The Problem with Most Ads
The first 3 seconds decide whether your ad gets watched — or wasted.
Attention is the most expensive currency in digital advertising — and the easiest to waste.
You have three seconds. Maybe less.
That’s all it takes for someone to scroll past your beautifully shot, expensively edited, data-backed ad.
If you’re not planning for the open, you’re planning to lose.
Creative that ramps up over time might work on TV.
On TikTok or Meta? You’re done before your message even begins.
A Frame-by-Frame Breakdown
Example: Sunglasses Brand
Frame 1: POV walking into harsh sunlight — viewer squints, color washed out
Frame 2: Sunglasses drop onto the lens — color saturates, squint gone
Frame 3: Bold overlay: “Why didn’t anyone tell me about these?”
Example: Luggage Brand
Frame 1: Overstuffed duffel hits the airport scale — zipper pops
Frame 2: Smash cut to a sleek hard-shell roller gliding effortlessly
Frame 3: Overlay: “Built for people who travel like it’s their job.”
These ads don’t start with branding or intros.
They start with:
Contrast
Motion
Tension
Relief
Takeaway: Think in Frames, Not Scripts
Your hook isn’t the first sentence — it’s the first frame.
Ask yourself:
Does this ad make someone stop immediately?
Can it tell a story without sound?
Is it visually clear who this is for and what problem it solves?
The best ads don’t shout.
They show.
They earn attention by making the viewer feel something instantly.
In a 3-second world, that’s your only real advantage.