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my fav ad framework that never fails
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The Chew Letter #50 The Chew Letter - Read, Grow, Improve Deep dives into digital marketing & entrepreneurship... My Favourite Ad Framework That Never FailsRead online version / Read time: 3.5 mins I want to share something with you that has never failed me in all my years of launching ads. (Read further and you'll be able to use the CustomGPT I created to generate your own ad) It’s not the camera I use. Not the lighting. Not even the location. It’s the framework I always start with before I even touch the camera. I call it: Hook, Benefit, CTA. The other day, I was on my way to film one of my clients. They’re a Singapore swim school that just got listed on NASDAQ. Pretty crazy when you think about it… a swim school being listed on NASDAQ. They were about to launch a new program: Beginner Pickleball Lessons. And before I even took out my camera, I had already written the ad copy. Here’s exactly what I wrote: Want to play pickleball but not sure where to start? Our Beginner Pickleball Lessons are here to get you confident on the court. Early Bird Special: Save $40 when you book now! Each session is beginner-friendly, fun, and focused on building your skills step by step. ✔ Learn the fundamentals so you feel confident playing with anyone ✔ Professional coaches to teach you the right techniques ✔ Enjoy a fun, social way to stay active and energized Book your first lesson today and get the early bird promo. That’s my favorite ad framework in action. Hook, Benefit, and CTA. Simple. Clear. And it works every single time. By the way, this pickleball ad is performing really well. At the time of writing this, it’s generating leads at just $6 per lead:
Proof that a strong message beats fancy visuals every time. Why I Always Write Before Filming I used to do it the other way around. I’d show up, film a bunch of nice shots, and only then try to figure out the ad copy. The videos looked good, but they didn’t convert. Now, I always start with the message first. When I write my ad copy before filming, I know exactly what kind of shots I need. If the hook says “Not sure where to start?”… I’ll film someone curious, looking around the court. If the benefit says “Fun, social way to stay active,”… I’ll capture laughter and group play. If the CTA says “Book your first lesson today,” I’ll make sure the final shot lands with the logo and offer. Everything becomes intentional. Every shot supports a specific line in the copy. When I film this way, I’m building a story that’s already been written in words. Why This Framework Never Fails Because no matter what industry I’m working with, this simple 3-part formula always delivers. I’ve used it for gyms, spas, cleaning services, physiotherapists, enrichment schools… It works across all of them. Here’s how I think about it: Hook – Grab attention instantly Your hook decides if someone stops scrolling. It doesn’t have to be fancy. It just has to be relevant. For example:
The right hook makes your audience see themselves in your ad. Benefits – Give them reasons to believe This is where you turn interest into desire. You show how your product or service helps them specifically. For a gym:
Each benefit answers one question: Why you? CTA: Tell them what to do next Don’t leave people hanging. Tell them clearly what to do after watching your video or reading your ad.
It might sound simple, but this one line makes the difference between curiosity and conversion. What Happens When You Start With Words When I start with words, filming becomes easy. I know the tone, the mood, and the emotion I need to capture. I also find that clients understand the direction much better. Instead of asking “What kind of shots do you want?”, we’re already talking about what story we’re trying to tell. So if you’re planning your next ad or filming soon, I hope this helps you think differently. Don’t start with visuals. Start with the message. Once you know what to say, you’ll know exactly what to show. Because I know many of you struggle with ad copy... I decided to make it easier. I built a custom GPT that helps you write ad copy using this exact Hook–Benefit–CTA framework. You can try it here 👉 Use My Hook–Benefit–CTA GPT Just key in your business type, what you offer, and who you’re targeting… And it’ll generate a ready-to-film ad script in seconds. I made it so anyone can use it, even if you’ve never written ad copy before. I thought of sharing this while I was on the way to film my client’s ad that day. It reminded me why I love this framework so much. It keeps things simple. It forces clarity. And it works every single time. If you ever feel lost planning your next ad or video shoot, start with this: Hook. Benefit. CTA. It never fails.
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Edmund Chew
I help business owners scale past $1m/year by installing a predictable client acquisition system. Join my newsletter as I share my journey and lessons learned from entrepreneurship.