Some of the best-performing ads on Instagram and TikTok do not look like ads. They look like a person talking to their phone about something they tried. This is the UGC style, short for user-generated content, and it works because it fits the way people already use those apps.
What UGC-style means
A UGC-style ad is made to look and feel like an ordinary post from a real person: filmed vertically, usually on a phone, with someone speaking directly to the camera or showing a product in use. It may come from real customers, hired creators or, increasingly, AI-generated presenters. The style is informal by design.
Why it works
People scroll past anything that looks like a commercial. Content that resembles what friends and creators post earns a second look. A person explaining why they like something also feels more believable than a brand describing itself. The format lends itself to demonstration, which is often the fastest way to show what a product does.
What makes a good one
The first two seconds decide everything, so open with a clear statement or a striking visual. Show the product or service early. Keep to one idea. Speak the way a customer would, without jargon. Add captions, since many people watch with the sound off. End with a simple instruction about what to do next.
Ways to produce it
You can ask happy customers to record a short clip, work with creators who make this content professionally, film it yourself in your own shop or clinic, or use AI tools to generate a presenter and scene. Each has trade-offs in cost, speed and control. Many businesses mix them, using real footage where it exists and AI to add variety.
Keep it honest
The style borrows the look of a personal recommendation, so it carries a duty not to mislead. Do not present a paid or scripted piece as an unprompted customer review. Follow advertising disclosure rules and the platforms' policies on AI-generated content. Claims in a casual video are held to the same standard as claims anywhere else.
UGC-style ads are one of the formats we produce in our ad creative service, alongside product and campaign imagery. If you want to test the format without organising a shoot, we can help.