From Sweat Stains to White Teeth: These 2 YouTube Shorts Ads Cooked 🔥

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:

…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:

🧼 Ad #1: The Sweat Intervention – This YouTube Shorts Ad Turns Embarrassment Into Sales

Our first ad pick for today blends street-interview spontaneity with founder-led pitch, and it works. 

It builds tension fast, flips it with empathy, then closes with a high-value offer.

Check it out:

This ad:

✅ Hijacks a universal insecurity (sweat stains in public)
✅ Transitions seamlessly into founder-led product demo
✅ Closes strong with a stacked direct-response offer

Let’s break it down part by part:

👀 Hook – The Sweat Stain Spot & Confrontation 

“Are you seeing that sweat stain? I feel like I need to go talk to her…”

👉 Why this works:

• Bold social tension instantly grabs attention
  

• Viewers lean in to see what’ll happen next
  

• “I work for a deodorant company…” removes hostility → opens the loop
  

🧪 Insight – All Deodorants Just Mask Odor

“They’re using fragrance to mask the odor, but not stopping the sweat.”

👉 Why this works:

• Educates mid-scroll, without losing momentum
  

• Reframes mainstream deodorants as ineffective → sets up contrast
  

• Builds credibility via calm, founder-led tone
  

🧴 Demo – Carpe’s Lotion Antiperspirant 

“Smooth, quick-drying lotion that goes on clear and stops odor and sweat.”

👉 Why this works:

• Physical demo builds believability
  

• Lotion format feels different vs. typical stick/spray → intrigue factor
  

• “Smells so good” = immediate social proof

🎁 Offer Stack – The Real CTA 

“56% off. 4 fragrances. Free wipes. Free gift. Free shipping.”

👉 Why this works:

• Rapid-fire benefits overwhelm objections
  

• Surprise + value = action trigger
  

• Makes the pitch feel generous, not salesy

💥 Punchline – Keeps It Human 

“Are you gonna get his number?” → “I have a girlfriend.”

👉 Why this works:

• Ends on humor → boosts memorability
  

• Keeps the founder relatable, not pushy
  

Don’t forget to check out other ads by this advertiser as well for some additional inspo!

Here’s a sneak peek:

🔑 Key Takeaways From This Ad

1️⃣ Tension First, Pitch Second
Social tension (sweat stains) is the scroll-stopper, product enters only after attention is secured.

2️⃣ Founder = Trust Bridge
A real person, real context, and calm explanation make the pitch believable.

3️⃣ DR Offer Stack = Performance Engine
The pitch feels like a gift, not a sell, because of the abundance of bonuses.

😲 Ad #2: The “Someone Cooked Here” Dental Transformation

This next ad doesn’t try to be subtle - and that’s exactly why it works. 

A dramatic before-after narrative is delivered in one massive block of on-screen text, while a dentist looks genuinely stunned, all following a viral trend:

This ad:

✅ Uses transformation storytelling without voiceover
✅ Pairs a wild dental claim with a shocked facial reaction
✅ Leverages the viral “someone cooked here” sound to boost replayability

Let’s get into more details:

👀 Hook – “Mouth FULL of Yellow Teeth…” 

“When a patient has a mouth FULL of yellow 🦷, bad breath, and early stage cavities…”

👉 Why this works:

• Directly names every insecurity: yellow teeth, bad breath, cavities
  

• The capitalized “FULL” screams urgency
  

• Audiences know this isn’t about someone, it’s about them
  

🧠 Transformation – The Unexpected Cure 

“…but started chewing remineralizing gum and came back 3 weeks later with no cavities, SNOW white teeth, & ZERO sensitivity.”

👉 Why this works:

• Condenses a “miracle result” into one sentence
  

• Uses vivid outcome language: SNOW white, ZERO sensitivity
  

• 3 weeks = short time frame → increases believability
  

😮 Visual Layer – Dentist Reacting in Real-Time

No words. Just a dentist staring wide-eyed at the camera with a mask on.

👉 Why this works:

• Expression carries emotional weight
  

• Implies “this result even shocked me” → instant trust
  

• Pairs perfectly with viral “someone cooked here” audio for meme value
  

Additionally, here’s what this ad’s landing page looks like:

🔑 Key Takeaways From This Ad

1️⃣ No VO Needed When the Text Hits Hard
The ad trusts the copy to carry the pitch, and it works because every word builds the transformation.

2️⃣ Viral Sound = Context Multiplier
The “someone cooked here” sound acts like a co-sign from the culture, not just a trend-jack.

3️⃣ Shock + Specificity = Perfect Storm
“Zero sensitivity” and “snow white” aren’t vague claims, they’re vivid benefits.

With that, we’re all finished 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!

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