Last Updated: 3 months ago
Last Updated: May 2025
10 Ways to Create a Stand Out 15 Second Ad
If you’re looking to produce a 15 second ad that makes an impact, it’s worth remembering:
46% of people think ads say ads shouldn’t be longer than 15 seconds.
56% of people end up wanting to skip them anyway. (MarTech)
The 15 second video ad is the new commercial break, a lot of people hate them, most skip them, and some enjoy them more than the content themselves. (We’re not sure why).
Everyone has one or two adverts that always come to mind. The gems in the competitive cluster of digital ad clutter. Maybe they made you laugh, made you think, caught you off guard, and got you a little bit emotional. Possibly it was just that jingle that was frustratingly too catchy. The ads that you didn’t mind watching over and over again.
Many websites that run short video ads such as YouTube and Facebook have made up to 15 seconds completely un-skippable. While marketers rejoice everywhere, this makes the bar needs to high as you will be fighting a negative impression from the get-go when viewers are forced into watching your video ads.
Here are 10 ways to ensure your 15-second ad will get viewers to not miss that skip button (with examples).
TLDR:
- Capture Attention Immediately
Use the first 3 seconds to grab attention with bold visuals, sounds, or striking concepts. Leverage the AIDA model (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action). - Don’t Overload the Viewer
Avoid cramming too many ideas, visuals, or sounds into the ad. Simplicity and clarity are crucial for memorability. - Inspire Curiosity
Tell a mini-story that evokes emotion or intrigue. A compelling narrative (no matter how short) can boost engagement and brand favourability. - Sound Design Matters
Use satisfying or brand-aligned sound effects and music. Audio enhances emotional connection and helps with recall. - Break the Fourth Wall
Directly address the viewer to create a personal, engaging, and sometimes humorous tone, if it fits your brand. - Keep It Straightforward
Focus on one key message or call to action. Don’t dilute the message with complexity. - Avoid the Shock Factor
Shocking content may grab attention but can backfire in a short format by causing confusion or negative association. - Prioritise Brand Placement
Show your brand or product for at least 50% of the ad time to maximise recall and connect messages to brand identity. - Use Humour Strategically
Quick, clever humour works well in short ads and makes content more shareable and likeable. - Optimise for Each Platform
Design for sound-off viewing, use appropriate aspect ratios, include captions, and tailor CTAs for platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.
Want better ROI from video ads? Our YouTube experts can help
Looking for some help creating a stand-out 15 second ad? Get in touch and we’d be happy to help!
1. Capture attention for your 15sec ad immediately
Aesthetic images, popping colours, and interesting sounds.
We’ve found that it’s best to use the first 3 seconds of your video ad to grab your audience’s attention. Think about how you can create instant brand awareness. Those initial moments can determine whether someone’s focus will be held by the advertisement, or completely distracted from the video. This is the first step of the AIDA framework (attention, interest, decision action). The framework for creating engaging video content that captures attention, creates interest, generates desire and drives conversions through action.
But be careful, 15 second ads are a little different. Due to their compact nature everything runs a lot quicker. Attention is crucial as there’s very little time to generate interest or desire in a 15 second video, so audiences need to be hooked from the start.So get creative and think about how you can communicate your message in a pithy and punchy way.
2. Don’t overload your audience.
Your video ads are going to need to stand out from the crowd.
You need to create an eye-catching advert but you don’t want the focus of your video to get lost with everything that’s going on. That’s why our second piece of advice is ‘don’t overload’.
There’s no point investing in advertising if your video isn’t going to cut through and make a lasting impression. This won’t happen if your customers feel bombarded with images, noise and a brash call to action.
If there are too many ideas happening in a 15 second advert, chances are you might create a sensory overload for your audience – essentially leading into a negative experience and detracting from your CTA. (Especially with repeat plays).
Try to aim for something in the middle, whether it’s simplistic bold product shots or a single frame micro-story. Even action scenes aren’t off limits, but make sure it’s not noisy and distracting.
Think about how you put together the sound design so that your viewers are compelled to watch. Successful video ads are not verbose or deafening, but well-balanced to ensure that the focus stays relevant to your marketing goals.
3. Inspire curiosity for your ad within 15 seconds
Create video ads that reward the viewer for watching. That means, tell a story.
Whether your advert is poignant, entertaining or packs a punch, evoking an emotion can help you to deliver something positive.
Get the viewer intrigued by your story and you’ll have great engagement levels that could make all the difference to your sales.
