12 successful Instagram ad examples to inspire your 2025

Running Instagram ads is a great way to amplify your message and deliver it to the people who will get the most value from what you offer. However, getting your ideal customer to stop scrolling and look at your ad is no easy feat.

If you’re looking to create captivating and click-worthy Instagram ads, the best place to start is to look at what other industry players are doing and take some notes. Your creative should always be specific to your business and audience, but taking inspiration from others who are nailing their Instagram ads is a great place to start.

To save you some time, we’ve compiled some of the best Instagram ads examples we could find and given you our two cents on what makes them stand out. Keep reading to get some ideas for your next social campaign!

What types of Instagram ads you can run?

Before we dive into the Instagram ad examples, it’s key to know that based on the ad format, you can run different types of ads on Instagram, including:

• Images: May appear in square, landscape, or vertical formats in the feed.
• Videos: Appear in square or landscape formats (excluding Instagram Stories).
• Carousel: Appears in square or vertical format in both feed and Stories. This is the most common format for Collection, Explore and Shopping ads.
• Flexible: Ads can appear as images, videos or carousels based on the format likely to engage users.

Also, depending on the place you want the ad to run, you might have some ad placement-specific requirements:

• Instagram Stories: Full-screen vertical (9:16) assets are recommended, but feed-friendly dimensions are also supported (aspect ratios from 16:9 to 4:5).
• Instagram Reels: Only full-screen vertical (9:16) assets are supported.

On the Meta Ads Manager, you can preview Instagram ads to see how they’ll appear across different placements.

The formula for successful Instagram ads

All formulas always translate into hard work, but hard work performs better with practice, inspiration and baselines to do even more. Here are a few key tips you should keep in mind with Instagram ad design.

1. Movement matters. If you’re designing creative for Instagram Stories, opt for video or some type of motion graphic to catch viewers’ attention. Animating the ad copy, making a GIF or filming a simple Boomerang are all simple yet effective ways to incorporate movement into your ads.
2. Always be testing. For example, if you’re running ads on Instagram’s main feed, try testing out a single image placement against a carousel-style ad. Carousel ads are great if you have multiple products or services or want to tell more of a story through your ad creative.
3. Take advantage of Instagram Shopping. This feature allows users to purchase products directly from the platform, perfect for product-based, B2C businesses. You’ll just need to set up a Business account and connect your product suite to Instagram.
4. Match your ad style to the placement. Your ad should match the typical viewing experience of a particular channel. For example, vertical videos work great for mobile placements like Instagram stories, whereas a 1x1 ratio may work better for ads in the feed creative.
5. When in doubt, think mobile-first. Research shows that mobile-shot Instagram Stories ads outperform more professional-looking ads. The most successful Instagram ads often look and feel very native to the platform. You can capture this aesthetic by adding Instagram stickers and fonts to your ad creative.
6. Don't forget about your ad copy. As much as the design matters, if the copy you're using in the ad (or in the ad description) falls flat, then your ad is being set up for failure. You can follow these ad copy tips to ensure your message is displayed loud and clear.

All this being said, the one thing we have to stress is that a great ad campaign will always involve testing the creative. Although we mentioned that mobile-shot videos tend to work better on stories, it’s also possible that something more high-end with cool animations would suit your brand and audience better.

So, test, test and test some more—and document all of your data!

Instagram video ads examples

As you likely know, video is KING on social media. From organic to paid posts, video continues to prove itself as an effective medium for campaigns. Scroll on to check out some of the best Instagram video ads. We took a varied approach to show different styles of videos and why they work.

1. PicsArt x Superside

Key takeaways:

• Multiformat impact: The famous photo & video editing app for creators used Superside to help them create powerful, at-scale content assets for their Meta ads. These videos were used for both Facebook and Instagram in multiple formats that elevated their social media campaign outcomes.
• Shows PicsArt in context: These pieces had the goal of demonstrating how easy it is to produce, design and edit content with PicsArt. It also showcased all its professional benefits and features that make it one of the most-used editing apps in the industry.
• Easy to digest: All the content pieces were not only made for multiple formats within the same social channel, but they were seamlessly designed to show the value and quality of the app in a few seconds, which made people understand the product and convert.

2. Imperfect Foods x Superside

Key takeaways:

• User-generated content (UGC): UGC is key for every growing brand. By collaborating with their fans, Imperfect Foods created multi-touch attribution ads that converted thanks to their authenticity and high quality.
• Motion graphics: By using motion graphics and localized content, it allowed them to repurpose static ads with motion-based text overlays tailored for different states, creative performance in action.
• Value-focused copy: The copy clearly illustrates what they do and the value of their offer and ends with a simple call to action (CTA). It provides just enough info to guide a user to the next step in the customer journey.

Want to see more of our work with Instagram Ads and other paid channels? Learn how Superside helped multiple brands boost their ads with powerful designs that led to conversions and increased return on ad spend (ROAS).

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3. Adobe Photoshop

Key takeaways:

• Shows product in action: The video ad is essentially a stylized screen share, allowing viewers to see how the product works.
• Use of music: The chill, lo-fi background music adds a hip flair that aligns well with Adobe’s creative-focused brand.
• Highlights one feature: Trying to convey everything Photoshop can do in one ad is nearly impossible, so Adobe keeps it simple by only focusing on one crucial element to drive ad viewers to sign up.

