These are case studies of real UGC and performance video ads Thumbstoppers made for Indian brands. Each one explains the problem the ad had to solve, what we made and why it is built the way it is. Every video below is the actual ad.
Jump to: Men's lip care · Supplement · Ayurvedic women's wellness · Personal loan app · Learning app · Cloth diapers · Women's personal care · Hair care
Case study: a dermat skincare brand selling lip balm to men
The challenge
Lip care is marketed almost entirely to women, and men with dark or dry lips rarely see themselves in the category. The brand needed an ad that would make a male shopper stop, believe the product was for him, and understand what the active ingredients do, without over-promising results.
What we made
A male creator opens on a close-up of his own lips with a clear before/after label, says plainly that his lips went dark from smoking, and then explains what the balm does: moisturising, sun protection and two named brightening actives that work gradually. It ends on texture (light, non-sticky) and a direct call to action.
Why it is built this way
- The problem is visible in frame one. A shopper with the same issue recognises it before reading a word.
- He names his own cause. Saying "from smoking" turns a claim into a confession, which is far more believable.
- Ingredients are explained, not listed. The script says what the actives do and that results are gradual, which keeps the promise honest.
- Hindi, spoken plainly. It sounds like a real person, not a brand voice.
Case study: a nutrition brand launching a metabolism supplement
The challenge
The product's real difference was technical: its format absorbs better than most alternatives. That is hard to say in a feed full of supplement ads promising weight loss, and claims in the category have to stay careful.
What we made
A creator opens on the problem she relates to (cravings that nothing fixed), explains in simple terms how the ingredient works in the body, then an on-screen side-by-side compares absorption against ordinary formats. It closes with her taking it as part of her day.
Why it is built this way
- A relatable problem first, science second. Cravings are the hook; the mechanism comes after the viewer is interested.
- The comparison visual does the heavy lifting. A side-by-side explains the product's edge in seconds and works on mute.
- Routine at the end. Showing it as a daily habit sets up repeat purchase, where supplement brands make their money.
Case study: an Ayurveda brand with a menopause-support product
The challenge
Menopause is under-discussed in India, and women in their forties are often sceptical of products that claim to help. The ad had to feel credible and respectful, explain an Ayurvedic formulation, and stay clear of disease claims.
What we made
An Ayurveda practitioner tells a patient story in a podcast-style set: the symptoms the patient came in with, why she recommended this formulation, which herbs are in it and exactly how to take it. A short animation shows how it works, then she returns to camera.
Why it is built this way
- A practitioner telling a story beats a brand making a claim. Expertise lowers scepticism in a sensitive category.
- The podcast set signals depth. It looks like advice, not a TV commercial.
- Clear usage instructions. Telling viewers exactly how to take it removes a common reason not to buy.
Case study: a lending app advertising personal loans
The challenge
Loan ads are easy to ignore and hard to trust. The ad needed to connect a loan to a real-life moment, show that the process is genuinely online, and stay within what a lender can say.
What we made
A short skit between two friends: one is stressed about wedding expenses, the other suggests the app. The ad then shows the in-app screens of the online application and ends on a simple call to download.
Why it is built this way
- A real money worry, not a rate card. Wedding costs are a moment many viewers recognise.
- Friend-to-friend, not brand-to-customer. A skit lets the product be recommended rather than sold.
- Show the app. The in-app screens answer the main trust question for loans: is it really online and simple?
Case study: a learning app selling courses
The challenge
Learning apps sell content, so the ad has to prove the content is worth watching. Generic "learn new skills" ads blend into the feed.
What we made
A presenter opens with a contrarian question (does hard work alone make people rich?) and then delivers a short, genuinely interesting lesson from one of the app's topics, with motion graphics on screen, before pointing viewers to the full lectures in the app.
Why it is built this way
- The hook is a question the viewer wants answered. Contrarian openers earn attention.
- The ad is a free sample. A taste of the lesson proves the content is good, which is what a learning app is really selling.
- Motion graphics hold attention through a talking-head format that would otherwise feel slow.
Case study: a baby care brand selling cloth diapers
The challenge
Many parents have tried cloth diapers once, struggled, and gone back to disposables. The real objection wasn't price; it was "I couldn't make it work".
What we made
A mother tells her own story: she bought cloth diapers, struggled with leaks, and at 3 a.m. one night gave up and went back to disposables. Then she saw a friend's baby using them and realised the problem was how she had used them. The ad then shows how easy they are to wear, wash and dry, and mentions the brand's live video demo for help.
Why it is built this way
- It starts with failure. Admitting the product once didn't work for her disarms every parent who had the same experience.
- The 3 a.m. moment. Every parent recognises it, so the emotion lands before the product appears.
- It removes the real objection. Ease of use and a live demo answer "what if I can't make it work?"
Case study: a personalised hair care brand
The challenge
The brand's difference is personalisation: customers answer questions about their hair and get products made for them. "Personalised" is easy to claim and hard to make people feel, so the ad needed a real, specific reason someone would need it.
What we made
A working woman opens with "this saved me from switching to work from home forever", then shows her 30-kilometre commute, the dust and the heat that were taking a toll on her scalp. She mentions seeing the brand on TV, takes the hair quiz on her laptop and unboxes products with her name on them. She ends on how her scalp feels now and a simple line: we can't do anything about pollution, but we can choose the right products.
Why it is built this way
- The hook is a life decision, not a product. "Saved me from working from home" is surprising enough to stop the scroll.
- A specific, shared problem. Pollution, heat and a long commute are things every city viewer recognises.
- Personalisation is shown. The quiz and the named products make the promise concrete.
Case study: a women's personal care brand
The challenge
Skincare routines are often sold as long, multi-step rituals. For working women with no time, that message pushes them away. The brand needed to position its product as the shortcut.
What we made
The ad opens on a working woman at her desk with the line that ten-step skincare was never made for women who work 14 hours a day. A creator walks through a busy day and shows the product as a quick, once-or-twice-a-week step.
Why it is built this way
- It names the audience and her constraint in the first line. Time, not skin type, is the hook.
- The product is the solution to the routine, not another step in it.
- Day-in-the-life footage makes the claim feel lived rather than scripted.
What these case studies have in common
- The first two seconds name a problem or ask a question the viewer recognises. Product shots come later.
- Every claim is explained or shown, not just stated, and kept within what the category allows.
- Creators and experts are cast to match the customer, in the language the customer speaks.
- Each ad is one of several hooks and versions. We test openings and formats, then make more of what converts.
Read more about how we work for specific categories: skincare, hair care, supplements and nutrition, fintech and edtech. For a breakdown of all 24 ads we've published, see video ad examples.
FAQs
Why don't these case studies name the brands?
To protect our clients. We don't publish client names or performance data on our website. We're happy to share relevant work from your category privately on a call.
Do you share results like ROAS or CPA?
Not publicly. Results depend on budget, audience, offer and timing, and they belong to the brands. On a call we can talk through how we measure creative and what we look at to decide what to make next.
What is a UGC ad case study?
It's a breakdown of a real user-generated-content style ad: the problem the brand had, the creative approach, the format, the hook and why it was built that way. Ours focus on the creative decisions behind each ad.
What kinds of brands do you make UGC ads for?
D2C brands in skincare, hair care, personal care, nutrition, baby care and home, as well as fintech, edtech and other consumer apps.
How do I see more work from my category?
Book a strategy call from our homepage and we'll share relevant ads from your category privately.