Issue 199: your ad scripts sound like ChatGPT

+ how to make more ads convert in 2025 (with AI)

June 19, 2025

| THE INTRO

Ever look at your ad spend and think, “I could’ve just lit that money on fire and at least been warm”? Same. 🫠 

| TWEET OF THE WEEK

Most AI-generated ads suck. Cody Plofker shows you how to fix that.

His 2025 guide covers how to use AI to scale creative testing, extract top angles from customer reviews, and train AI on your brand voice—so you’re not just pumping out more ads, you’re making better ones.

This isn’t theoretical. It’s the exact workflow he’s using right now.

| YOUTUBE UNIVERSITY

The Art of Marketing (Full Masterclass)

| TOGETHER WITH MODASH

Is it just me, or is influencer-sponsored content getting boring?

It’s become so… predictable. Same captions, same talking points, same overexaggerated grin holding up a product. 🥱

UGC agencies and influencer marketing platforms promise to 3x your revenue, then deliver a handful of creators reading a script instead of speaking from experience.

The result? Skippable content that is technically on brand, but emotionally off. No personality, no real influence, and no sales. Sure, it’s cheap and quick, and for some brands, that’s enough. 

Any experienced Influencer Marketer knows: being forgettable doesn’t scale. A successful campaign manager will: 

  1. Hire creators for creativity & brand fit

  2. Give guidance, not scripts

  3. Check audience insights before reaching out 

Influencer marketing platform Modash helps you do exactly that. Built for Shopify brands, it offers the best creator discovery on the market - search 350M+ profiles, and run paid partnerships, gifting, and affiliates in one place. 

Starts from $199/month. Try for free - no credit card required.

| QUICK SHOTS

Ron Ecom: for the first time ever, we can use the flat digital files of our designs and make some images out of it and FEEL how the products look IRL before we actually make them.

Alex Greifeld: Why is it so hard for brands to find a “good” media buyer? Because most brands aren’t actually looking for a media buyer.

Jesse Pujji: My biggest theme for Q1 -> Q2 is PRUNING.

Sean Frank: Private equity Or The Producers? How Bankrupting a company can be a good investment:

Sarah Levinger: AI can now build your… →

| HERE FOR THE MEMES

| AND IN OTHER NEWS…

Walmart and Amazon Chase Agentic AI, Robotic Warehouses and Customer Loyalty | PYMNTS.com

Retailers like Amazon and Walmart don’t just battle for consumer spend in brick-and-mortar or online. They battle everywhere, all the time. As shoppers

From FBI fatigues to fitness icons, how 5.11 is taking tactical gear to the masses

We catch up with the apparel company’s brand boss, Eric Katzenberg, to hear how it is expanding into lifestyle without abandoning its military, law enforcement and public safety personnel audience.

Meta introduces tools and updates to its ads system

Meta has expanded its suite of products to allow advertisers to share information about the outcomes they value and measuring success.

Meta Battles an ‘Epidemic of Scams’ as Criminals Flood Instagram and Facebook

Fake puppies and phony offers of mouthwatering bargains are often seeded by overseas crime networks; employees say company is reluctant to impede its advertising juggernaut

This is how Microsoft is combining Windows and Xbox for handheld PCs

The full-screen Xbox experience is here

| GET LINKED

Which discount drives more sales? 16.5% off VS 17% off? Can you… | Armon Shokravi | 112 comments

Precise % discounts (like 16.5%) convert better than rounded ones (like 17%)—even when they’re technically smaller.

Why? Precise numbers feel more calculated and limited-time, triggering urgency. Round numbers feel generic, like a permanent markdown.

Works best for:

  • Utility products (e.g. tech, wellness, home goods)

  • Products under $100

  • Evergreen offers

Avoid pairing with urgency copy—it lessens the effect.
Stick to % off (not $ off) for this trick.

✅ Say: 19.7% off
❌ Not: 20% off

| RECOMMENDED SOFTWARE & SERVICES

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  • You know your email flows aren’t performing like they should—maybe even leaking revenue in ways you can’t see. 😬 Most agencies charge for “upgrades” without proving they actually worked. We don’t guess. We test, measure, and optimize—because every email should earn its keep. 🚀 Learn about the Email Flow CRO method here.

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| STAT ATTACK

| THE OUTRO

That’s it folks! Tune in next time for more spicy treats.

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