A listicle ad is an ad built as a numbered list, and the best listicle ad examples are easy to spot: "5 reasons you need this", "top 3 scents voted by women", "my official sleep mask tier list". Each item gets a few seconds, a number on screen and one point. You've seen listicle ads as fast product videos with "#1" over the first shot, or as someone ranking products from F tier to S tier.
Brands use them because a list tells the viewer how long the ad will take and gives them a reason to stay for the next item. Below are 10 listicle ad examples brands have kept running for 86 to 902 days, how to make one, and a script you can copy.
What is a listicle ad?
A listicle ad takes the reasons to buy a product and presents them as a countdown or a numbered list. The structure does the selling: it promises a set number of points, then delivers them one at a time.
Here's what you'll usually see:
- A number in the hook. "Here are 5 reasons...", "Top 3...", "Three colognes that...".
- A number on screen for each item. "#1", "1.", "Number two" in big captions, so a viewer who joins late knows where they are.
- One point per item. Easy setup, weight rating, warranty. Each gets 5 to 10 seconds.
- Quick cuts. A new shot for each item keeps the pace up.
- A close that ties the list together. "Want more reasons?", "Do you agree with my tier list?" or an offer.
It comes in three common forms. The reasons list gives N reasons to buy one product (Nakie, Made by Nacho, The Brooklyn). The top N list picks the best few products from a range (Klone Scents, Dr. Squatch). The tier list ranks a whole category on an S to F chart and puts the brand's product at the top (Dog Friendly Co., Dore & Rose, King Kong).
Listicle ads vs listicle advertorials
"Listicle" means two different things in performance marketing, and people search for both.
| Listicle ad | Listicle advertorial | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The creative in the feed, video or image | The landing page the ad links to |
| Length | 40 to 100 seconds | A full article, often 5 to 10 numbered sections |
| Job | Stop the scroll and earn the click | Answer objections and get the sale |
| Typical title | "5 reasons you need a Nakie hammock" | "10 reasons why Nailboo is the best DIY nail system" |
The two often run together. Nailboo's listicle video sends traffic to pages called "10 reasons why" and "7 reasons why", and Dore & Rose's tier list links to a page at /pages/top5-sleepmasks. Our supplement landing page examples include several listicle advertorials if you want to see the page side.
A tier list ad also overlaps with the us vs them ad. Both compare your product to alternatives. The difference is scale: us vs them compares two options, a tier list ranks five or six and makes a show of it.
Why brands use listicle ads
The number sets a contract. "5 reasons" tells the viewer the ad has an end, and what it will cost them to watch. 4 of the 10 hooks below say how many items are coming, and The Brooklyn says it in its second line.
Each item resets attention. A new number is a new mini hook. Someone who tuned out at reason 2 can tune back in at reason 3.
They fit any product. A reasons list works for a hammock, cat food, a dog bed or a nail kit. A tier list works for a sleep mask or a marketing agency. The 10 examples cover 7 categories, from beauty to B2B services.
They last. The median runtime of the 10 examples is 626 days, and 8 of them have run for more than 400 days. That doesn't prove they convert, since Adspo can't see a brand's results. It does show brands keep paying to run them.
10 listicle ad examples from real brands
We pulled active ads tagged Listicle / Tier List in Adspo on November 8, 2026, sorted by longest running and searched for "tier list" within the tag. We reviewed 36 creatives from 21 brands, watched the shortlist, kept one per brand and aimed for a mix of the three forms and different categories. We left out ads built around health claims. Impression rank is where the ad sits among that brand's own ads, by impressions, not across Meta.
1. Nailboo: a numbered benefit list over a nail demo
Nailboo's video shows the dip powder process up close, with numbered steps and a list of green-ticked benefits building on screen.
Ad data:
- Running for: 902 days (since May 2024), still active
- Impression rank: #3 of Nailboo's creatives
- Format: Video: listicle, demo
The hook: "Changing the mani game forever!"
What makes it a good listicle ad: The list lives on screen, not in the voiceover, so the benefits stack up as ticks while the demo plays. It also links to listicle landing pages ("10 reasons why" and "7 reasons why"), so the click continues the same format.
Steal this: Run a numbered checklist over your best demo footage, and send the click to a page with the same list in more depth.
