Ecommerce Meta Ads Report (DTC Food Edition)

I've built an extensive n8n workflow that creates a pretty solid ad report based on a custom dataset of scraped ads from the meta ad library.

Data Acquisition: The process begins by automatically scraping the Meta Ad Library for a curated list of leading DTC brands. It specifically filters for the highest-performing ads, prioritizing those with the greatest reach (in this case, a combined 62 million impressions) to ensure we are only analyzing proven winners.
Creative Asset Analysis: For each ad, the workflow downloads the actual video or image creative. This asset is then fed directly into Google's Gemini model, which is prompted to act as a senior marketing analyst. It deconstructs every ad individually, extracting its core components: the hook, the psychological triggers, the offer, the creative format, and the overall concept.
Structured Data Aggregation: All of these individual analyses are parsed and structured into a clean dataset. This allows for a comprehensive, bird's-eye view of all the tactics being used across the competitive landscape.
Automated Synthesis & Reporting: Finally, the entire aggregated dataset is passed to a final AI agent. This agent's task is to synthesize the patterns, identify the overarching strategic frameworks, highlight outliers, and formulate the concrete, actionable recommendations you see in the following pages.

Sharing this report with you today, might be valuable to some of you and also give you another idea on how to utilize n8n.

DTC Food Ad Report

Executive Summary

This report analyzes a dataset of high-performing image and video ads from leading DTC brands across Food & Beverage, Health & Wellness, Home Goods, and Personalized Products. Our analysis reveals six dominant creative strategy frameworks that drive performance by leveraging specific psychological triggers and messaging patterns.
The most successful strategies are The Problem-Agitate-Solve (PAS) Framework and The Relatable Influencer Testimonial, which excel at building trust and demonstrating value. Key psychological tactics like Social Proof (e.g., "100,000+ customers"), Risk Reversal (e.g., 90-day money-back guarantees), and Scarcity (e.g., "Limited Edition") are consistently deployed across top-performing campaigns.
A notable outlier is HOLY's use of negative reviews as hooks, a high-risk, high-reward tactic that builds a uniquely authentic brand voice.
Based on these findings, we recommend A/B testing several new creative angles, including a direct "Us vs. Them" comparison to highlight our product's superiority and a DIY/Transformation-focused campaign to showcase our product's tangible impact.

Creative Strategy Frameworks

We have identified six distinct creative strategies consistently used by top-performing brands.

Strategy 1: The Problem-Agitate-Solve (PAS) Framework

Core Principle: This classic copywriting formula works by first identifying a deep-seated customer pain point (Problem), intensifying the emotional frustration associated with it (Agitate), and finally presenting the product as the definitive hero (Solve).
Why It Works: It creates a powerful emotional arc that moves the viewer from a state of frustration to a feeling of relief and hope. By agitating the problem, the ad makes the need for a solution feel more urgent and valuable.
Key Characteristics:
- Starts with a relatable, often rhetorical, question or statement about a common struggle.
- Uses vivid language to describe the negative consequences of the problem.
- Positions the product not just as a feature-set, but as the key to overcoming the frustration.
Examples:
- ahead: This ad perfectly illustrates PAS. It starts with the problem of craving sweets, agitates by mentioning guilt and health issues like weight gain and diabetes, and solves it with their low-sugar pistachio creme.
  - Snippet: "Jeder kennt's. Die Lust auf Süßes… Und sobald man sich dann doch was gönnt, kommt das schlechte Gewissen." (Everyone knows it. The craving for sweets… And as soon as you treat yourself, the guilty conscience arrives.)
  - Watch Video Ad
- Daily Rituals: This ad masterfully targets women experiencing menopause. It opens with the blunt problem "Menopause ist die Hölle!", agitates by listing symptoms like hair loss and joint pain, and solves it with Glow25 collagen.
  - Snippet: "Niemand bereitet einen auf den Haarausfall, die Hitzewallungen, die Gelenkschmerzen und die Falten vor." (Nobody prepares you for the hair loss, the hot flashes, the joint pain, and the wrinkles.)
  - Watch Video Ad

