Creative journal

Ad creative & marketing guides

Creative breakdowns and practical methods for your next ecommerce ad.

Editor's pickAd essentials9 min read

What is ChatGPT Ads? Where ads appear and how to get started

New to advertising in ChatGPT? Understand placements, account access, costs and preparation, then follow a handbag example from product imagery and copy to a useful landing page.

Read the guide

Find your next starting point

Less theory. More ideas you can put to work.

11 articles

Ad essentials11 min read

ChatGPT Ads vs. Meta vs. Google Ads: what's different, and which works better?

Compare placements, buyer intent and trade-offs. Rewrite one product for three advertising channels, calculate an affordable click cost, and decide which test to prepare first.

MikeSep 26, 2026

Creative breakdowns7 min read

Saved plenty of competitor ads. Now how do you make your own?

What should you borrow from competitor ads, and what should you leave behind? Explore feature, context and offer messages, then follow the decisions into a pngpng-created draft with a usable creative brief.

MikeSep 20, 2026

Creative breakdowns9 min read

One sneaker image, three ad drafts: what survived the edit?

Three directions from one sneaker reference, including two revisions of a shoelace concept. Download the source, five outputs and exact prompts.

MikeSep 16, 2026

Ad essentials8 min read

Before your first Facebook ad: a 7-point launch checklist

Your creative is ready. Before publishing, follow a shopper through the product page, checkout and purchase records, then set a clear spending boundary.

MikeSep 16, 2026

Ad essentials7 min read

CTR, CPC, CPA and ROAS: reading an ecommerce ad report

Spend $100 and record $240 in sales: did the ad make money? Follow a simple cost calculation to understand CTR, CPC, CPA and ROAS, then choose what to check next.

MikeSep 14, 2026

How-to guides7 min read

One serum, three images: what belongs on Shopping, and what belongs in a Meta ad?

A close look at three existing serum concepts: product clarity, texture and a morning routine. Then a file inspection that changes what is actually ready to deliver.

MikeSep 14, 2026

Ad essentials7 min read

Product photos and ad creative have different jobs

A plain vacuum photo and an orange crumb-clearing ad: what actually changes? A visual walkthrough with two creative briefs you can adapt.

MikeSep 14, 2026

How-to guides5 min read

Beyond “make it premium”: write a useful creative brief

More than a prompt: an actual edit removes the wash bag beside a serum bottle. Compare the result with the input, including details that changed unintentionally.

MikeSep 16, 2026

How-to guides5 min read

From feed to vertical: rethink the layout, not just the crop

Compare a direct portrait crop of a square serum ad with an actual AI-recomposed portrait draft. See what happens to the headline, product and decoration.

MikeSep 16, 2026

Testing & iteration6 min read

Three promising creatives. What should you test next?

Three vacuum ads worth exploring: what should you compare first? A hypothetical uneven-spend example shows what to record and when to withhold judgment.

MikeSep 16, 2026

Ad essentials5 min read

The AI ad looks great. Is it still your product?

Inspect a serum bottle's cap, label, props and gel imagery. What can you repair, what needs real reference material, and what remains unverified?

MikeSep 16, 2026

See what an idea can become.

From a plain product photo to a new creative direction. Explore the possibilities.

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