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  • [3 Ad Thursday] 🤯 This weight loss ad had spent over 7.3 Million Dollars??

[3 Ad Thursday] 🤯 This weight loss ad had spent over 7.3 Million Dollars??

Plus: 2 calorie-related ads that are killing the game šŸ”„

Welcome to, or welcome back to this week’s VidTao 3 Ad Thursday!

Each Thursday we’ll be diving into our VidTao YouTube ad library to uncover 3 high-performing YouTube ads driving results.

This week we’ve got three high-performing YouTube ads for you to check out & model, including:

āš”ļøā€™Hers’ weight loss ad with over $7.3M in adspend…
šŸ“±Calorie counter app ad with over $250k in adspend…
šŸ’„Another Calorie Counter Ad by the Same Advertiser! ($400k in AdSpend)...

Ready to check the ads out?


The tracking metric you've never heard of that 4x'd a $750M business šŸ“ˆ


99% of DTC Subscription brands miss this

Duolingo was stuck in 2018.

Yes, $750M in revenue & 40 million+ daily users…

But growth?

Flatlining.

Hundreds of tests running… Nothing moving the needle.

They were trapped optimizing metrics everyone tracks: conversion rates, retention rates, acquisition costs.

Then they used a framework that flips traditional tracking on its head…

…exposing the ONE metric that mattered most...

…buried in every DTC subscription brand's biggest blind spot.

When they tested it against everything else — new user acquisition, reactivation campaigns, onboarding flows — this one metric had 10x more impact than all of them.

The result?

4x growth.

Not from better ads. Not from new traffic sources. Not from a rebrand.

From tracking one transition that 99% of subscription brands completely ignore.

Want to see how you can uncover your DTC subscription business’s ā€œmagic metricā€?

VidTao Co-Founder Brat Vukovich just wrote an article inside his weekly newsletter, The Dashboard, walking you through exactly how to dig into your own subscription business and uncover this golden insight.

PS — The Dashboard is where Brat shares weekly notes on building Bratrax, buying media, and making sense of performance data - without the fluff.

PPS — Send this link to a friend who needs it: blog.bratrax.com

Let's dive right in and take a closer look at this week's YouTube ad standouts and discover what makes them so successful.

āš”ļøā€™Hers’ Weight Loss Ad (Injection-Free Oral Medication Kits)

Our first ad pick for the ad analysis for this week is this neat-looking weight loss ad by the brand Hers.

Check it out:

This ad's estimated total ad spend is over $7.3! 🤯

Now, let’s dissect this ad and see what makes it so successful:

🧠 Hook

ā€œYes, this is why I switchedā€¦ā€ opens with intrigue.

The use of ā€œswitchedā€ implies a superior alternative — triggering curiosity in viewers frustrated with current solutions (e.g., injections or stalled results).

šŸ‘©ā€šŸ’¬ Relatable Social Proof

Stacked testimonials — ā€œI’ve lost 23 lbs,ā€ ā€œI wasn’t happy with how I looked,ā€ ā€œI’ve tried everythingā€ — mirror real audience frustrations.

The conversational, selfie-style tone and consistent ā€œREAL Hers customerā€ badge make the results feel credible and attainable.

šŸ’Š Product Demonstration 

Cut to soothing macro visuals of the Hers pill, logo, and packaging — establishing tangible proof that contrasts with the abstract testimonial talk.
The voiceover and text highlight the simplicity: ā€œoral medication kits,ā€ ā€œongoing care included,ā€ ā€œfree shipping.ā€

🧩 Process & Proof

ā€œPersonalized to your goalsā€ + ā€œunlimited messaging with a provider.ā€ 

This builds both credibility (supervised) and control (customized) — the two main psychological levers in the weight loss niche.

šŸ“¦ Offer Recap & CTA 

The ad smartly restates the key selling points visually as checkmarks — ā€œNo insurance. No visits. 100% online.ā€

The final screen (ā€œTake the free assessment to get started todayā€) turns the simplicity into an immediate call to action.

This brand has many other cool ads with millions in adspend! 

Check those out as well:

~ update from our friends at Funnel of the Week ~

Air Fryers, ā€˜Dark Posting’ & Category Creation for
a $4B Market

Our friends at Funnel of the Week just released a new funnel breakdown…

…This time it’s a DTC beauty brand using dark posting + smart benefit repositioning to turn a decades-old niche product into a mainstream hit.

The product? Shampoo bars. The angle? No longer ā€œeco-friendlyā€ - now it’s hair transformation stories like:

ā€œMy hair grew 4 inches in 2 monthsā€
ā€œFinally found the solution for my thin, lifeless hairā€

And the growth opportunity is huge:

  • US shampoo bar market: $4.13B, growing 7.7% annually

  • Only 35% of consumers know this category exists

  • Only 8% have tried solid shampoo bars

Inside this breakdown, you’ll see:

 āœ“ All ā€œdark postā€ influencer accounts running now - and how they target different demos
āœ“ Creative strategy that shifts from eco benefits to personal transformation
āœ“ The awareness stage moves that take someone from ā€œnever heard of itā€ to ā€œordering todayā€
āœ“ How this exact framework has created billion-dollar markets before (electric toothbrushes, plant-based meat, and more)

šŸ“±Calorie Counter App Ad With Over $250k in AdSpend

Our next ad pick is an ad for a cool calorie tracking app, check it out:

This ad's estimated total ad spend is over $250k!