You don’t need much time to be persuasive, helping to increase buyer intent and brand favourability.
4. Sound design sells
Whether it’s the awe-inspiring sounds of nature or that crisp click and fizz of a coke being opened. Sounds invoke emotion and can be a powerful way to grab attention.
A great soundtrack and satisfying sound effects can increase memorability too. It also adds character to your videos which is important for brand image and recall.
If a viewer has a positive interaction with your advertisement, it can be helpful for strengthening your CTA.
In this example, the video format was all about elevating the simplistic visual style. When it comes to the soundscapes there’s fresh hot coffee being poured. Satisfying ASMR clicks create a positive connection with the product design. A conclusion of positive affirmation with a short, straightforward product demo.
It’s the sound design that sells this particular piece of advertising.
5. Break the 4th wall
Execution and clever writing are important for video ads.
Depending on the tone of voice for your brand, we think breaking the fourth wall is a creative and strong option for engaging directly with your potential customers.
Worst case scenario for videos with direct address, is that the ends up being feeling a little bit cheesy. However, if done right it can turn out to be an incredibly charming way to connect with your audience.
Try to avoid forcing comedy or being overdramatic. Most importantly, keep the product offering short to stay true to the joke. Take a look at this example for how breaking the fourth wall can be a create a fantastic idea for your campaign.
6. Keep the 15 second ad straightforward
Time is short and attention is limited. Knowing that, the most effective communication you can get out to a consumer in 15 seconds is going to have to be straightforward and simplistic.
Convey one idea in your video while supporting it thoroughly. Trying to cram in too much information will just dilute the strength of the whole ad.
By concentrating on one key point, you are also able to keep content focused on your intended target audience.
7. Avoid shock factor
Whilst we love a story structure, 15 seconds isn’t a lot of time.
In our experience, short video ads with a shock factor can inspire important change, or spark some excitement. But when you only have a few seconds to capture and sustain viewer interest, you don’t have any time for build up or conclusion. Viewers aren’t expecting the shock in 15-second videos and are left with no closure.
Instead, irritation with their misplaced feelings may be placed on the brand instead. Not to mention, even successful shock advertising campaigns don’t always drive sales.
Take a look at this video:
How does it make you feel? It definitely is gripping, but does it make you want to sign up, support the cause, or move away from the video as soon as possible? Have a look to see what ads resonate with you and your prospective customers. Have they been able to successfully shock you and win you over, all in the space of 15 seconds?
8. Utilise Brand placement
When time is limited, brand awareness and memory retention become a primary advertising goal.
We’ve found that effective 15-second ads have their brand and products on screen at least 50% of the time – that’s 7.5seconds of your video ad at least!
The viewer should know at all times what the brand is and how it connects to the product or service. And essentially how it relates to your story. A disconnect will lead to the message not fully being delivered and overall weak brand recognition.
Whether the brand placement is in the background or even a watermark throughout the video. Awareness is a key factor that exponentially benefits with multiple views. This an easy way and efficient way to help you get the most of of your advertising.
What’s more, make sure your video ads are visible online, on your website, YouTube channel and other marketing platforms that your company use. Cross fertilising your video ad will help to access more viewers, further strengthening the success of the advertisement and your brand placement.
9. Make em laugh
Ads under 30 seconds really have a strong preference for humour over long formats. 15 seconds is more than enough time to get one, possibly two strong jokes that connect.
This can be brand-dependent but it’s an effective way of getting your ads to stand out. The creative limitations of having 15 seconds can inspire incredible, albeit, unusual ways of connecting with an audience.
Here’s a great example of a snappy but entertaining short video ad that we think hits the mark:
10. Optimise for the platform
Ensure your video is tailored for online and mobile viewing to maintain engagement and deliver your call to action effectively. Use vertical or square formats (such as 4:5) for mobile platforms like Facebook and Instagram, and always include subtitles, as most users watch without sound. Prioritise visual storytelling that works even on mute.
On platforms like YouTube, where ads can be skipped quickly, make your message clear within the first few seconds. Use YouTube’s interactive features to link viewers to relevant content or landing pages. Instagram allows direct links to shop pages, so grabbing attention instantly is vital for driving conversions.
If you’re producing a TV commercial, your video production company can advise on formatting and budget optimisation. No matter your goals or budget, adapt creatively for each platform to maximise impact.
Looking to get a standout ad produced? Get in touch, and we’d love to help you with a video that meets the needs of your target audience!