Hook, proof, offer: a three-beat structure for 15-second ads

A fifteen-second ad has about one second to stop a thumb and fourteen to earn an action. Most ads waste the first second on a logo and the last three on nothing at all. A simple structure fixes both.

Beat 1: the hook (0 to 3 seconds)

The hook's only job is to make someone stop scrolling. It works by being unexpected, relevant or both:

• A question the viewer is asking: "Tired of sharing one meter with six tenants?"
• A surprising image: a cake that looks like a handbag, a car being washed in ten seconds
• A problem in action: a phone dying at the worst moment, a queue that never moves
• A result first: the finished hairstyle, then rewind to how it started

Avoid starting with your logo. Nobody stops scrolling for a logo.

Beat 2: the proof (3 to 11 seconds)

Once you have attention, show why the claim is true. Show, do not tell:

• the product working
• the before and after
• a real customer's reaction (with consent)
• the detail that makes it better: the stitching, the speed, the size

This is where honesty matters most. Proof that is exaggerated now becomes a complaint later.

Beat 3: the offer (11 to 15 seconds)

Tell people exactly what to do: "WhatsApp us to order", "Visit us on Moi Avenue", "Book your table for Friday". Add a reason to do it now if you have one: an offer ending, limited stock, a booking deadline. Keep it to one action.

Putting it into practice

In Tari Studio, type /script and describe the ad using the three beats, for example: "/script 15 seconds: hook, a tenant's lights go off mid-movie; proof, she buys tokens on M-Pesa in seconds and the lights return; offer, WhatsApp us to install prepaid meters". The AI director writes timed scenes with what we see, the lines and the words on screen. Edit anything, then make the video. Scripts are free. Scripts with /script.

Test the hook

The hook is the part most worth testing. Make two or three versions of the same ad with different first seconds, post them, and keep the one that holds attention and brings conversations. Use Another take or Improve under a result to make variations. A/B testing on a small budget.

Longer ads, same beats

A 30-second ad uses the same structure with more proof. A 6-second ad squeezes the hook and the offer into one moment. The beats stay the same; only the timing changes.

Three quick examples

• A duka: hook, a hand grabbing the last loaf; proof, fresh bread being stacked at 6 a.m.; offer, "Open from 6. Save our number for daily stock updates."
• A dental clinic: hook, someone wincing at cold water; proof, a calm, quick check-up; offer, "Book a check-up on WhatsApp this week."
• A car yard: hook, keys dropping into a hand; proof, a walk-around of the actual car; offer, "Test drive this Saturday. Chat with us to book."

The same three beats, three very different businesses.

Write your first three-beat script.