Why do some ads stop the scroll instantly, while others feel forgettable the moment they pass? And more importantly, what separates creator-led content from the polished brand creative audiences have learned to tune out?
As consumer behavior shifts, one pattern is impossible to ignore: people trust people more than they trust brands. Recent studies show that nearly 9 in 10 US consumers now say user-generated content plays the biggest role in shaping what they buy, and close to three-quarters report feeling significantly more confident purchasing when they see real people using a product.
This shift has fueled a new creative era where UGC ads consistently outperform traditional production. They’re more relatable, more credible, and far more adaptable across platforms.
In this article, we highlight top UGC ads that demonstrate how creator storytelling, authentic environments, and real-use scenarios can anchor a winning performance strategy for any brand.
1. Ubiquitous
Zilla x Ubiquitous: Niche Reptile Creators Turned Into High-Performing UGC Ads
Zilla is a leading reptile care brand known for habitats, lighting, and supplies. Their challenge was timing. In the reptile category, new pet owners pick a preferred brand early and stick with it for years.
Zilla needed to reach Gen Z and younger Millennials right as they entered the hobby, but they lacked experience commissioning UGC or running scalable TikTok ads. They hired Ubiquitous to find credible reptile creators, produce authentic UGC videos, and convert those assets into performance-driven ads that could win lifelong customers.
Strategic Approach
Ubiquitous built a seven-wave UGC advertising program centered on TikTok Spark Ads. The agency first sourced responsible reptile owners who followed PETA guidelines and had never worked with brands, ensuring genuine storytelling. These creators produced educational videos, habitat tours, fun facts, and “day in the life” content filmed in their own posting style.
Each wave served a distinct purpose. Early waves focused on awareness, while mid-funnel waves blended organic-feeling content with explicit product placements to drive high-intent traffic.
To broaden reach, Ubiquitous also brought in makeup creators who used reptiles as creative inspiration, generating fresh formats Zilla could repurpose as UGC ads. All videos included usage rights, allowing Zilla to scale top assets across Spark Ads, social channels, and retargeting.
@dear.figg Embrace your lizard’s unique style with @Zilla vibrant new wallpaper! 🦎🎨 #RepYourself in every scale and color! #zillapartner
Results
The UGC ads delivered over 9.1 million views, 253,000 engagements, and an $11 CPM. Most notably, the campaign generated 58,826 paid clicks, including a traffic wave that produced a 288% increase in paid clicks from the previous phase.
Top-performing UGC ads included storytime adoption videos, MTV-Cribs-style habitat tours, and inviting viewers to “eat with their reptile.” Long-term creator partnerships strengthened authenticity and improved conversions as audiences repeatedly saw their favorite creators use Zilla products.
Through strategic creator sourcing and consistent UGC ad testing, Zilla turned a niche reptile community into a scalable, performance-driven TikTok engine.
Ubiquitous
Ubiquitous makes it so they can’t ignore you—and, they won’t want to. We deploy compelling, ingenious influencer marketing campaigns (at scale) on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Join brands like Lyft, Disney, Target, Amazon, and...
10 - 50
Los Angeles, CA
Best for:
Medium Size Brands
Ubiquitous
Ubiquitous makes it so they can’t ignore you—and, they won’t want to. We deploy compelling, ingenious influencer marketing campaigns (at scale) on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Join brands like Lyft, Disney, Target, Amazon, and...
2. The Shelf
Moosejaw x The Shelf: Outdoor UGC That Captured Humor, Adventure, and Scroll-Stopping Ads
Moosejaw describes itself as the most fun outdoor retailer in the world, and their community agrees. Known for its irreverent humor, accessible price points, and a deep love for climbing, hiking, and winter sports gear, the brand wanted to boost awareness among adventure-seekers in a way that felt playful, real, and proudly chaotic.
Moosejaw partnered with The Shelf to create a UGC-driven ad campaign that spotlighted creators whose lifestyles genuinely matched the brand’s “Love the Madness” ethos.
Their challenge was simple: generate a high volume of authentic outdoor UGC and turn it into ads that could capture the beauty, thrill, and humor of life outside.
Strategic Approach
The Shelf leaned into Moosejaw’s personality by building a creator lineup that felt just as bold and quirky as the brand. They recruited more than two dozen influencers nationwide, with a strong emphasis on female outdoor enthusiasts and West Coast creators, where Moosejaw wanted deeper reach.
Creators were encouraged to be fearless in their UGC: cliffside hikes, glacier lakes, rock climbing, comedy-driven skits, and bright, energetic photography. Because the campaign hinged on ad-ready UGC, The Shelf optimized for volume and variety, ultimately producing around 150 deliverables for paid and organic use.
The team also welcomed value-adds, resulting in hundreds of unexpected UGC posts across Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. This gave Moosejaw a large content library to repurpose into UGC ads that matched the brand’s signature mix of humor and adventure.
Results
The #MoosejawMadness campaign delivered 7,750 engagements, 445 posts, and a potential reach of over 20.2 million. Pinterest alone drove 28,287 bonus engagements, proving the power of multi-format UGC in outdoor niches.
