugs which makes it feel more authentic.

The hook is strong here as well. They open with “Sorry millennials,” calling out their target demographic right away. That helps the algo ensure the ad gets to the right people.

Tying it all together 🧵

It doesn’t matter who you are – if you work in marketing, you should make ads. It’s simple:

1. Understand your audience
2. Study organic content and creators
3. Shoot and edit some authentic, low budget ads

Now go make some ads!

FAQ: Making ads that perform

What equipment do I need to make effective ads?

You don't need high-end equipment to make winning ads. A smartphone, free editing software like CapCut or Instagram's native tools, and good lighting (natural light works great) are enough to get started. Barry Hott has managed over $600M in ad spend and still shoots ads with simple equipment like this.

How do I research what content my audience likes?

Create a fresh social media account and follow popular creators in your industry. Interact with their posts and let the algorithm show you what your target demographic actually consumes.

What makes UGC and EGC ads so effective?

UGC (user-generated content) and EGC (employee-generated content) ads perform well because they blend into the organic feed without triggering "ad fatigue." They feel authentic, are inexpensive to produce, and humanize your product. Employees particularly make great creators because they have natural reasons to discuss your product.

Do I need professional production quality for social media ads?

No. The best-performing social ads often prioritize authenticity over polish. "Ugly ads" (unpolished, lo-fi content shot on smartphones) can outperform expensive productions because they feel genuine and don't immediately register as advertisements to viewers.

How do I balance standing out while blending into the feed?

Focus on creating content that looks native to the platform while having a strong hook or unique angle. Study what performs organically in your space, then adapt those formats and styles to your product message. The goal is to capture attention without triggering viewers' "this is an ad" defense mechanisms.