Hook

A hook is the opening moment of an ad — usually the first 1–3 seconds of video — designed to stop someone from scrolling past.

On feed-based platforms (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube Shorts), the hook is arguably the single highest-leverage piece of creative, because hook rate determines how many people ever see the rest of the ad. A brilliant offer behind a weak hook never gets seen; a mediocre offer behind a strong hook at least gets a fair hearing.

Effective hooks usually do one of a few things fast: pattern-interrupt (something visually unexpected), a direct question aimed at the viewer's specific problem, a bold claim, or dropping straight into the most visually interesting moment of the ad rather than building up to it. Slow logo intros and scene-setting are the most common hook-killers in brand-style creative repurposed for performance.