Hexclad vs Caraway - Who nailed it?

This week I wanted to evaluate expensive brands in ecommerce that are making waves in DTC. So, I chose Hexclad and Caraway because both are in the same category, i.e. cookware, and need considerable research to buy them.

In general, paid social works well if your products’ average order is low (specially on TikTok).

But if your average order value is high, you must put significant efforts into your positioning, messaging, and perceived value to make a prospect buy your product.

Let’s see how these brands position themselves.

Important: For a better understanding of the ads, I recommend watching the ads first. These ads are hosted on Foreplay (it helps me to save ads for inspiration even if the brands delete them). They also have a discovery feature where I find good ad concepts to steal.

The Positioning

Hexclad: It is a cookware brand known for its distinctive 6-sided hexagon design, achieved through laser etching technology. This unique design provides exceptional cooking performance and a visually striking appearance, setting it apart from other cookware brands.

Caraway: It is also a cookware brand that positions itself as a healthy and eco-friendly option for home cooks. Their ceramic-coated cookware is free of harmful chemicals and designed to minimize oil use, making it a healthier cooking option. Additionally, Caraway uses sustainable materials in its product packaging and shipping, emphasizing its commitment to environmental responsibility.

This picture gives a good idea of how they are different.

You get it, both brands have their strengths.

Ads that appeal

We only evaluate ads older than 30 days to see if they perform well. Let’s start with Hexclad first.

Hexclad

It’s clear from their ads and website that they have a premium brand feeling and perception. The look and feel of the website seem out of the box yet simple to understand. But most importantly, they’ve used Gordon Ramsey’s credibility everywhere. This increases the willingness to pay.

For those who don’t know — Gordon Ramsay is a British chef, restaurateur, and television personality known for his fiery temperament and high culinary standards. He has earned multiple Michelin stars and has opened numerous successful restaurants around the world. Ramsay is also a popular television personality, hosting and appearing on several cooking and food-related shows.

Ad # 1 - Gordon Ramsey’s most asked questions

Let’s look at the script before evaluating it:

What immediately stands out:

• TikTok bubble-type headline.

• Starting with a pressing question to create an open curiosity loop.

• They are using the authority and credibility principle.

• Video quality is high fidelity which gives a premium feeling too.

• Showing mouthwatering content to make the viewer hungry and to stimulate their desire to eat the product being advertised. This is a common advertising technique known as "food porn," where the food is presented in a highly attractive and appetizing way to make the viewer crave it.

• The ad points out the features that eventually translate to benefits that are non-sticky, toxic-safe, easy to clean, and oven safe.

• Selling the idea of “perfection” or “perfect dishes” - Gordon Ramsey fans love perfection, and Hexclad translates it through their ads.

• 30-40 seconds ads that sell the single idea of using non-sticky and non-toxic pans.

What can we steal from this ad?

• Open the curiosity loop with a question but not any question, the most pressing or burning question. Can you find such a question in your product category?

• Use premium influencers to sell a premium product.

• Translate your features into benefits and value propositions such as perfection, non-sticky, oven & toxic safe, and easy to clean.

  Let’s move on to a non-celebrity ad to see how Hexclad gets attention without authority and credibility.

Ad # 2 - Problem Agitation Solution (PAS) Ad

What immediately stands out:

• The hook: This is your sign to NOT to _____ (mistake in your product category).

• They use a post-it note but as an emoji instead of a headline.

• Showing a relatable image that most people are familiar with.

• The above picture is very realistic and shows the pain in a way that makes you feel it deeply.

• The video feels native and uses many TikTok-style effects.

• CTA with credibility again with Gordon Ramsey to seal the deal.

What can we steal from this ad?

• This ad is an example of the PAS formula used beautifully.

• The hook: This is your sign to NOT to (use the enemy product).

• Agitate with headaches your users have.

• Effective use of post-it notes and thumbnail

Next time a client asks for a PAS ad, I am sharing this one for sure.

