Skit / Scenario
A short acted scene that plays out the problem, then resolves it with the product.
A mini scripted scene - a relatable moment of friction acted out, then released by the product. It works because watching the problem happen to someone else is more persuasive than being told the problem exists - the viewer recognises themselves in the scene and feels the relief land before any pitch.
Why it works
Watching the problem happen to someone else beats being told it exists - the viewer recognises themselves and feels the relief land before any pitch. A good scene also earns shares because it is entertainment first.
Format Examples
How this format plays out across different products and segments.
The 'every Sunday night dread' scene, fixed by the app.
Two coworkers, one drowning in tabs and one not - reveal why.
A relatable argument about the old way, settled by the product.
How to build it
Open in the friction
Drop straight into a recognisable moment of the problem, no setup.
Let it sting
Play the frustration just long enough that the viewer feels it too.
Release with the product
The product resolves the scene, the relief is the proof, close on a CTA.
Example executions
The 'every Sunday night dread' scene, fixed by the app.
Two coworkers, one drowning in tabs and one not - reveal why.
A relatable argument about the old way, settled by the product.
Carries these angles well
Reach for it when
Problem-agitate-solve and pain-identification angles, cold audiences who need the problem framed, and products with a clear before-and-after moment.
Skip it when
Premium brands where comedy cheapens the positioning, and abstract products with no visible moment of friction to dramatise.
Common mistake
Over-acting and dragging the setup. If the scene feels like a sketch nobody would believe, the recognition breaks and the relief never lands.
Combine it into an ad
A format is the container. In the Hi5 Framework it wraps an angle and opens with a hook to become a finished concept.
More video formats
Lo-fi UGC (talking head)
lowOne person, one phone, talking straight to camera. The native default of social.
Product Review
lowAn honest-feeling walkthrough of using the product, warts and all.
Unboxing / First Impression
lowThe package opening and the genuine first reaction.
Tutorial / How-To / Demo
low-midShow the product doing the thing, step by step.