Strategy 2: The Relatable Influencer/Creator Testimonial

Core Principle: Leverage the trust and authenticity of a relatable personality (not necessarily a mega-influencer) to review and endorse the product. The focus is on a genuine, personal story rather than a polished brand message.
Why It Works: It borrows credibility and creates a powerful sense of social proof. Viewers trust a peer's experience more than a brand's claims. This format feels less like an ad and more like a recommendation from a friend.
Key Characteristics:
- Often shot in a User-Generated Content (UGC) style (selfie-mode, casual setting).
- The creator shares a personal struggle that the product helped solve.
- Uses conversational, unscripted-sounding language.
- Frequently includes a personalized discount code, reinforcing the creator's endorsement.
Examples:
- HOLY: Influencer Schradin, presented as the "Twitch-Rentner" (Twitch Pensioner), gives a humorous and seemingly honest review of HOLY's products, rating each one.
  - Snippet: "Wir testen heute HOLY… Ja, ist geil. Fruity Frog geb ich 'ne 9/10." (Today we're testing HOLY… Yeah, it's awesome. I give Fruity Frog a 9/10.)
  - Watch Video Ad
- Glow25: Ulla, a 57-year-old beauty blogger, speaks directly to her peer group about the challenges of aging and positions Glow25 as her trusted solution.
  - Snippet: "Ich bin Ulla, 57 Jahre alt… Als Beauty-Bloggerin habe ich natürlich ganz viele Kollagen Pulver schon getestet, aber ich würde mich immer für Glow25 entscheiden." (I'm Ulla, 57 years old… As a beauty blogger, I've of course tested many collagen powders, but I would always choose Glow25.)
  - Watch Video Ad

Strategy 3: The "Us vs. Them" Takedown

Core Principle: Directly or indirectly compare the brand’s product against a flawed alternative (a specific competitor, a product category, or an "old way" of doing things) to establish clear superiority.
Why It Works: This strategy simplifies the decision-making process for the consumer by creating a clear choice. It positions the brand as a modern, intelligent solution and builds authority by confidently "debunking" the competition.
Key Characteristics:
- Often uses a "myth-busting" or "brutally honest" tone.
- Highlights the competitor's weaknesses (e.g., bad ingredients, poor results, outdated design).
- Provides clear, logical reasons for its product's superiority.
Examples:
- Daily Rituals: A presenter systematically reviews five collagen brands, pointing out the flaws in competitors (too many additives, no lab testing, bad taste) before declaring Glow25 the "absolute winner."
  - Snippet: "Ich erkläre euch, welche der fünf Kollagenpulver einen Kauf wert sind und bei welchem ihr euer Geld aus dem Fenster rausschmeisst." (I'll explain which of the five collagen powders are worth buying and which are a waste of money.)
  - Watch Video Ad
- kartenmacherei: This ad challenges the status quo of traditional, somber condolence cards, positioning its modern, colorful designs as a more authentic expression of love and grief.
  - Snippet: "Weiß, Kreuz, Goldschrift: So sehen viele Trauerkarten noch immer aus… Das Leben ist bunt, Liebe ist bunt und auch Trauer darf bunt sein." (White, Cross, Gold script: That's what many condolence cards still look like… Life is colorful, love is colorful, and grief can be colorful too.)
  - Watch Video Ad

