Some products are… let’s be honest, boring. I can almost bet that none of us wakes up excited to talk about document management, IT automation, or supply chains. And yet, the best ads make these things feel urgent, hilarious, dare I say epic.
This week’s lineup is a masterclass in how brands turn mundane features into cultural moments. From steam rooms to signing the Declaration of Independence, here’s how to sell the feeling instead of the function.
Corporate theater, exposed. FedEx’s ad is a highlight reel of “executive nonsense” we’ve all witnessed; the dead-eyed stare guy, the chronically late exec, the founder bro in a hoodie. The punchline? A pitch meeting in a steam room that makes everyone understandably uncomfortable.
Why it works: Nobody cares about “supply chain management.” But we all know how ridiculous those fake power moves are. By poking fun at corporate theater, FedEx comes off as the quiet, confident one in the room, the kind that doesn’t need to flex to be respected.
Killer detail: That nod at the FedEx dashboard, it’s like a quiet mic drop where the performance ends and the real control begins.
Takeaway: Call out the theater your audience secretly rolls their eyes at, then drop your product in as the cure. Real power doesn’t need the act, it just does it’s thing.
What “power moves” in your industry deserve a takedown?
On the surface, it’s Mad Men glamour. Beneath it, pure spreadsheet hell. Basis nails the contrast between the fantasy of the ad world (cocktail lunches, sharp suits) and the reality (burnout, endless admin).
Why it works: Automation might feel dry, but nostalgia never is. By painting spreadsheets as the thing that ruined a once-golden era, Basis Technologies isn’t just offering efficiency, it’s promising to bring back the pride and creativity that made the work worth doing.
Killer detail: The hyper-stylized Technicolor world, layered with cheeky details, like a trash can simply labeled RUBBISH.
Takeaway: Don’t just remove pain. Promise to restore the romance of your customer’s work.
What golden age could your product help restore?
The Continental Congress as a messy project stand-up? Pure comedy. Missing drafts, clashing egos, and Franklin as the cranky CEO… ending with Jefferson just casually pulls up ClickUp on his laptop.
Why it works: By showing that even world-changing history could’ve been derailed by document chaos, ClickUp reframes “project management” as indispensable. If it could save a nation, it definitely can save your Q3.
Killer detail: The collective sigh of relief when the laptop appears, a universal feeling of order restored.
Takeaway: Throw your product into the wildest scenario you can imagine. If it holds up there, it’ll work anywhere.
What historic disaster would your product have prevented?
We’ve all been Warren. Drafting an email that’s… a little too casual. Apple captures the cringe perfectly, then flips it with an AI-powered “confidence button” that instantly transforms Warren into a corporate poet.
Why it works: Apple’s not selling AI. They’re selling the feeling of sounding confident, even when you weren’t five seconds ago. It’s not translation, it’s your words just better dressed.
Killer detail: The boss’s confused glance when Warren suddenly seems like the modern day Shakespeare, followed by Warren’s euphoric lip-sync to “I Am a Genius.”
Takeaway: Don’t sell the mechanics. Sell the feeling your customer has when the problem disappears.
What cringe workplace moment could your product flip into triumph?
An IT pro’s morning spirals into a disaster movie, we see systems crashing, alarms blaring, coworkers panicking. Then, an elevator ride delivers him into a parallel world: serene, green, and incident-free.
Why it works: The comparison between IT Hell and IT Heaven is insane. No feature list could compete with a before and after that is this dramatic.
Killer detail: The “Days Since Last IT Incident” counter, proudly reading 477. Not a stat, an emotional promise.
Takeaway: Don’t just show the nightmare. Sell the dream that’s on the other side.
How could you show hell and heaven in one cut?
The Bigger Picture
Here’s the pattern across all five:
FedEx completely destroys fake power.
Basis Technologies glamorized the past to show the pain of the present.
ClickUp gave admin chaos historic stakes.
Apple turned everyday cringe into a victory dance.
NinjaOne transformed misery into serenity.
Every one of these ads succeeds because they don’t describe the product. They dramatize the problem. They make the pain impossible to ignore and just when the viewer is completely overcome by the dread, they make the solution feel like sweet relief.
Mantra: If you want campaigns people share, make the pain impossible to ignore, then deliver the relief your product sells. And DON’T forget, emotions always close the deal.
Try This Next Week
What ridiculous performance does your audience pretend to enjoy?
What “golden age” could your product help restore?
If history had your product, what disaster might’ve been avoided?
What cringe moment at work is universally relatable?
How could you show hell → heaven in a single cut?
That’s a wrap on this week’s breakdowns. If these did their job, you’ve already got a couple ideas buzzing for your next pitch. The big takeaway? Don’t describe, dramatize. Make the pain impossible to ignore, then be the relief.
Need more inspiration? Our B2B Ads Library is stacked with campaigns worth stealing from (the smart way). Check it out here: https://blackcamel.agency/b2b-video-ads-library/.
Catch you next week. Same time, same drama.
Black Camel Agency
Regan George | [email protected]
P.S. Seen a campaign that made you think, ‘damn, I wish we’d made that’? Send it my way. The ones that make me jealous get the full breakdown treatment.