You’ve seen them everywhere lately.

Brown italic fonts. Shaky camera work.

“Authentic” lookin’ steamy mess.

Max cringe.

The “ugly ad” trend started a while back and is still rampant. Meta makes it extra easy through its Advantage Creative ad platform.

Why?

Because these ads often DO convert.

But this is what I don’t like: They convert for the WRONG reasons.

These ads work by hijacking our attention — like a lady in a hot pink and yellow feather dress or a car crash. We can’t look away, but intrinsically know we should.

In the process, they destroy something far more valuable:

• Brand equity you’ve spent years building
• Premium positioning you’ve carefully crafted
• Customer lifetime value you depend on (and will continue to)

Think about how our quick emotional reactions (dog brain) differ from our lasting impressions (tank brain). “Ugly” ads might sometimes trigger fast conversions, but they quickly and steadily erode trust.

Your CMO isn’t being precious about brand guidelines.

Your creative director isn’t just being “fussy.”

They’re protecting your most valuable asset: perception.

Think about this: When’s the last time a luxury brand went “ugly”? When’s the last time Apple made an intentionally bad ad? It won’t happen.

So WHY do enduring brands invest in quality?

Action for today: Review your recent ads. Are you focused on building lasting value, or did you get sucked into hacking algorithms for quick wins?

Need help balancing performance and brand value? Graphos Product has been guiding innovators for over 30 years. Reach out if you’d like to discuss your (guaranteed non-ugly) strategy.

Laurier

Product Payoff: When Nike first released its “Just Do It” campaign in 1988, critics called it too simplistic. They obviously missed the point — simplicity isn’t ugliness. It’s clarity!