2. Bonny: 3 buying tips that end at a quiz
Bonny doesn't list reasons to buy. It lists tips for choosing a doona (feel, size, weight) and makes the brand's range the easy answer to each one.
Ad data:
- Running for: 884 days (since June 2024), still active
- Impression rank: #4 of Bonny's creatives
- Format: Video: explainer, listicle
The hook: "Are you trying to buy a doona and completely overwhelmed by what's out there?"
What makes it a good listicle ad: It's a buying guide first, so it reads as help rather than a pitch. The 3 tips narrow the choice, and the quiz at the end finishes the job for anyone still unsure.
Steal this: List the 3 decisions a buyer has to make in your category, and show how your range makes each one simple.
3. The Brooklyn: 5 reasons in 30 seconds
A man from The Brooklyn stands in a warehouse holding a dog bed and promises 5 reasons why your dog needs one in 30 seconds.
Ad data:
- Running for: 844 days (since July 2024), still active
- Impression rank: #16 of The Brooklyn's creatives
- Format: Video: listicle
The hook: "Hey Canada, have you seen these dog beds?"
What makes it a good listicle ad: It calls out the audience by country, then sets a time limit as well as a count. The 5 reasons cover the questions a buyer has in order: fit for the weather, shipping, washing, returns and filling. The ad copy repeats them as 5 numbered emoji lines.
Steal this: Promise the count and the time ("5 reasons in 30 seconds"), then mirror the same numbered list in the primary text.
4. Klone Scents: top 3 colognes, then the price
Klone Scents counts down 3 well-known designer colognes, with a number and the name on screen over a glossy product shot for each.
Ad data:
- Running for: 742 days (since October 2024), still active
- Impression rank: #58 of Klone Scents' creatives
- Format: Video: demo, offer, listicle
The hook: "Three masculine colognes that make women forget they have standards."
What makes it a good listicle ad: The list is the entertainment and the offer comes after it. Each item gets one bold line, and the turn ("you can get these for just $39") lands once the viewer is already invested in the 3 scents.
Steal this: Make the list about the category your buyer already wants, then reveal your product as the way to get it.
5. Nakie: 5 reasons with a demo for each
Nakie's video gives 5 reasons to buy its hammock, and each one comes with a shot that shows it: clipping it on, looping it around a tree, two people sitting in it.
Ad data:
- Running for: 638 days (since February 2025), still active
- Impression rank: #58 of Nakie's creatives
- Format: Video: demo, listicle
The hook: "Here are 5 reasons you need a Nakie Hammock."
What makes it a good listicle ad: Every reason is a concrete fact: under 60 seconds to set up, room for two, a 225 kg weight rating. Pairing each claim with a shot that shows it makes the list easy to believe.
Steal this: For each reason, film the one shot that proves it, and cut to it the moment the number appears.
6. Dr. Squatch: top 3 scents, rated by women
Dr. Squatch ranks 3 of its own colognes, with a big "#1" title card, short reaction clips and a set of rating bars for each scent.
Ad data:
- Running for: 614 days (since March 2025), still active
- Impression rank: #53 of Dr. Squatch's creatives
- Format: Video: listicle, low stock
The hook: "Top three sexiest scents voted by women."
What makes it a good listicle ad: It's a top N list made entirely of the brand's own range, so whichever scent wins, Dr. Squatch wins. The rating bars give each item a quick visual score, like a mini review.
Steal this: Rank your own bestsellers and give the ranking a judge your buyer cares about.
7. Made by Nacho: 5 reasons from a cat owner
A cat owner gives 5 reasons their cat is obsessed with Made by Nacho, with "#1" and "#2" captions over shots of the cat eating.
Ad data:
- Running for: 611 days (since March 2025), still active
- Impression rank: #4 of Made by Nacho's creatives
- Format: Video: demo, listicle
The hook: "Five reasons why my cat is obsessed with Made by Nacho."
What makes it a good listicle ad: It's a reasons list told in the first person, so it feels closer to a customer review than a spec sheet. Each number pairs a short caption ("Savory and flavorful meals") with a shot of the cat, which is the proof a pet owner wants.
Steal this: Have a customer present the list, and frame the reasons around the result they care about rather than the product.