Top-performing UGC ads included creators braving snowmelt lakes, filming comedic “Pinterest fails,” staging romantic hikes, and showcasing Moosejaw gear on scenic trails. Engagement rates soared, with some posts surpassing 17%.
The Shelf’s approach turned Moosejaw’s personality into a living, breathing UGC ad ecosystem — one powered by creators who genuinely live the madness.
The Shelf
The Shelf is a data-first influencer marketing agency where bold creativity and real-time insights drive unmatched campaign success. Since 2011, we’ve been pioneers in transforming influencer marketing through Interest Graph targeting, culture-driv...
1 - 10
New York
Best for:
Medium and Small Size Brands
The Shelf
The Shelf is a data-first influencer marketing agency where bold creativity and real-time insights drive unmatched campaign success. Since 2011, we’ve been pioneers in transforming influencer marketing through Interest Graph targeting, culture-driv...
3. AdParlor
Platinum Born x AdParlor: Micro-Influencer UGC That Redefined Luxury for the Holidays
Platinum Born is a fine jewelry brand dedicated exclusively to platinum, marketing it as the modern woman’s luxury essential. Ahead of the holiday season, the brand needed to boost engagement and drive qualified traffic while educating consumers about why platinum stands apart from gold trends.
Their challenge was a short runway — less than one month — and the need for creator-led storytelling that felt authentic rather than overly produced. Platinum Born hired AdParlor to build a micro-influencer program capable of generating high-quality UGC assets that could double as compelling paid ads.
Strategic Approach
AdParlor built a creator lineup of five Instagram micro-influencers whose audiences aligned with Platinum Born’s core customer: ambitious, style-conscious women who gravitate toward understated luxury. The content strategy balanced aspirational visuals with grounded storytelling, ensuring the jewelry felt elevated but still wearable.
Each creator produced a mix of in-feed posts, Stories, and a dedicated UGC video designed specifically for amplification. These UGC videos became the backbone of the campaign’s ad efforts, giving Platinum Born polished but creator-authentic footage that performed well in Reels placements — the format that quickly emerged as the top driver of reach, impressions, and engagement.
AdParlor also repurposed creator assets for whitelisted ads and email marketing, extending their impact beyond organic posts. This multi-channel structure allowed Platinum Born to maximize the value of every UGC piece while creating a consistent narrative across paid and owned channels.
Results
The campaign delivered record-breaking engagement, surpassing luxury category benchmarks by 139%. Overall engagement reached 4.8%, with in-feed engagement hitting 8% and impressions totaling 120,000.
The combination of micro-influencer authenticity, quick-turn execution, and UGC-first ad creative gave Platinum Born a bank of high-performing assets that continued to deliver results after the campaign wrapped.
AdParlor transformed platinum jewelry into scroll-stopping, holiday-ready UGC ads that resonated with a luxury audience seeking meaning, not just sparkle.
AdParlor
AdParlor is a full-service influencer marketing agency that builds custom creator strategies, manages campaigns end-to-end, and amplifies content with precision paid media to drive real results across your funnel.
10 - 50
New York, NY, Kansas City, Toronto
Best for:
AdParlor
AdParlor is a full-service influencer marketing agency that builds custom creator strategies, manages campaigns end-to-end, and amplifies content with precision paid media to drive real results across your funnel.
4. HireInfluence
Ricola x HireInfluence: Everyday-Voice UGC Ads That Turned Routines into High-Engagement Moments
Ricola launched its new Throat Balm to strengthen the brand’s “everyday voice” positioning, aiming to reach consumers who rely heavily on their voice throughout the day.
With a crowded wellness category and a product that required education beyond traditional cold-season use, Ricola needed creator-led storytelling that showed Throat Balm as part of daily self-care.
They partnered with HireInfluence to build a diverse, lifestyle-spanning UGC campaign that could translate authentic routines into scalable ads on Instagram and TikTok.
Strategic Approach
HireInfluence recruited 18 influencers across travel, fitness, lifestyle, entertainment, and creator categories, where vocal strain is part of everyday life. This mix allowed the agency to highlight Ricola Throat Balm as both a proactive and reactive tool — something creators could naturally incorporate into morning routines, workdays, workouts, film sets, or travel days.
The heart of the campaign was UGC storytelling. Influencers were encouraged to film Reels, Carousels, TikTok videos, and Story sets that blended lifestyle footage with subtle product integration.
Rather than a scripted medical narrative, creators shared how they use the balm to protect their voice before big meetings, long hiking days, filming sessions, or even cozy nights in.
All UGC was designed to double as ad-ready content. HireInfluence repurposed creator assets into paid placements and used Instagram’s Story link feature for seamless commerce, driving audiences to a custom MikMak link.
Multiple waves of content ensured steady touchpoints and strong funnel coverage, giving Ricola a bank of high-performing visuals to activate across platforms.
Results
The UGC ads produced exceptional performance: 26 million impressions, 20.5 million reach, 62,500 clicks, and a 13.17% engagement rate — far above wellness and CPG benchmarks.
Across Instagram Reels, Stories, and TikTok, creators generated more than 23 million video views, demonstrating how relatable, routine-driven UGC can outperform polished brand creative in both engagement and conversion.
