UGC video
A UGC video is a video in the style of a real user clip: handheld, natural light, room tone, no studio. UGC stands for user generated content. As an ad this style often works better than polish, because it does not look like advertising in the feed.
Why the style works
In a feed everything polished reads as advertising within a second, and advertising is what people are scrolling past. A clip that looks like it was made by a person holds attention longer, simply because it resembles the surrounding content. Technically that means vertical in 9:16, slight handheld movement, available light, room tone, subtitles, no studio look.
Where the line runs
Imitating the form is allowed, faking the claim is not
A UGC ad copies a visual style, which is a design decision. A testimonial additionally claims something about reality, namely that this person had this experience. The form may be rebuilt, the claim may not. An invented customer describing an experience nobody had is misleading advertising, however it was produced.
On top of that, an ad has to be recognisable as an ad. The style may look private, the labelling may not disappear.
Why AI suits this format
UGC ads live on quantity. Five variants with different openings, three lengths, two languages, swapped weekly. Filming that means five shoot days, generating it means five production runs from the same base. The decisive part, the hook, can be tested properly for the first time.
Frequently asked questions
What is a UGC video?
A UGC video is a clip in the style of user generated content: handheld, natural light, no studio. Brands use the style for advertising because it reads as less promotional in the feed. The ad still has to be labelled as advertising.
Is AI-generated UGC permitted?
The style yes. What is not permitted is presenting an invented person as a real customer with a real experience. The dividing line is the claim about reality, not the look.
How many variants make sense?
Start with three to five and add more once the first numbers are in. Variants that differ only slightly tell you nothing; they have to differ in the opening or the message.
Related terms
Read on: All terms in the glossary • Pricing
Ads that do not look like ads
We build the variants and say openly where the line to deception runs.
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