Welcome to, or welcome back to this week’s VidTao 3 Ad Thursday, where each week we’ll be diving into VidTao YouTube ads spy tool to uncover 3 high-performing YouTube ads driving results!
This week we’ve got three high-performing YouTube ads for you to check out & model, including:
Insurance Program Ad With $600k AdSpend (TZ M Life)...
Abs Simulator Ad With Over a Million $$$ in AdSpend (Tactical X)...
Hilarious Cat Litter Ad With $1.3million+ AdSpend (PrettyLitter)...
Ready to check the ads out?
~ update from our friends at Funnel of the Week ~
The "Anti-Tariff" Promo: Crisis = Opportunity?
Our friends at Funnel of the Week just dropped a new funnel breakdown…
…This time it’s an advertorial to ecomm funnel driving 1M+ clicks per month via a few very different approaches that you can model for your own business today.
On one hand? They are leveraging the current “Tariff Crisis” with some very specific short form video frameworks:
They’re running unique Native + Quora campaigns driving ice-cold top of funnel traffic to advertorials like this:
Go here to see more at Funnel of the Week….
Keys to this funnel include…
- The full breakdown of all "Anti-Tariff" video variations + funnel
- How their funnel differs dramatically between Meta vs. Quora/Native (and why this is important if you’re looking to scale on completely unaware, cold traffic)
- Their 4 unique advertorial angles that pre-frame the sale perfectly
- The psychological triggers they use to turn economic anxiety into purchase urgency
- And a whole lot more…
Let's dive right in and take a closer look at this week's YouTube ad standouts and discover what makes them so successful.
Insurance Program Ad With $600k AdSpend (TZ M Life)
First up for this week - this Insurance program ad we found inside VidTao:
This ad's estimated total ad spend is nearly $600k!
Here are some of the elements this ad combines:
1. Leans on a Familiar Spokesperson
The ad opens with Jonathan Lawson, a recognizable and recurring figure in Colonial Penn’s long-running campaigns. His presence builds instant familiarity and trust — crucial for an older demographic skeptical of scams.
2. Core Hook = “The 3 Ps” (Price, Price, Price)
This is the main rhetorical device: repetition of “Price” builds memorability while instantly communicating that affordability is the offer’s biggest feature. It’s simple, rhythmic, and built to stick — especially for viewers 50+ on a fixed income.
3. Strong Price Anchoring: $9.95/month Repeated Like a Chant
The $9.95/month line is repeated multiple times by different age and health scenarios (smoker, retired, on medication), reinforcing that everyone qualifies. It positions the product as universal, predictable, and budget-friendly.
4. Uses Rapid-Fire Testimonial Questions to Remove Objections
“I'm 54 and a smoker—what’s my price?” “I'm 65, take medications—what’s my price?” These staged Q&As act as “mini objections,” disarmed before they’re even voiced. It makes the audience feel heard and reduces friction.
5. Core CTA = Call Now (Not Digital)
Unlike modern DR ads, the CTA here is clearly tailored to an older, offline demographic: call a toll-free number. There’s even a specific call to receive a physical “Colonial Penn Planner.” No online forms, no websites — pure direct-response TV playbook.
6. Guarantees = No Health Questions, No Medical Exam, No Rate Increases
This trifecta of guarantees is a powerful closer. It removes risk, builds trust, and positions the plan as secure and stable — a message designed for people worried about long-term affordability or health surprises.
7. Emotional Close: Framing Final Wishes as a Legacy Gift
The final frames emphasize planning for loved ones, “helpful ways to leave important messages,” and fulfilling your final wishes. This pivots the offer from a financial product to an emotional one — a gift for family peace of mind.
This advertiser has many other cool ads to check out as well, don’t miss out:
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(and Landing Pages)!
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Take the guesswork out of YouTube ads – start scaling smarter.
Abs Simulator Ad With Over a Million $$$ in AdSpend (Tactical X)
Next up, check out this Tactical X Abs Stimulator ad we bumped into while browsing VidTao:
This ad's estimated total ad spend is over a million $$$!
These are some of the elements this ad combines:
1. Opens with a Shock Claim
The ad wastes no time grabbing attention with:
“This new special forces device… emulates 10,000 crunches in 10 minutes.”