HireInfluence transformed everyday habits into high-impact UGC ads, giving Ricola a scalable creative framework for ongoing voice-health storytelling.
HireInfluence
Influencer Marketing Agency of the Year 2023 + 2024. HireInfluence is an award-winning agency, serving the world’s most established brands since 2011 - managing successful campaigns for the likes of Microsoft, Oreo, Southwest Airlines, McDonalds, W...
1 - 10
Houston, Los Angeles, New York
Best for:
Large Companies
HireInfluence
Influencer Marketing Agency of the Year 2023 + 2024. HireInfluence is an award-winning agency, serving the world’s most established brands since 2011 - managing successful campaigns for the likes of Microsoft, Oreo, Southwest Airlines, McDonalds, W...
5. UGC Factory
Beacon40 x UGC Factory: Compliance-Safe UGC Ads That Scaled to $100k+ in BFCM Spend
Beacon40 is a cognitive wellness technology brand built around 40Hz light therapy, designed to support mental clarity, focus, and memory. Entering their first-ever BFCM season, the brand faced a tough challenge: launching in a highly competitive health-tech market while staying compliant with FDA-sensitive language.
They needed UGC ads that could communicate benefits without medical claims, simplify complex science, and convert an older, skeptical demographic. Beacon40 partnered with UGC Factory to build a creator-led ad engine that could find winning angles at scale and keep CPA under $140 — all during peak holiday advertising.
Strategic Approach
UGC Factory structured the campaign around strategic, compliance-safe UGC. Creators produced POV testimonials and lifestyle-driven videos that reframed the product’s benefit using everyday language such as “mental clarity,” “brain fog,” and “memory boost.” This allowed the ads to stay compliant while still tapping into emotional motivators for adults aged 50 to 65+.
Because Beacon40’s core mechanism (40Hz gamma stimulation) can feel intimidating or overly scientific, UGC Factory built simple demo-style UGC ads using approachable metaphors like “a workout for your brain.” Story layering, voiceovers, and testimonial overlays increased watch-through and made the science feel accessible.
To build trust with older users, creators filmed in realistic home settings — reading, relaxing, or winding down for the evening — and highlighted ease of use: plug in, turn on, and continue your normal routine.
Social proof overlays reinforced credibility, showing 5-star reviews and user counts. Competitive differentiation was handled visually through “us vs. them” UGC, highlighting Beacon40’s sleek design against bulky or overpriced alternatives.
Results
Within the first month, multiple UGC concepts beat the CPA target of $140, giving Beacon40 clear winners to scale. During BFCM, the brand surpassed its $100k spend goal while maintaining CPA below $140 — a standout achievement in the most competitive months of the year.
UGC Factory’s strategy proved that compliance-safe, science-light, trust-first UGC ads can successfully launch a new health-tech brand and scale it with efficiency.
Where UGC Ads Win Big for Modern Brands
UGC ads have become one of the most reliable ways for brands to scale, differentiate, and build trust in crowded markets.
Whether it’s a niche reptile brand turning creators into lifelong ambassadors, an outdoor retailer transforming adventure into scroll-stopping storytelling, or a wellness product simplifying complex science through everyday testimonials, the throughline is the same: people connect with people, not polished brand scripts.
The highlighted campaigns show how authentic creator voices can outperform traditional creative, deliver stronger engagement, and unlock performance at every stage of the funnel. When brands lean into UGC as a strategic asset rather than a filler content type, they gain a repeatable framework for high-impact, ad-ready storytelling.
As platforms evolve and audiences become even more creator-driven, UGC ads aren’t just a trend — they’re a long-term creative advantage for brands willing to embrace them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many teams start by reviewing vetted creators through specialized user-generated content platforms, which help assess style, brand fit, and past performance before approving them for paid campaigns.
Why are UGC ads becoming more effective than traditional production?
The continued rise of UGC shows that audiences reward authenticity over polish, making creator-driven ads feel more trustworthy and conversion-friendly for brands across categories.
When should a brand consider hiring a UGC agency?
Brands often turn to UGC agencies when they need consistent creative volume, fast testing cycles, and hands-on creator sourcing beyond what their internal teams can handle.
Can micro-influencer groups help scale UGC ad production?
Some brands build ongoing creation systems using micro-influencer UGC pods, which are structured groups that deliver fresh assets weekly while keeping creative aligned.
How does UGC fit into livestream and commerce-focused strategies?
TikTok sellers increasingly blend short-form ads with livestream clips inspired by UGC live shopping trends, creating a unified funnel from discovery to purchase.
Do brands need permission to repurpose UGC for paid ads?
Yes — even gifted content requires documented consent, which is why teams rely on structured legal release forms for UGC before turning creator assets into paid placements.
What can brands learn from standout consumer-packaged-good campaigns?
Creative sampling initiatives such as Olipop’s suite-style PR boxes show how experiential UGC sparks organic sharing and gives ad teams highly reusable lifestyle content.
Can employee-generated content strengthen a brand’s UGC mix?
Some companies activate internal teams to create authentic behind-the-scenes moments, using employee-generated content to complement creator ads with operational transparency.
