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✅ 📊 Short, specific, believable: gum results ad + temperature-proof socks ad

✌️ [2 Shorts Tuesday] Breaking down our favorite YouTube Shorts Ads Scaling Now

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VidTao
December 16, 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: Remineralizing Gum Case Study Ad

Our first ad pick for this week is a TikTok-style “dentist POV” ad that piggybacks a viral sound and uses on-screen text to tell a 3-week transformation story.

Check it out:

This ad has over 3m views since its publishing in April…

Now, let’s get into more details and see why & how this works:

➡️ Instant Pattern Interrupt – Viral sound + white coat cue

Creator in scrubs pops on screen with “someone cooked here” audio and a bold wall of text.

Why it works: The meme sound hooks; medical attire signals authority fast.

➡️ Claim Stack – Extreme before→after in one card

Text: stained teeth, bad breath, early-stage root canal → returns with “no cavities, snow-white teeth, zero sensitivity.”

Why it works: High-contrast outcome compresses a full story into seconds.

➡️ Product Reveal – Pack shot as proof anchor

Box held to camera; label legible.

Why it works: Physical product on screen reduces “too internet” skepticism.

➡️ Mechanism Hint – “Remineralizing gum” (ongoing overlay)

No science deep-dive, but the category name implies a mechanism.

Why it works: One precise noun gives the brain something to believe.

➡️ Authority Frame – Creator identity by uniform

No credential readout; visual substitutes for a resume.

Why it works: Lightweight credentialing keeps pace with short-form attention.

➡️ Soft Close – No shouted CTA

The product and overlay do the selling.

Why it works: Tone stays native to UGC and avoids infomercial energy.


Key Takeaways

  • Lead with a transformation headline, not a lecture.

  • A single, well-named mechanism (“remineralizing gum”) beats vague benefits.

  • Uniforms, labs, and props are fast authority cues in silent watch.

  • Pack shot early prevents “what is this?” drop-off.

  • Keep audio native: trending sound + crisp captions.

Swipe This

  • Add a 3-second “Result card” overlay: “Fresh breath • Less sensitivity • Daily chew routine.”

  • Split screen: left = chew routine; right = timer + day counter.

  • Pin a top comment from a verified dental professional account if available.

  • End slate with a micro-FAQ carousel: “How often? Who’s it for? Flavor?”

Here’s a quick look at this advertiser’s landing page as well:

~ 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: Boot Socks That Beat Weather - HollowSocks Ad

This next ad is a podcast style + split-screen field footage that turns a casual recommendation into a believable performance claim:

This ad has over 18m views on YouTube…

…and over $1.3M in ad spend!

Let’s dissect this ad together:

➡️ Hook – Counter-intuitive temp claim in first line

“From sub-freezing to 80° and your toes don’t notice.”

Why it works: One line reframes socks as tech, not commodity.

➡️ Relatability Bridge – Costco/Amazon habit confession

“10-pack for 25 bucks… my whole life.”

Why it works: Disarms price objections before they appear.

➡️ Live Social Proof – Third-party validation on-air

“Did these socks not change your life?” “Legit.”

Why it works: Real-time agreement feels unscripted.

➡️ Demonstration Layer – Split-screen field visuals (ongoing)

Booting up, hiking on snow while hosts talk.

Why it works: Visual proof runs parallel to persuasion, perfect for muted viewers.

➡️ Credibility Micro-Cue – “I brought you some”

Gifting implies confidence.

Why it works: Tactile immediacy increases trust.

➡️ Problem Callout – “Cold toes”

Sharp problem naming to anchor memory.

Why it works: Viewers categorize the product in one phrase.


Key Takeaways

  • Podcast clips are gold when the first sentence is a clear, testable claim.

  • Pair talk-track with B-roll doing the thing being promised.

  • Use a relatability confession to neutralize the “socks are a commodity” frame.

  • Short, binary problem labels stick: “cold toes,” “sweaty feet,” “blisters.”

Swipe This

  • Add a 2-sec thermo overlay: “Core yarn = temp regulation” or “Moisture-wick + cushion zones” if accurate.

  • On-screen challenge badge: “Ice box test: 10 minutes” while the host keeps chatting.

  • Lower-third price framing: “1 pair vs 10-pack math” with lifespan estimate.

  • Carousel end card: Hike • Work boots • Ski • Everyday.


Don’t forget to check out other ads by this advertiser inside VidTao for some additional inspo:

🕵️ 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👇

With that, we’re all done 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!

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