One thing I am taking away from Hexclad’s account is using PAS ads effectively. It’s as simple as that. This ad answers those brands who think they need to “look and feel” premium in the ad to sell a premium brand. Well, Hexclad shows you how to sell a premium product without high-fidelity videos.

Caraway

Ad # 1 - Problem Solution Ad (no sound)

What immediately stands out:

• The hook: Say goodbye to the problem _______(the product category has).

• No script for someone to explain, just via visuals and texts.

• Selling how the cookware design and aesthetics.

• CTA is Discover Now, not Shop Now.

What can we steal from this ad?

• The hook: Say Goodbye to ____ (the problem).

• Looking good is the selfish desire people have that Caraway points at. If your product looks good, don’t shy away from using it as your value prop. Humans are predictably irrational – case in point.

Ad # 2 - Things that just make sense

What immediately stands out:

• The hook: 5 Things About Food Storage That Just Makes Sense.

• They use popular music to have familiarity and engage the viewer.

• They make 5 things super easy to understand.

• The font color was similar to the cookware.

• Focus on color and aesthetics.

• CTA: Grab yours today.

What can we steal from this ad?

• The hook: 5 Things About (Product Category) That Just Makes Sense.

• The music: I have a hunch that the music makes all the difference. Not sure if they’ve bought the rights. Not kidding, I was watching this without headphones, and my wife started dancing without knowing what I was watching.

• You can make an ad without someone reading the script.

• Find 5 banger points that make sense about your product category.

One thing I learned from these ads is that aesthetics counts as value props. Sure, some folks want food aesthetics better, but some also want their cookware to look beautiful.

Hello! Here’s Aazar’s wife, and I want you to help us

We have a big problem at our apartment this Sunday. He mistakenly showed the ads to me and this newsletter. Apparently, I am in love with both brands. And guess what? I want to BUY IT TODAY. I think Hexclad is focusing more on men as customers and what food they prefer such as steak, egg, and all that boring stuff. At the same time, Caraway was elegant and beautifully designed. They showed healthy food, the assortment of various food storage sets and the orderliness of pots, pans and storage sets. And their target customers are women, obviously. So, he is in trouble. Let us know below which brand created the most desire for you so I can convince him to buy one of the brands.

Let me know which brand's ads you liked the most by simply responding.

Cast your vote! Thanks :)

Respond now:

What if you could learn from 100+ experiments from other marketers too?

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Bonus from Adbox

I’m collaborating with folks from the Adbox team to deliver 2 new ads from their highly curated library.

Psd Undearwear

One of the biggest challenges for apparel/clothing brands is to come up with new ad concepts that are unique and interesting. We all have seen thousands of ads for clothing with the usual combination of product shots + features.

Unlike all of them, this one is truly a new concept!

Starting with the premise of having their models “create” the content of the ad is already a very unique and fun angle to this ad.

For the hook, the use of such an iconic camera, and the trendy robotic voiceover is already a great 1,2 punch combination that hooks your straight away,

From there, the ad combines extremely smooth organic shots, static images and cool transitions to keep you watching and show your the core message of the ad (the product’s style and design)

Finally, the clear CTA using bold lettering in front of a plain black background works great at the end of the video when retention rates are the lowest.

Hismile

Looking to create an attention-grabbing TikTok ad that gets your message across in just a few seconds? Look no further! This ad we curated this month does that and more, with impressive retention rates and organic UGC testimonials that keep the viewers hooked.

Did you know that using community trends in your TikTok ads can be incredibly effective? In fact, recent ads using the text hook "TikTok is going crazy over [insert product]" have seen amazing results. And the best part? You can use this hook for any product, and enhance its power with over-the-top visuals - just like the first few seconds of this ad.

After that, retention is the name of the game! That's why this ad uses plenty of quick transitions and movement, to make sure viewers stay hooked from start to finish. The UGC testimonials that feel real and organic and the clear presentation of the core product/offer makes this ad one of the best ones out there!

Extra points for the use of captions with native fonts to keep it organic.

Want more hand-picked winning ads like this? Try Adbox

Happy Growing with Paid Social,

Aazar Shad