Instagram image ad examples

Let's take a look at some successful Instagram image ads. Imagery (whether custom shot, illustrated or otherwise) will always have a place in any digital marketing design strategy. Without relying on motion or multiple cards, there's something to be said about Instagram image ads that capture your attention and drive you toward action.

4. Elementor

Key takeaways:

• Bright, high-contrast colors: The navy and turquoise color scheme pops and stands out in Instagram’s main feed.
• Clear and concise copy: The straightforward ad copy helps viewers understand precisely what they’re going to see when they click the call to action.
• Bit of mystery: The ad is directing viewers to check out a ‘website transformations showcase but doesn’t include any examples, encouraging viewers to click through to the landing page to see what it’s all about.

5. Wix

Key takeaways:

• Complementary colors: The bold color combo of navy blue and tangerine orange is especially dynamic and pleasing to the eye.
• Informative visual: The abstract-style infographic conveys the topic of the ad cleanly and artfully.

6. FabFitFun

Key takeaways:

• Shows off the product: The ad creative includes a styled version of a FabFitFun box, packed with tons of great products, so viewers can get a sense of what they would get when they sign up.
• Attractive offer: Who doesn’t love a good deal? The ad lets users know that they can get a box valued at over $160 for free. While it may seem too good to be true, it’s certainly enticing enough for people to want to learn more.
• Timely campaign: By tying in Women’s History Month, FabFitFun shows its support for women-founded companies while also taking advantage of increased interest in women-focused offers.

Instagram carousel ad examples

Carousels are interactive, encouraging audiences to swipe with each frame, which can boost overall engagement, keep users on the ad longer and connect even more with your brand.

You can sequence images or videos to guide viewers through a narrative, making it easier to communicate complex ideas or build emotional connections.

Never tried before? See below why you should consider carousels in your next campaign.

7. Otta x Superside

Key takeaways:

• Tells a story: By combining different kinds of motion graphics, Otta partnered with Superside and leveraged over 10 carousels that catered perfectly to their growing markets and job categories, while also elevating their brand identity and awareness to new users.
• Use of color: Otta uses multiple colors to catch attention and communicate multiple messages to its target audience. The use of pastel, bright colors resonates with a brand that showcases opportunities for multiple candidates across industries.
• Clever copy: Otta and Superside implemented a tested, creative copy that resonated with its key audience and made them sign up for a possible life-changing opportunity.

Looking to scale your ad creative to the next level? Try Superside for your next marketing strategy with the help of world-class, multi-talented designers, backed up with AI-powered tools to boost creative production.

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8. Moo

Key takeaways:

• Minimalist design: The carousel ad shows the notebook in four different colorways, allowing the product to speak for itself.
• Shows off the product: The close-up of the notebook highlights some of its key selling features (e.g., premium paper, hardcover) without needing a lot of copy or other design elements.
• Value-focused copy: Rather than driving users to action, the copy highlights the product’s more premium elements.

9. Clearbit

Key takeaways:

• Tells a story: Clearbit uses the carousel format to walk users through the ‘what,’ ‘how’ and why of their product. Clearbit uses the carousel format to walk users through the ‘what,’ ‘how’ and why of their product.
• Use of arrows: The cyan arrow encourages users to swipe through the ad and engage with the content.
• Clever copy: While the creative copy is very concise and to the point, they use the text that appears below the ad visual to add a bit more personality and highlight the value of downloading their guide.

Instagram story ad examples

Now onto one of the behemoths of Instagram ad formats. It's hard to believe that there was a time when Instagram Stories didn't exist.

First inspired by Snapchat, Stories has become an avenue for brands to really stand out and reach their target audience. From more organic-looking camera shot videos to custom flashy animations, brands are trying whatever they can to get noticed on IG Stories.

10. Pernod Ricard x Superside

Key takeaways:

• Animation: In a multiformat setting, Superside helped Pernod Ricard elevate their brand design using animated elements for its new awareness campaign, giveaways and engaging content. Ultimately, we planned and designed a new concept for the brand: Pernod Ricard’s Bar Card Personalities.
• Bring audiences together: These personalities, published in both stories and posts, led people to engage with the brand and fill out a quiz to know theirs, elevating engagement rates, followers and organic traffic in the process.
• Motion graphics: The stories use animated text and elements to make sure users are given the correct info at the right time and also guide them to the final CTA.

11. Felix Health

Key takeaways:

• Minimalist design: The plain white tube on the salmon-colored background is very aesthetically pleasing, and its simplicity helps it stand out from the crowd.
• Clever copy: The copy highlights the company’s value while also injecting a little humor that aligns with its youthful brand.
• Use of negative space: Unlike some of the other ads on this list, Felix Health’s ad doesn’t fill up space with a lot of text or graphics. It lets its bold visuals do the talking.

12. Community

Key takeaways:

• Shows off product: The ad uses phone screen mockups to give users a glimpse at the user interface.
• Use of statistics: The ad includes stats to show how its product compares to its competitors, highlighting its value.
• Motion graphics: The moving graphics and text help underscore the ad’s key message.

Power and scale ROAS with Superside creative

While each has its unique flair, the best Instagram ads share some common traits that you can quickly adapt to your next campaign. If you want to optimize your Facebook and Instagram ad creative, try going bold with your color palette or experimenting with motion or storytelling. And don’t forget to show off your product!

Otherwise, you can always get in touch with Superside and let us showcase how our advertising design services can assist your business.

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