---
name: dkeken/creative-ads-explorer
source: https://app.decimal.ai/s/dkeken-creative-ads-explorer@1/SKILL.md
source_sha256: 32a31e9ddb7a
---

# Creative — Ads Explorer

Pump out a broad, diverse batch of ad hypotheses for A/B/n testing. This is the *exploration* stage: quantity + diversity beat polish. The goal is to cover the message space so the market tells you what works — not to perfect one ad.

## When to use
- Launching paid social/display and need a test batch.
- An existing ad is fatiguing and you need fresh angles.
- Validating which *message* resonates before investing in production.

## When NOT to use
- You already know the winning angle and just need it finished → `creative-polish`.
- You're merchandising a specific discount/bundle → `creative-offer` (sharper for that).
- No visual direction exists and brand look matters → lock it via `creative-explore` first.

## Inputs (ask only what's missing)
- **Product + core offer** (what they get).
- **Audience + their #1 pain or desire** (the emotional hook).
- **Platform**: Meta, TikTok, Google Display, X, YouTube — sets aspect + length limits.
- **Locked visual direction** (from `creative-explore`) if available, so the batch stays on-brand.

## The angle × format matrix
Build hypotheses by crossing **angles** with **formats**:
- **Angles**: pain, benefit, social-proof, urgency/scarcity, curiosity/pattern-interrupt, comparison/vs-incumbent, founder/origin story, transformation/before-after.
- **Formats**: static hero, hook-frame (thumb-stopper top third), UGC mock (handheld, casual), bold-text overlay, before/after split, problem→solution 2-panel.

Not every cell is worth filling — pick the combinations most likely to resonate for THIS audience.

## Workflow
1. Pick the count (default 12, max 25). Choose the highest-potential angle×format cells.
2. For each: **headline** (≤7 words), subtext, **visual prompt**, and *why it might win* (the hypothesis being tested).
3. Kill near-duplicates aggressively — two ads testing the same idea waste spend.
4. Generate visuals with your image-generation tool at platform ratio (`1024x1024` square, `1792x1024` landscape, or vertical for stories/TikTok). Save to `./creative/ads/<NN>-<angle>.png`.
5. Output a ranked table; mark the top 3-5 to launch first and state what each one is testing.

## Worked example
Product: AI meeting-notes app. Audience pain: "I forget action items." Platform: Meta feed (1:1).
```
| #  | angle      | format       | headline                   | tests hypothesis              | pri  |
|----|------------|--------------|----------------------------|-------------------------------|------|
| 1  | pain       | hook-frame   | "Forgot the action item again?" | pain-first beats feature  | HIGH |
| 2  | benefit    | static hero  | "Every decision, captured"  | calm-benefit framing          | HIGH |
| 3  | social     | UGC mock     | "My team stopped taking notes" | testimonial credibility    | HIGH |
| 4  | comparison | 2-panel      | "Otter vs us"               | switcher intent               | MED  |
| 5  | urgency    | bold-text    | "Your next meeting starts in 10" | urgency relevance        | LOW  |
```
Launch 1-3 first (distinct emotional levers); 4 if switcher traffic exists.

## Quality bar
- Each ad tests a *different* hypothesis — you can name what you'd learn from each.
- Headlines respect platform character limits (Meta primary ≤125, headline ≤40, etc.).
- Text baked into images is short and exact; passed verbatim in the prompt.
- Top picks are justified, not arbitrary.

## Common pitfalls
- **Variation theater** — 25 near-identical ads. Diversity of *angle* is the point.
- **Fabricated proof** — never invent stats, reviews, or testimonials. Flag any the user must supply real.
- **Ignoring platform specs** — wrong aspect/length gets rejected or cropped badly.
- **Polishing too early** — these are disposable hypotheses; only winners go to `creative-polish`.

## Handoff
Winning ads (post-test or top-ranked) → `creative-polish` for production finish. On-brand consistency check → reuse the `creative-explore` stub.

## Tooling
Needs a text-to-image tool to render. Without one, deliver the full matrix (headlines + prompts + hypotheses) and the user generates manually.