Reels ad hooks and copy formulas: PAS, AIDA, BAB and 12 hooks that stop the scroll
By Akshat JainFounder · Performance Marketer & Growth StrategistThe short answer
A Reels ad lives or dies in its first second. Pair a hook pattern — a question, a bold claim, a visible problem, a before/after — with a copy formula such as PAS (Problem, Agitate, Solve) or BAB (Before, After, Bridge) to structure the remaining 20–40 seconds.
Key takeaways
- Write the hook first, then the ad.
- Use on-screen text and a spoken line together.
- Formulas give structure; customer words give results.
- Test hooks on the same body to find winners fast.
Twelve hooks that stop the scroll
- 01The question — 'Still paying ₹2,000 a month for…?'
- 02The bold claim — a specific, provable promise.
- 03The visible problem — show the mess, the pain, the queue.
- 04Before / after — the result in the first frame.
- 05The mistake — 'Stop doing this if you…'
- 06The secret — 'What nobody tells you about…'
- 07The comparison — this vs that, side by side.
- 08The number — '3 reasons…', '₹499 for…'
- 09The reaction — a genuine first reaction to the product.
- 10The reply — answering a real comment.
- 11The POV — 'POV: you finally…'
- 12The pattern break — an unexpected visual or sound.
Copy formulas for the body
- PAS
- Problem, Agitate, Solve — name the problem, show why it hurts, present the product.
- AIDA
- Attention, Interest, Desire, Action — the classic structure for awareness ads.
- BAB
- Before, After, Bridge — life before, life after, the product as the bridge. Ideal for transformations.
- 4Ps
- Promise, Picture, Proof, Push — strong for offers and launches.
This is how we build creative in ad creative production, tested with our creative testing framework.
Sources
Written by
Akshat Jain
Founder · Performance Marketer & Growth Strategist
Akshat runs the demand side of Advorize — paid media, SEO and growth strategy across Meta, Google, LinkedIn and TikTok for clients in India, the USA, Canada and the UAE. He writes about what actually moves cost per qualified lead.
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