You spent $10,000 on a production crew. You rented a studio. You hired models. The lighting is cinematic.
And a 19-year-old with an iPhone in a dimly lit bathroom is outperforming you.
Welcome to the "Ugly" Content Paradox.
In the feed, "High Polish" = "Advertisement." Our brains are trained to scroll past commercials.
"Low Polish" = "Content." Our brains are trained to consume entertainment from friends and creators.
How to Engineer "High-Performance Ugly"
This doesn't mean making bad ads. It means making native ads.
🎯 Use Native Fonts
Don't use your brand font for subtitles.
Use the TikTok/Instagram native text editor fonts. It signals "I made this on the platform."
🎯 Imperfection is Trust
Don't color grade the footage to perfection.
Allow stutters, messy rooms, or handheld camera shake.
If it looks too perfect, the viewer’s "BS Detector" goes off.
🎯 The "Feature" Aesthetic
Use the green screen effect.
Reply to a comment with video.
Use trending stickers.
Rule: If it looks like a user made it, people will watch it.
The Brand Guardrail
You can still protect your brand equity. Keep your landing page and website pristine and premium. But let your top-of-funnel creative play in the mud. That's where the attention is.
Your turn: Are you brave enough to run a raw, unedited iPhone video this week?
