What does a winning video ad look like during Black Friday and beyond? Top holiday creative covers the whole funnel, mixing offer-forward messages with full product stories. This guide breaks down how one holiday video brings those elements together so you can apply a similar approach to your own creative.
The ad at a glance
- Brand: Ridge
- Format: Creator-style video + product showcase
- Length: 34 seconds
The basics
The video uses these basics to keep it accessible, engaging, and scalable during the holiday season.
- The video is over 30 seconds. 81% of top-performing videos on AppLovin are over 30 seconds. Ridge uses this time to explain the deal and demonstrate the product’s value.
- Utilizes captions. Ridge’s bold captions spotlight the main product and offer points, making them easy to remember and follow for viewers playing mobile games with the sound off.
- Holiday-inspired evergreen creative. The core video works year-round: everyday durability, variety, and a strong guarantee. The opening Black Friday offer makes it seasonal and can be swapped for Cyber Monday, last-minute gifting, or post-BFCM offers without reshoots.
Want to see more of these in action? Browse more top-performing video examples for Q4.
Video breakdown
An effective holiday ad gives shoppers a reason to buy and a reason to buy now. Ridge’s ad covers both. See the breakdown with timestamps below.
1. The hook (0:00-0:06)
The video opens with a compelling hook: a man pops open a beer bottle with his ring on, while the caption asks, “Why this men’s wedding ring keeps selling out?” It sets up a curiosity gap and hints at scarcity. The Black Friday offer follows right away, calling out up to 30% off and the biggest sale of the year. Together, these messages drive urgency and FOMO within the first few seconds.
2. The product story (0:07-0:17)
Next, Ridge showcases the quality and variety of its rings with captions emphasizing materials, colors, sizes, and styles. The video then introduces the silicone band that comes with the set, positioning the purchase as perfect for any occasion. Telling the whole product story is a big reason videos over 30 seconds perform well, because the extra time lets you pair the offer with the reasons to buy.
3. Objection handling (0:18-0:30)
The video then tackles a relatable worry for anyone who wears a ring daily: getting too comfortable and losing it. After this setup, the captions say, “Ridge will replace it free of charge, no questions asked,” followed by a 99-day risk-free trial and a lifetime warranty. Together, these points help to address any concerns shoppers may have about buying.
4. Closing (0:30-0:34)
The video closes by reinforcing the holiday offer. The clear call to action gives viewers a next step while the offer is still fresh. The video is followed by AppLovin’s Interactive end card and Dynamic Catalog, which show tailored products from Ridge and carry the interest the video builds all the way to purchase.
Your holiday game plan
Get AppLovin’s Q4 Playbook for more insights like these, including: when to be at scale, what creative to ship, and how to adjust your offer once BFCM is over.