Now, here are some of the elements that make this ad successful:

🧠 Hook 

ā€œIf you want to keep a flat tummyā€¦ā€ instantly narrows the target audience and evokes self-interest.

The phrasing feels organic — a natural voice of authority rather than scripted narration.

šŸ½ļø Visual Demonstration

The ad cuts between an overhead food shot and the app scanning feature.

The AI Scan interface (ā€œGood lighting, steady handā€) grounds the product in realism, showing exactly how it works instead of just talking about it.

šŸ“Š Product Mechanism & Credibility

The narration explains how the app breaks down carbs, protein, and fats — then logs results automatically.

This visual proof of efficiency converts abstract claims into tangible outcomes. The app’s clean, data-driven interface implies accuracy and sophistication.

šŸ“… Tracking Benefits

Weekly nutrition reports and ā€œhealth scoreā€ visuals drive retention messaging: this isn’t just a calorie counter — it’s a habit coach.

The transition from single-meal logging to a 7-day dashboard subtly positions Eato as a long-term solution.

šŸ’Ŗ Lifestyle Anchor 

Cut to the gym scene — lean, confident user checking progress. This visual payoff connects the app to aspiration, reinforcing that data = visible results.

šŸ“± CTA & Brand Close

The final frame shows the Eato app icon and download buttons for both app stores, accompanied by the verbal CTA: ā€œTake the guesswork out of eating.ā€

This phrase wraps up the entire message — simplicity, control, and transformation.

This advertiser also has other interesting big-spenders that are definitely worth checking out… šŸ‘€

šŸ’„Another Calorie Counter Ad by the Same Advertiser! ($400k in AdSpend)

Our last pick is actually another calorie-tracking ad by the same advertiser!  This one has a total ad spend of nearly $400k!

Check it out:

These are some of the elements this ad combines:

🧠 Hook

ā€œWhat 100 calories looks like.ā€ — a classic visual curiosity trigger.

Instantly makes the viewer compare foods in their head. This hook works because it uses contrast and simplicity — no words needed beyond the on-screen text.

šŸ½ļø Visual Demonstration

ā€œLet’s give it a quick scan with Eato.ā€ The app interface appears, scanning the food with options for barcode or camera.

The calorie and macro breakdown loads instantly. This makes the abstract promise of ā€œAI food trackingā€ tangible in seconds.

šŸ‘„ Social Proof & Authority

A fitness coach figure in a car explains, ā€œMy fitness coach recommended an app called Eato.ā€

This moment humanizes the product — it’s not a corporate ad, it’s advice from someone credible. The setting (car, casual talk) strengthens authenticity.

šŸ“Š Product Mechanism & Credibility

ā€œJust take a photo of your plate… the AI figures out what food you’re eating and how much.ā€

Clear educational framing backed by app footage showing calorie and macro data. Mentions of a ā€œdepth sensorā€ and automatic nutrient logging add scientific believability and technical sophistication.

šŸ„— Benefit Expansion

ā€œIt monitors your daily calorie intake and plans your meals with hundreds of fat-loss recipes.ā€

This section transitions from function to benefit — Eato is not just a tracker; it’s an automated weight-loss assistant. The promise of ā€œdelicious fat-loss recipesā€ positions it as lifestyle-friendly, not restrictive.

šŸ“± CTA & Brand Close

Visual: Eato logo, App Store + Google Play buttons. Voiceover: ā€œGo to the App Store, look it up, you won’t regret it.ā€

A relaxed close that feels like advice from a friend, keeping the tone organic and natural.

To finish off with - you can check out not only other ads by this advertiser inside VidTao, but all the relevant stats + more!

Find it here:


šŸ•µļø Want to ā€œSpyā€ on over 29 million YouTube ads (and landing pages)?

Go here to claim your free trial of the VidTao Premium YouTube Ad LibraryšŸ‘‡

With that, we’re all done for this week! šŸš€

We hope this week’s selection of high-performing ads has sparked new ideas to test yourself!

Want more insights like these?

Stay tuned for next week’s VidTao 3 Ad Thursday, where we’ll continue breaking down winning strategies from the best YouTube ads in the game!

And btw… If you have questions about YouTube ads?

Go here to schedule a free chat with our friends at Inceptly. Inceptly is a top Direct Response video ad agency, specializing in high-performing YouTube ad creatives & media buying.

Have a great week!

PPS - Are you spending $1k/day+ on Paid Ads? šŸ‘‰ Go here to set up a free YouTube Ad brainstorm chat.