8. Dog Friendly Co.: a collar tier list
A dog owner drags 6 kinds of collar and harness onto a tier list, explains each ranking, and ends with their own dog in an S tier Dog Friendly Co. harness.
Ad data:
- Running for: 418 days (since September 2025), still active
- Impression rank: #261 of Dog Friendly Co.'s creatives
- Format: Video: customer testimonial, tier list
The hook: "We're gonna start with a prong collar."
What makes it a good tier list ad: It ranks the whole category, including a competing product type in A tier with a fair reason, so the final S tier pick feels earned. Using a real tier list maker on screen makes it look like a creator video, not an ad.
Steal this: Rank every option your buyer is weighing, give the runners-up honest credit, and save your product for last.
9. Dore & Rose: a sleep mask tier list, cheapest to priciest
A creator ranks every kind of sleep mask they've tried, from drugstore masks to high-tech ones, and puts Dore & Rose's wide silk mask in S tier.
Ad data:
- Running for: 154 days (since June 2026), still active
- Impression rank: #75 of Dore & Rose's creatives
- Format: Video: customer testimonial, tier list
The hook: "This is my official eye mask tier list, from cheapest to the most expensive."
What makes it a good tier list ad: Ranking by price gives the list a clear path from cheap to expensive, and the brand's mask isn't the priciest, so S tier also reads as good value. It ends with "Do you agree with my tier list?", which invites comments.
Steal this: Give your tier list an order (cheapest to priciest, oldest to newest) so viewers know where it's heading.
10. King Kong: a marketing channel tier list
A presenter for King Kong, a marketing agency, ranks 6 marketing channels from D tier to S tier in under a minute.
Ad data:
- Running for: 86 days (since August 2026), still active
- Impression rank: #10 of King Kong's creatives
- Format: Video: expert / authority, tier list
The hook: "LinkedIn ads. D-tier."
What makes it a good tier list ad: The first line is a hot take, so the hook is the ranking itself. It shows the format works for a service business: the product isn't on the list at all, and the expertise is what's being sold.
Steal this: If you sell a service, rank the options your buyer is choosing between and let your opinion show your expertise.
How to make a listicle ad: step by step
Step 1: Pick the form
Use a reasons list to sell one product, a top N list to pick from a range, and a tier list to win a crowded category. If buyers compare a lot of options before they buy, a tier list is the strongest fit.
Step 2: Choose your number
3 to 5 items fits most videos. 3 keeps the ad under 50 seconds (Klone Scents runs 42, Dr. Squatch 49). 5 gives room for a full pitch (Nakie, The Brooklyn, Made by Nacho). Tier lists can hold 5 or 6 because each item takes only a line.
Step 3: Write the items from real objections
Pull the reasons from reviews and support questions, not a feature list. The Brooklyn's 5 reasons answer, in order, the questions a Canadian dog owner would ask: does it suit our weather, how fast does it ship, can I wash it, can I return it, is it well made.
Step 4: Put the number in the hook
Say how many items are coming in the first 3 seconds, and put it on screen. "Here are 5 reasons" is plain, but it tells the viewer exactly what they're getting.
Step 5: Give every item a shot and a caption
Cut to a new shot when each number appears, and caption it ("#1", "Number two"). Nakie's list works because every reason has a matching shot that shows it.
Step 6: Save your best item, or your product, for last
In a tier list, your product goes in S tier at the end. In a reasons list, end with the strongest reason or the guarantee, then the call to action.
Step 7: Continue the list on the landing page
Nailboo sends its list to a "10 reasons why" page. If your ad sets up a list, a page that expands on it keeps the click on the same track. Test a few lists against each other with our guide on how many ads to test per week.
Listicle ad script template
Copy these and fill in the brackets.
REASONS LIST (9:16, 40 to 55 seconds)
0-3s Hook: "Here are [N] reasons you need [product]." Number on screen.
3-10s #1: [Strongest everyday benefit] + the shot that proves it.
10-18s #2: [Answer to the most common objection] + proof shot.
18-26s #3: [Convenience: shipping, setup, cleaning] + proof shot.
26-34s #4: [Risk reversal: warranty, returns, reviews] + proof shot.
34-42s #5: [The reason that makes it yours: price, offer, story].
