[2 Shorts Tuesday] 2 YouTube Shorts Ads With Millions of Views That Redefine Progress

Want to see some YouTube Shorts ads that are scaling right now, using VidTao YouTube ad spy tool?

You’re in luck…

Because today is 2 Shorts Tuesday. Why YouTube Shorts ads?

Because YouTube Shorts ad inventory is only going to keep growing: 

...And critically, most DTC & Direct Response advertisers are still under-leveraging YouTube Shorts as an ad placement.

(and the upside is huge)

So, what are some ways you can succeed with YouTube Shorts ads?

Let’s take a closer look at 2 YouTube Shorts ads doing well right now:

🏋️ Ad #1: “The Gym-Ready Body Scanner” – This Ad Sells Accuracy, Simplicity, and Progress

Have you ever seen such device??

This YouTube Shorts ad by the brand Hume Health blends influencer-style authority, visual walkthrough, and comparison-based positioning to promote the Body Pod - a cool body composition scanner!

It leans into 3 things that convert well on Shorts:

✅ Social proof via the setting (in the gym)
✅ Fast demo of the product in action
✅ Competitive destruction (vs. SmartScale)

This ad also has nearly a million views 👀…

Let’s get into more details, shall we?

Instant Authority Hook – The Trainer Reco 

•“Product I would recommend as a 40-year-old fitness trainer.”

•Opens with the speaker framed mid-gym, standing next to the Body Pod.

👉 Why this works:

•Immediate credibility—fitness trainer at age 40 implies longevity and trust.

•No hype—just a confident recommendation, which aligns with health-minded audiences.

•Visual setting (a real gym) enhances trust and relevance.

Product Benefit Stack – What It Does for You

“Uses advanced body analysis to help build muscle, lose fat, and reverse your metabolic age.”

•Cut to visuals of stepping on the machine, scanning process starts.

👉 Why this works:

•High-perceived benefit stack in <10 seconds: aesthetics + health + anti-aging.

•“Reverse your metabolic age” = intriguing health promise.

•Quick real-world use case demonstration makes it feel simple and achievable.

Emotional + Functional Payoff – Personalized Feedback

•“It gives me precise insights and feedback on which areas I need to work on.”

•“Allows me to track progress and stay on course.”

•Visual: App interface shows body scan output.

👉 Why this works:

•Turns the product into a coach—not just data, but direction.

•Progress tracking = emotional payoff (you’re not guessing anymore).

•App footage adds tech validation—feels like a premium, integrated solution.

Comparison Killshot – Body Pod vs. SmartScale

“Six times more accurate than SmartScale.”

•“Measures your full body, not just your bottom half.”

•Visual: Side-by-side comparison with arrows and scan zones.

👉 Why this works:

•Clear competitive destruction—SmartScale gets framed as incomplete.

•Specific claim (“six times more accurate”) feels measurable, even if not verified.

•Visuals support the claim with anatomy graphics and scan overlays.

Call to Action – Recommendation from the Trenches

•“If you’re on a health program like me, or thinking of starting one… get the Body Pod.”

•“10/10 would recommend this.”

•Ends with app + machine visual and soft CTA overlay.

👉 Why this works:

•Feels peer-to-peer—not a hard sell, just a helpful tip.

•Inclusive language (“like me”) builds affinity.

•Final “10/10” wraps with enthusiasm and authority.

Key Takeaways from this Ad

1️⃣ Authority-Based Hook – Opening as a fitness trainer at 40 gives instant trust & relatability.
2️⃣ Feature Stack = Fast Benefit Framing – In 10 seconds, it’s muscle, fat loss, and metabolic age reversal.
3️⃣ Comparison-Based Framing – Calling out SmartScale makes the Body Pod feel like the “real” option.
4️⃣ Visual Demonstration Sells Simplicity – Stepping on and getting a scan in 20 seconds? Easy to imagine using.
5️⃣ Progress = Emotional Conversion – This isn’t just a tool—it’s how you know your program is working.

Head over to VidTao, our ad intelligence software to see more winning ads by this brand!

📱Ad #2: “Replace Scrolling with This?” – Headway’s Ad Uses Habit Reframing to Sell Microlearning

Our next analysis - a YouTube Shorts ad by Headway (with 2.8M+ views!!)

This ad uses a minimalist, punchy format to reposition wasted screen time as a growth opportunity:

It’s not a deep dive—it's a quick shift in mindset, using:

✅ Positive identity appeal (“Makes you extremely intelligent”)
✅ App demo with in-context phone use
✅ Simple problem/solution framework

Let’s break it down:

Hook – Intelligence as a Habit

•“Here’s one habit that makes you extremely intelligent.”

•Visual: Person holding a phone, casually framed like a social video.

👉 Why this works:

•Identity-based hook—people don’t just want to learn; they want to be smart.

•Simple, declarative opening drives retention.

•Curiosity activated: What’s the habit?

Problem & Solution – Scroll Replaced by Smart Content

•“Replace social media with microlearning. Have you heard about this app, Headway?”

•Visual: App interface shown in real time while scrolling.

👉 Why this works:

•Reframes a negative behavior (doomscrolling) as an opportunity.

•Soft self-comparison—viewer feels like they could be doing this instead.

•Product introduced at the moment of pain recognition.

Social Proof + Ease of Use

•“I replaced scrolling with it and it’s a game-changer.”

•“Whenever you're bored or have 15 minutes…”

•Visual: Summaries of well-known books scrolling naturally.

👉 Why this works:

•Peer-to-peer tone (“I replaced scrolling…”) feels organic and trustworthy.

•Mentions boredom—common trigger for bad habits, now repurposed.

•Makes the habit feel frictionless and instantly rewarding.

Soft Close – Addictive + Recommendable

•“It can be addictive too. I recommend everybody to try microlearning with Headway.”

•Visual: Continued use of app; scrolling clean UI and recognizable book titles.

👉 Why this works:

•“Addictive” used positively—makes learning feel like the better dopamine hit.

•“I recommend” phrasing feels personal, not scripted.

•Call to action is implied, not pushy—just a nudge.

Key Takeaways from this Ad

1️⃣ Identity-Based Hook – Opens with a smart habit, not a product, making it aspirational.
2️⃣ Scroll Replacement = Easy Reframing – Turns a time-wasting behavior into an upgrade.
3️⃣ Framed as Low Effort, High Reward – “15 minutes” and “when you’re bored” reduce friction.
4️⃣ App Demo Embedded in Real Context – Viewer sees exactly how and when they’d use it.
5️⃣ Soft Social Proof & CTA – Peer tone and light “recommendation” keep it casual and shareable.

To finish off with, let’s also take a look at the quiz-type lander they’re using:

With that, we’re all done for this week, folks! 📈

We hope this week’s selection of high-performing YouTube Shorts ads has sparked new ideas to test yourself!

Want more insights like these?

Stay tuned for next week’s VidTao 2 Shorts Tuesday…

…where we’ll continue breaking down winning YouTube Shorts Ads you can break down + model for your own creatives & campaigns.

Have a great week!