One of the most common questions we get: “Should we shoot this in a studio or use UGC?”
The truth is, both have their place — but in this case, creator content crushed it.
Here’s what happened when a lifestyle brand tested two versions of the same ad.
The test
Product: Luxury hair oil
Audience: Women 25–40, Instagram and Facebook
Goal: Drive traffic to product page and increase conversions
Version A: Studio ad
Version B: Creator ad
The results
Why the creator version won
What the brand learned
Polished doesn’t always mean powerful. For paid social, relatability wins. The audience didn’t want to be impressed — they wanted to believe.
Takeaway
Studio content has its place, especially for landing pages or product displays. But for scroll-stopping, trust-building performance? Creator-led ads are often your best bet.
Want to avoid the five most common video ad mistakes?
Download our free guide at upstir.co/5-video-ad-mistakes
It is 14 pages of real tips to help you improve your hooks, lower ad costs, and create content that actually works.
The truth is, both have their place — but in this case, creator content crushed it.
Here’s what happened when a lifestyle brand tested two versions of the same ad.
The test
Product: Luxury hair oil
Audience: Women 25–40, Instagram and Facebook
Goal: Drive traffic to product page and increase conversions
Version A: Studio ad
- Clean white backdrop
- Product close-ups in soft light
- Minimalist motion graphics
- Calm music and voiceover
Version B: Creator ad
- Creator talking directly to camera
- Handheld application demo in natural light
- Raw voice + captions
- Ends with: “You need to try this — seriously”
The results
- Engagement rate: +70% on the creator version
- Click-through rate: 2.3x higher
- Cost per click: 40% lower
- ROAS: +1.8x improvement
Why the creator version won
- It felt real and personal
- The viewer saw themselves in the scenario
- Trust built quickly — it felt like a recommendation, not an ad
- Hook came faster, and CTA was more natural
What the brand learned
Polished doesn’t always mean powerful. For paid social, relatability wins. The audience didn’t want to be impressed — they wanted to believe.
Takeaway
Studio content has its place, especially for landing pages or product displays. But for scroll-stopping, trust-building performance? Creator-led ads are often your best bet.
Want to avoid the five most common video ad mistakes?
Download our free guide at upstir.co/5-video-ad-mistakes
It is 14 pages of real tips to help you improve your hooks, lower ad costs, and create content that actually works.