42-48s CTA: "Want more reasons? [Link / offer]."
TIER LIST (9:16, 50 to 100 seconds)
0-3s Hook: "[Option A]. [Tier]." Start ranking straight away.
3-60s Rank 4 to 6 options. One line of reasoning each,
drag each onto the chart, give fair credit where it's due.
60-80s Your product last: "And finally, [product]. S tier."
One sentence on why, plus the shot that shows it.
80-90s Close: "Do you agree with my tier list?"
Rules: captions on, a number or tier on screen for every item,
one point per item, no claims you can't prove.
Common mistakes
- Padding the list. If you have 3 good reasons, don't make it 7. Weak items in the middle are where people scroll away.
- No number on screen. Most people watch with the sound off. If the count only exists in the voiceover, the format disappears.
- Vague items. "High quality" and "amazing value" aren't reasons. Nakie's "225 kg weight rating" is.
- A rigged tier list. If every rival lands in F tier with no reason given, viewers see the ad. Give the runners-up honest credit, as Dog Friendly Co. does.
- A list that ends without an ask. Close with the offer, the guarantee or a question that invites comments.
- Making claims you can't back up. Rankings and "voted by" lines are claims too. Only say what you can prove.
Find listicle ad examples with Adspo
The Meta Ad Library can't filter by format, so finding listicle ads means guessing at brands and scrolling (here's how to use the Facebook Ad Library if you're starting there). Adspo tags creatives by visual format, so you can pull up only this one.
Adspo's Discover feed filtered to the Listicle / Tier List format and active ads, sorted by longest running, with runtime badges of 903, 884, 844, 778 and 775 days
In the Adspo Discover feed, add a Visual format filter and pick Listicle / Tier List. Sort by longest running to find the lists brands have kept live, or search for "tier list" to see only ranking videos. Every ad shows its runtime, its impression rank in the brand's account and where it sends traffic.
Adspo costs $29 a month, or $19 a month billed yearly, with a 7-day free trial.
Frequently asked questions
What is a listicle ad?
A listicle ad is a short video or image ad built as a numbered list: "5 reasons you need this", "top 3 scents", "3 tips for buying a doona". Each item gets a few seconds and an on-screen number, and the product is either every item on the list or the winner at the end. A tier list ad is a close cousin that ranks options from F tier to S tier.
What does listicle ad mean?
Listicle is a mix of "list" and "article". In advertising it means two things: an ad creative structured as a list, which is what this post covers, and a listicle landing page (a "10 reasons why" article) that an ad sends traffic to. Many brands use both together.
What is the difference between a listicle ad and an advertorial?
A listicle ad is the creative people see in the feed. An advertorial is a landing page written like an article. A listicle advertorial is that article written as a numbered list. Nailboo pairs the two: its 902-day listicle video sends traffic to pages called "10 reasons why Nailboo is the best DIY nail system" and a 7 reasons version.
How long should a listicle ad be?
The 10 examples in this post run from 42 seconds to about 100 seconds. The 3-item lists from Klone Scents and Dr. Squatch run 42 and 49 seconds, while the tier lists from Dog Friendly Co. and Dore & Rose, which rank 5 or more options, run about 87 and 100 seconds. Give each item one point and move on.
What is a tier list ad?
A tier list ad ranks several options on an S to F chart, usually with a person talking over it, and puts the brand's product in S tier at the end. Dog Friendly Co. ranks dog collars and harnesses, Dore & Rose ranks sleep masks and King Kong ranks marketing channels. It works because viewers stay to see where each option lands.
Where can I find listicle ad examples?
Adspo tags creatives with a Listicle / Tier List visual format. Filter the Discover feed to that format, keep active ads and sort by longest running to see the lists brands have kept live. The 10 examples in this post came from that filter.
Wrapping it up
A listicle ad turns a pitch into a promise: a set number of points, one at a time. The 10 examples above have run for a median of 626 days, across 7 categories, from dog beds to a marketing agency. Pick the form that fits your product, put the number in the hook and give every item proof.
For more formats that work alongside lists, see our guides to UGC ads and talking head ads, or browse ad hook examples for opening lines.
Try Adspo free for 7 days and filter to Listicle / Tier List to see what your category is running.