🧑‍🔬 Your competitors hate this ad strategy

Did you see it?

Here’s what makes this video so great:

1. The headline hints at giving “insider knowledge” against a common enemy (airlines). More on this below.

2. He packed a bunch of condoms

3. He packed his toothbrush on top of his shoes

And these last two points are so subtle but get people going crazy in the comments (almost 2,000 comments):

Let’s break this down in more detail:

🧪 IMPPACT Breakdown

Don’t know my IMPPACT framework? Start here.

I: Interrupt (Score: 5/5)

The headline “Airlines hate this backpack” creates an immediate pattern interrupt in two days:

1. It triggers a Curiosity Gap by implying there's insider information you need to know.

2. It leverages Enemy Marketing by positioning the product against a "villain" (airlines), immediately creating an emotional response.

How can you call out a universal “villain” in your ad?
Note: this can be competitors, but can also be a more general “enemy” in your industry

M: Motivation (Score: 4/5)

The video brilliantly taps into two powerful motivations: saving money (avoiding baggage fees) and outsmarting the system. It paints a clear picture of your future self (i.e., the type of savvy traveler who breezes through airports while others pay fees and struggle with checked bags).

P: Personalization (Score: 3/5)

The video leverages the Barnum Effect by directly speaking to a universal travel pain point. The casual, vlog-style presentation makes it feel like advice from a friend rather than a branded ad. While this version is more general with the word “airlines”, they do other versions calling out specific airlines to make it feel even more personal.

P: Proof (Score: 4/5)

Rather than just claiming the backpack can hold everything, the video provides visual evidence by showing the exact process. This before/after visual proof is more compelling than any written testimonial could be and is a perfect example of “showing, not telling.” The only missing element is specific numbers or customer testimonials.

A: Authenticity (Score: 4/5)

The video uses a real person in a real airport with a casual filming style that feels genuine rather than overly produced. Plus, showing the process of using the product creates trust.

C: Confidence (Score: 3/5)

While the demonstration of using the backpack in a real-world scenario reduces purchase anxiety, the video could do better here by mentioning a guarantee or return policy to further reduce perceived risk.

T: Twist (Score: 5/5)

The "airlines hate this" angle provides the perfect twist on a familiar product. Everyone knows what a backpack is, but positioning it as a clever hack against airline fees makes it novel and shareable. This leverages both Familiarity Bias (it's still just a backpack) and Novelty Bias (but with an unexpected application).

Total Score: 28/35

🤔 Should You Use This Type of Ad?

This type of "hack" or "insider secret" positioning works best for:

1. Products that help customers avoid fees, save time, or bypass inconveniences

2. Solutions to widely experienced pain points with established "villains"

3. Products with visually demonstrable benefits

Ask yourself these questions to determine if this approach fits your brand:

1. Does your product help customers "beat the system" in some way?

2. Can your product benefits be visually demonstrated in under 30 seconds?

3. Is there a clear "opponent" or pain point provider in your industry?

Remember: this approach works because it taps into emotions we all share—the satisfaction of finding a clever solution and the thrill of avoiding an unnecessary cost. If your product delivers a similar emotional benefit, this framework could be gold for your next campaign.

🤖 AI Tools You May Enjoy

Here some new AI tools you may find helpful:

• Pippit (by CapCut): Simply input your website URL and it will scrape images and videos from it and combine it with AI UGC. It’s still a bit janky at the moment but has potential to be really powerful.

• Poppy AI: They just added the ability to connect Facebook Ads to the tool, making this even more powerful. I continue to love this tool.

Note: Some of these may be affiliate links but they’re all genuinely great.