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- 💯 From Emergency Ready to Everyday Ritual: Two Shorts that truly work
💯 From Emergency Ready to Everyday Ritual: Two Shorts that truly work
✌️[2 Shorts Tuesday] Breaking down our favorite YouTube Shorts Ads Scaling Now
VidTao
November 18, 2025
Want to see some YouTube Shorts ads that are scaling right now?
You’re in luck…
Because today is 2 Shorts Tuesday. Why YouTube Shorts ads?
Because YouTube Shorts ad inventory is only going to keep growing:
5 Reasons Why More Creators Are Choosing YouTube Shorts Instead of TikTok
#1 - 💰 MORE MONEY 💰
YouTube made it easier to earn money with YouTube Shorts in 2024 by letting creators take a cut of ad money from their Shorts—a better deal than TikTok’s confusing payment system.
This works for both short videos and regular YouTube content, making it safer for creators who want steady income.
#2 - ⛔TikTok Ban Rumors/Reality⛔
Rumors (and a quick reality) of a TikTok ban in the U.S. made many creators start posting on YouTube Shorts just in case. YouTube even let Shorts videos be 3 minutes long starting October 2024, copying TikTok’s style while giving creators more flexibility.
YouTube’s Big Advantages
#3 - 📈Built-in audience📈
Shorts get boosted by YouTube’s recommendations and trending lists, helping creators grow faster. TikTok doesn’t connect as well to other apps or longer videos.
#4 - 🆕Different viewers🆕
YouTube’s users are often older (25-34) vs. TikTok’s teen-heavy crowd, so creators can reach new fans.
#5 - 🤦♂️Creators Are Fed Up With TikTok🤦♂️
Many say TikTok’s rules change too often, and they’re tired of worrying about bans. YouTube feels more stable, especially with Google’s support for targeting the right audiences. The 3-minute Shorts also let them tell better stories without switching apps.
…And critically, most DTC & Direct Response advertisers are still under-leveraging YouTube Shorts as an ad placement.
(and the upside is huge)
So, what are some ways you can succeed with YouTube Shorts ads?
Let’s take a closer look at 2 YouTube Shorts ads doing well right now:
The tracking metric you've never heard of that 4x'd a $750M business 📈
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 “magic metric”?
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
🛰️ Ad #1: “Should These Radios Be Illegal?” - Rapid Radios Ad
Our first ad pick for this week is this 47 seconds long presenter-led Short that uses a polarizing opener, fast-cut proof overlays, and a direct scarcity close:
Let’s dissect this ad:
Instant Hook — Polarizing claim in first line
“Should these radios be made illegal?” Cut-in forest setting, device in hand.
Why it works: Pattern interrupt plus implied controversy creates curiosity momentum. Device visible from frame one anchors attention on the product, not the presenter.
Core Promise — “Unlimited range, zero monthly fees”
Overlay banners highlight the two value levers.
Why it works: Simple, binary value. Viewers encode the benefits before features.
“The only push-to-talk walkie-talkie with coast-to-coast coverage.” Map graphic reinforces coverage.
Why it works: Names a category and a leadership claim while the visual supports scope.
Reliability Frame — Emergency logic with carrier switching
“Designed to work in emergencies,” “5 days of battery,” “auto-connects to strongest carrier.”
Why it works: Moves from novelty to necessity. Reduces perceived risk for preparedness buyers.
“Turn them on and start talking,” “trusted by 130,000 Americans,” on-site reviews cutaway.
Why it works: Collapses onboarding friction and borrows credibility from crowd cues.
Offer & CTA — Scarcity and bonus
“60% off and free shipping, click below.” On-screen click bar.
Why it works: Clear incentive, clear action. No secondary asks.
Key Takeaways
Lead with a charged line, then immediately lock in the two-line value promise.
Use map or coverage overlays to visualize “range” claims.
Shift from cool gadget to safety utility using emergency reliability and battery life.
Insert proof mid-roll, not only at the end.
Close with single CTA plus price anchor. No feature drift.
Here’s a quick scroll through this advertiser’s landing page:
~ update from our friends at Funnel of the Week ~
Air Fryers, ‘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 “eco-friendly” - now it’s hair transformation stories like:
“My hair grew 4 inches in 2 months”
“Finally found the solution for my thin, lifeless hair”
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:
✓ All “dark post” influencer accounts running now - and how they target different demos
✓ Creative strategy that shifts from eco benefits to personal transformation
✓ The awareness stage moves that take someone from “never heard of it” to “ordering today”
✓ How this exact framework has created billion-dollar markets before (electric toothbrushes, plant-based meat, and more)
🍵 Ad #2: “From Near-Death to Puerh” — PIQUE
This next ad is a founder-led story Short that blends podcast authority, origin stakes, rare ingredient visuals, and a clean membership offer slide:
Let’s dive into it some more:
Cold Open — Mortality stakes in 1s
“85% higher chance you’re going to die of stroke, heart attack, premature death.”
Why it works: High-stakes context makes viewers commit early. The gravity reframes the product as part of a bigger mission.
Personal Struggle — Ten-year illness and failed surgery
“Ten years sick,” “third operation,” “surgery was a failure.”
Why it works: Vulnerability creates authenticity. Stakes justify why the founder built a solution.
“You wouldn’t have impacted so many people.”
Why it works: Borrowed authority from a known host and a values-based compliment that transfers credibility.
Product Bridge — Puerh mention and differentiation
“Puerh from Pique is radically different.”
Why it works: Moves from story to mechanism through contrast. Sets up why this version matters.
Ingredient Proof — 250–300 year old tea leaves, origin shots
Farm b-roll, leaves, product glamour.
Why it works: Specificity and rarity signal premium quality without technical overload.
Mission Close — Wellness purpose
“Pique is my life mission to help people achieve wellness.” Final offer slate: “20% Off For Life” plus free starter kit.
Why it works: Purpose-driven capstone, then a tangible, continuity-style offer.
Key Takeaways
Founder stakes first, product second. The story earns attention and trust.
Specific numbers beat vague claims. “250–300 year old leaves” reads as rare and memorable.
Third-party host lines add social proof without star testimonials.
End with a clean membership slide. The offer is explicit and scannable in silence.
Keep health language general. Focus on wellness, quality, and tradition.
Finally, this is what this advertiser’s lander looks like:
🕵️ Want to “Spy” on over 29 million YouTube ads (and landing pages)?
Go here to claim your free trial of the VidTao Premium YouTube Ad Library👇
That’s all for this week! 🚀
We hope this week’s selection of high-performing YouTube Shorts ads has sparked new ideas to test yourself!
Want more insights like these?
Stay tuned for next week’s VidTao 2 Shorts Tuesday…
…where we’ll continue breaking down winning YouTube Shorts Ads you can break down + model for your own creatives & campaigns.
And btw… If you have questions about YouTube ads or YouTube Shorts ads in particular?
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!
PS - Go here to Claim Your Free Trial of VidTao Premium: Access 29 Million YouTube Ads & Their Landing Pages!
PPS - Are you spending $1k/day+ on Paid Ads? 👉 Go here to set up a free YouTube Ad brainstorm chat.
Social Validation — Host reflection and gratitude frame