It’s an exaggerated, yet curiosity-inducing result that begs the viewer to keep watching.
2. Military Authority & Credibility
The inventor, Captain James Snipes, is framed as a former Army officer and bioengineer. This gives the product instant credibility, reinforces discipline and innovation, and primes the audience for a serious, effective solution.
3. Relatable Origin Story
James’s injury and recovery setup the classic “necessity is the mother of invention” story. His personal struggle with regaining strength builds emotional buy-in, while the Special Forces adoption adds a social proof layer.
4. Unique Mechanism: Electric Muscle Stimulation
The science-y mention of EIMD (Electrical-Induced Muscle Development) makes it sound legit, while differentiating from standard ab products. The ad repeatedly reminds the viewer that it burns fat and builds muscle simultaneously.
5. High Ease-of-Use Demo
The product's appeal is supercharged by emphasizing passive benefits:
“Just stick it on and it’s like doing 10,000 crunches… while watching TV.”
This is the ad’s strongest conversion angle: convenience meets visible results.
6. Mass Appeal & Safety Reassurance
The ad claims it works for all ages and fitness levels, and uses terms like “fully natural” and “gentle electric pulses” to reduce risk aversion for skeptical or older users.
7. Irresistible Offer + Scarcity
The closing offer is classic DR:
•60% discount
•Next 500 orders
•30-day money-back guarantee
These stack scarcity, urgency, and risk-reversal perfectly to close the deal.
Here’s a sneak peek of their other big-spenders, which you can all see listed inside the VidTao YouTube ads spy tool:
Hilarious Cat Litter Ad With $1.3million+ AdSpend (PrettyLitter)
Our last ad pick for this week’s selection is this unique, funny cat litter ad we found inside VidTao, check it out:
This ad's estimated total ad spend is over $1.3 million!
Here are some of the elements this ad combines:
1. POV of a chaotic, hilarious cat
The entire script is narrated by a mischievous cat, who speaks directly to the viewer with bold, sarcastic commentary. This POV instantly grabs attention and sets the tone — it’s not a typical product explainer; it’s a comedy sketch. It positions the cat as the lovable villain, creating instant emotional engagement.
2. High entertainment value + visual gags
The ad leans heavily on humor: dead birds on comforters, spilled water, scratching furniture. These visuals are absurd and memorable — they keep viewers watching while subtly reinforcing the idea that the cat is wild except in the litter box. The brand wins by comparison.
3. Core features woven into comedy
The script integrates product benefits in the midst of jokes:
•Odor control: “No longer stinks up the house, so mom’s social life is thriving.”
•Health monitoring: “My pee changes color to help mom catch problems early.”
•Dust-free: “Unlike me, PrettyLitter is 99% dust-free.”
It turns feature dumping into comedy-driven storytelling.
4. Emotional benefit: peace of mind
Beyond humor, the ad taps into the real reason people buy PrettyLitter — they care deeply about their pets’ health. The mom-cat bond is heartwarming by the end, reinforcing trust in the product through emotion rather than science.
5. Strong product differentiation
The health-monitoring aspect (color-changing pee) is a real innovation in the litter space, and the ad smartly anchors this as a core differentiator without sounding clinical. It’s “the number one health-monitoring cat litter on the market” — said casually, but clearly.
6. DTC positioning: delivered to your door
Mentioning home delivery subtly aligns PrettyLitter with convenience-first DTC brands, eliminating one of the biggest frictions of cat litter (carrying it home).
7. Perfect tone for millennial/Gen Z cat parents
This ad isn’t just funny — it’s strategically funny for a specific buyer. Millennials who see their pets as children, love internet cat humor, and want clever solutions with emotional payoff. The ad speaks directly to this identity — and makes the brand feel like a friend, not just a product.
To finish off with, here’s a quick look at their landing page…
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And with that, we’re all done this week!
We hope this week’s selection of high-performing ads has sparked new ideas to test yourself!
Want more insights like these?
Stay tuned for next week’s VidTao 3 Ad Thursday, where we’ll continue breaking down winning strategies from the best YouTube ads in the game!
And btw… If you have questions about YouTube ads?
Go here to schedule a free chat with our friends at Inceptly. Inceptly is a top Direct Response video ad agency, specializing in high-performing YouTube ad creatives & media buying.
Have a great week!
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