xavier de baillenx

CEO, co-founder of Ramdam. We provide authentic creator ads at scale in any language, in less than a week, at the most competitive price.

[xavier de baillenx @xav2B]

The villain in your ad doesn't have to be a corrupt industry!

"Mechanics overcharge" → viewer agrees, but too abstract
"Nodding at an €800 quote, feeling stupid for not knowing" → viewer feels seen

The problem is small in reality, but enormous to the person living it

[xavier de baillenx @xav2B]

In April, 3 in 10 of our best-performing ads weren't made by humans.

Five insights we gathered:
1️⃣ Targeting parents of teens > targetting Gen Z
2️⃣ Lipsync is AI’s biggest enemy
3️⃣ AI ≠ magic “cheap” button
4️⃣ Exceptional for creative exploration
5⃣ AI on Meta > AI on TikTok

[xavier de baillenx @xav2B]

We've been collecting UA data across our app clients at $60k–$500k/month.

The patterns are too interesting not to share.

Every high-performing account, regardless of testing method, agrees on one thing: the creative is where the battle is won.

Full breakdown below👇

[xavier de baillenx @xav2B]

@SarahLevinger That TLDR is what I'll be thinking about all week!

We always knew cultural context mattered in ads but never described it as clearly as this. Definitely time to reorder how we think about campaigns 😅

[xavier de baillenx @xav2B]

We break down all and more concepts like this in our creative newsletter. If you're a growth manager or work with creatives, you need to go subscribe 😉 https://t.co/GB9ZX1jkzE

[xavier de baillenx @xav2B]

It's never been about the shocked face.
It's the text. And it has one job: make the not-knowing feel unbearable.

Your best hooks should make the viewer feel as if the answer already exists and they don't yet have it.

A face and the right words. That's the whole format.

[xavier de baillenx @xav2B]

Cringe is a strategy now.

Talking spines. Absurd scripts. They're among the top performers on Meta right now.

They look like nothing else on the feed because AI has permission to be weird in a way humans don't.

The new playbook: lean into the weird. Let the performance speak.

[xavier de baillenx @xav2B]

We break down all and more concepts like this in our creative newsletter. If you're a growth manager or work with creatives, go subscribe! I promise it's worth it 😉
https://t.co/GB9ZX1jkzE

[xavier de baillenx @xav2B]

Do you know why a cartoon spine is outperforming your ads?

Because nobody knows what magnesium glycinate is, but everyone knows they can't sleep.

That's the whole insight behind Pixar-style ads:
- Skip the science
- Give the pain a face
- Solve it with your product

[xavier de baillenx @xav2B]

One thing worth noting: Pixar-style is everywhere now, so standing out within it matters. New animation styles are emerging that perform just as well, sometimes better.

Look at this example 👀

[xavier de baillenx @xav2B]

@williamkast_ It's so important to name the problems or worries that keep you, viewers up at night, or make them feel strong emotions like shame or anger bc those are the ones that really make your creative relatable.

Like your viewer can see themselves in that shame/regret/anger

[xavier de baillenx @xav2B]

100+ trends in Q1, filtered down to the 50 worth your ad budget.

If you've ever ad wasted spend on a trend campaign that flopped, this one's for you 👇
https://t.co/qHZOojN28i

[xavier de baillenx @xav2B]

@CliftonSellers Only pay for ads that perform

https://t.co/bxjTgBl11X

[xavier de baillenx @xav2B]

Btw, we break down this and more in our newsletter, Ad Break.

You’ll see real concepts and real performance data sent straight to your inbox.

If you work in creatives, this should be in your inbox: https://t.co/GB9ZX1jkzE

[xavier de baillenx @xav2B]

Knowing that hooks create curiosity hasn't made yours any better, has it?

That's because it's not curiosity. It's hunger.
The "not-knowing" kind.

Make them feel like the answer already exists and they're the only ones who don't have it yet.

That's how you write hooks!

[xavier de baillenx @xav2B]

@notiiivy We've seen that it works best when you have a selfie-style video because the familiar snapchat UI makes you want to stop and know what's happening

[xavier de baillenx @xav2B]

@adriansolarzz We've tested this across dozens of campaigns and the key is to make the unknown feel unbearable to the viewer

[xavier de baillenx @xav2B]

Teams at L'Oreal, Tinder… and even TikTok are reading this.

This week in Ad Break: reaction ads, the formula to write better hooks, and tips you can steal from Fruit Love Island 👀 (iykyk)

Go subscribe here, you won't regret it:
https://t.co/GB9ZX1jkzE

[xavier de baillenx @xav2B]

If you’re responsible for ad performance, this might become your favorite email!

Ad Break is Ramdam’s bi-monthly breakdown of winning formats, top AI ads, and how to use them for your brand.

Made for growth & UA teams.

Get on the list: https://t.co/4xXWDnhpGy

[xavier de baillenx @xav2B]

I swear every third post in my feed is this format.
Apps like Lingopanda and PawlyPrint are pulling 50M+ views with it.

It's faceless UGC with slideshows, aesthetic moments, and text walls.

Low production barrier + relatable insight = high engagement.

See for yourself 👇