Ad types: choosing the right creative format
The ad type is one of the most consequential fields in a creative brief. It tells your editor what they're actually making, a testimonial, a founder story, a product demo, and it shapes the script, the shot list, and the pacing. In ATIYO, ad type is a field on every brief and a filter on your roadmap, so picking the right format up front keeps production focused and your data clean. This guide covers the common formats and how to choose.
How ad type works in ATIYO
Ad type appears in two places. First, it's a field on the brief so your editor knows the format before they start. Second, it's a saved entry in your Brand Bible alongside your avatars, core desires, and angles, and it's a filter on the Creative Roadmap so you can see how many UGC ads versus demos are in testing at a glance. Defining your ad types once in the Brand Bible keeps naming consistent across every brief.
Common DTC ad types
These are formats DTC brands lean on. Your own list may differ, so treat this as a starting point and adapt the names to your brand.
UGC / testimonial
A customer or creator speaking to camera about their experience. Feels native to social feeds, builds trust fast, and is a workhorse for cold audiences. Pairs well with problem-aware and solution-aware messaging.
Product demo
Shows the product in action and answers how does it work. Strong when the product is visual or has a satisfying mechanism, and effective for shoppers who already know they have the problem and want proof it works.
Founder story
The founder explains why they built the product. Great for brand building and for the most-aware audiences who care about mission and origin. Also a good differentiator in crowded categories.
Unboxing / lifestyle
The product in a real-life context or being opened for the first time. Sells the feeling of ownership and works for aspirational or gifting-driven purchases.
Listicle / educational
"3 reasons" or "how to" formats that teach while they sell. Effective for unaware and problem-aware audiences who need context before they'll consider buying.
Comparison / us vs. them
Positions your product against an alternative or the old way of doing things. Best for solution-aware buyers who are weighing options and need a reason to pick you.
Matching ad type to awareness level
Awareness level is another brief field, and it pairs tightly with ad type. As a rough guide:
- Unaware: educational or listicle formats that introduce the problem.
- Problem-aware: UGC and testimonial that make the pain relatable.
- Solution-aware: product demo and comparison that prove your approach wins.
- Product-aware: offer-led demos and testimonials that overcome the last objection.
- Most-aware: founder story and straightforward offer reminders.
Choosing a format for your brief
- Start from the avatar and core desire in your Brand Bible, what does this person actually want.
- Pick the awareness level you're targeting with this creative.
- Choose the ad type that best carries the angle to that audience.
- Set the ad type field on your brief so the editor sees the format up front.
- Add the creative to your roadmap and tag it with the same ad type so you can filter and compare later.
Using ad type to learn what works
Because ad type flows from the brief to the roadmap to your analytics, it becomes a lever for learning. Over a few testing cycles you can filter the Creative Roadmap by ad type and check Insights to see which formats produce winners for which avatars. That turns a gut call into a repeatable pattern you can brief against.
Next steps
Add your ad types to the Brand Bible so every brief pulls from the same list, then build them into a custom brief template. For full field-by-field guidance, see our creative brief examples and templates.