Strategy 4: The DIY Transformation & Aspiration

Core Principle: Showcase a visually satisfying and empowering "before-and-after" transformation that the customer can achieve themselves using the product.
Why It Works: It taps into the viewer's aspiration for improvement and creativity. The "after" state becomes a tangible goal, and the product is the clear vehicle to get there. This is particularly effective for home goods, beauty, and DIY products.
Key Characteristics:
- Strong visual hook showing the "before" state (e.g., a dated room, messy tiles).
- A clear, step-by-step demonstration of the process, emphasizing ease of use.
- A dramatic and satisfying "after" reveal that evokes a sense of accomplishment.
Examples:
- MissPompadour: These ads are textbook examples, showing how to easily paint old brown doors or renovate an entire 90s bathroom on a budget, resulting in a stunning modern look.
  - Snippet: "XXL Bathroom Makeover for a small budget? No problem! Wait for the final result 😍"
  - Watch Video Ad
- everdrop: The cleaning ads show the "magic eraser" effect of their products on tough grime and limescale, providing an instantly gratifying transformation.
  - Watch Video Ad

Strategy 5: The High-Impact Product & Offer Showcase

Core Principle: This is a direct, visually-driven approach that prioritizes communicating the product's core value proposition and the strength of the offer above narrative or storytelling.
Why It Works: It's built for speed and clarity, perfect for scroll-stopping on social feeds. It quickly answers the viewer's primary questions: "What is it?" and "What's in it for me?"
Key Characteristics:
- Heavy use of bold text overlays to highlight key benefits or the offer (e.g., "GRATIS," "90% Weniger Zucker," "-25%").
- Clean, high-quality product photography or quick, dynamic video cuts.
- Focuses on the most compelling features, ingredients, or deal terms.
Examples:
- ahead (Image): These static ads are masters of this strategy. They use vibrant colors and huge text to scream "GRATIS*" or "90% weniger Zucker," making the value proposition impossible to miss.
  - View Image Ad
- HelloFresh (Image): This ad uses an appetizing close-up of the meal and overlays it with a crystal-clear price comparison and discount code, focusing entirely on the value and quality.
  - View Image Ad
- Surreal (Video): This ad for a limited-edition cereal uses fast cuts and bold on-screen text to communicate the new flavor, the offer (free bowl & spoon), and the scarcity ("get it before it sells out").
  - Watch Video Ad

Strategy 6: The Community-Centric Announcement

Core Principle: Frame a product launch or update as a direct response to customer requests and feedback.
Why It Works: It makes customers feel heard and valued, fostering a loyal community. This strategy transforms a simple product announcement into a collaborative "win" for both the brand and its audience.
Key Characteristics:
- Directly addresses the community with phrases like "You asked for it…" or "So many of you wanted…"
- Emphasizes that the brand is listening and responding to its customers.
- Builds excitement and a sense of insider involvement.
Examples:
- HOLY: This ad explicitly states that they added new flavors to the starter set because of overwhelming customer requests.
  - Snippet: "Mega viele von euch haben sich gewünscht, dass wir die neuen Holy Energy Sorten auch ins Starterset hauen und genau das haben wir gemacht." (A ton of you wished for us to put the new Holy Energy flavors in the starter set, and that's exactly what we did.)
  - Watch Video Ad

Psychological & Creative Devices

Across all strategies, several key psychological devices are used to maximize impact:

Overwhelming Social Proof: Brands don't just say they're popular; they prove it with hard numbers.
- Examples: ahead ("146.598 Kunden haben bereits umgestellt"), Glow25 ("über 1 Million Kundinnen"), Fairment ("wird sie jeden zweiten Tag ausverkauft"). This builds immense trust and reduces perceived risk.
Aggressive Risk Reversal: Money-back guarantees are a cornerstone of trust-building for high-consideration products.
- Examples: Glow25 and Fairment offer a 90-day money-back guarantee, while ahead offers a 60-day taste guarantee. This removes the financial risk for the consumer and signals the brand's confidence in its product.
Scarcity and Urgency: These triggers are used to drive immediate action.
- Examples: Surreal ("Limited edition"), ahead ("Letztes Mal war sie nach nur 24 Stunden restlos ausverkauft"), everdrop ("Nur solange der Vorrat reicht").
Authority & Credibility: Brands borrow authority from experts to validate their claims.
- Examples: Fairment ("Darm- und Immuntherapeut"), Bears with Benefits ("Dr. med. Anne Latz"), Daily Rituals ("Jenny vom Daily Rituals Magazin").

Format-Specific Patterns

Video Ads: Are primarily used for narrative and demonstration. They excel at telling stories (founder stories, customer journeys), showing a process (DIY tutorials, recipes), and building emotional connections through human faces, tone of voice, and music. The structure is almost always Hook -> Problem/Context -> Solution/Product -> Social Proof -> Offer/CTA.
Image Ads: Are built for immediacy and offer clarity. They must communicate their entire message in a single glance. They rely heavily on high-impact visuals, bold typographic overlays, and a crystal-clear value proposition (e.g., a discount, a free gift). The most effective ones, like those from ahead and HelloFresh, masterfully combine an enticing product shot with an unmissable offer.

Outliers & Novel Tactics

HOLY's Negative Review Strategy: The most significant outlier is HOLY's tactic of using real, one-star customer reviews as ad hooks (e.g., "Bock auf Durchfall? Probiere HOLY Energy!" - "In the mood for diarrhea? Try HOLY Energy!").
- Why it works for them: This is a masterful display of brand-audience fit. It uses reverse psychology and humor to disarm the viewer, positioning the brand as transparent, confident, and edgy. It filters for an audience that appreciates irreverent marketing and builds a cult-like following. This would be catastrophic for a brand like Glow25 but is perfect for HOLY's target demographic.
- View Image Ad
Fairment's Long-Form VSL (Video Sales Letter): In an era of 15-second hooks, Fairment's 9-minute ad is a bold outlier. It works because it targets a high-pain-point audience (those with chronic gut issues) who are actively seeking in-depth information and are willing to invest time for a credible solution. The ad acts as a full educational webinar, building immense authority before the final pitch.
- Watch Video Ad

Conclusion & Actionable Recommendations

The competitive landscape is dominated by sophisticated, psychology-driven creative. Brands are not just selling products; they are selling solutions, transformations, and identities. To compete effectively, we must move beyond simple feature lists and embrace more narrative and emotionally resonant strategies.
Based on this analysis, we recommend prioritizing the following A/B tests:

Test a "Problem-Agitate-Solve" Video Ad:
- Hypothesis: A PAS creative will outperform our current benefit-led ads by creating a stronger emotional connection and sense of urgency.
- Experiment: Create a video ad for one of our hero products that identifies a key customer pain point, elaborates on the frustration it causes, and presents our product as the ultimate solution.
Launch an "Us vs. Them" Campaign:
- Hypothesis: Directly contrasting our product with an inferior market alternative (e.g., "the old way" or a general product category) will improve conversion rates by highlighting our unique value proposition.
- Experiment: Develop creative (both image and video) that explicitly states, "Tired of [competitor problem]? Here's why we're different…" and lists 2-3 key differentiators.
Implement and Test Aggressive Risk Reversal:
- Hypothesis: Adding a strong, time-based money-back guarantee (e.g., "Love it in 60 days or your money back") to our ads and landing pages will increase conversion rates by reducing purchase anxiety.
- Experiment: A/B test ad copy and landing page elements with and without a prominent guarantee seal and messaging.
Develop a DIY/Transformation Creative:
- Hypothesis: A tutorial-style video showing a satisfying transformation using our product will drive higher engagement and consideration than a static product shot.
- Experiment: Create a short, visually engaging video in the style of MissPompadour or everdrop, showing our product in action to achieve a desirable "after" state.
A/B Test a "High-Impact Offer" Static Image:
- Hypothesis: An image ad focused on a compelling free gift with purchase (GWP) or a steep discount, styled like the ahead "GRATIS" ads, will generate a lower CPA for first-time customer acquisition.
- Experiment: Design a visually bold image ad with a strong offer overlay and test it against our current image creative.