Score your rival ChatGPT ads

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🔍 A threat score for competitor ChatGPT ads, and how to use it before your first test

ChatGPT ads have run since a US test began February 9, with self-serve buying from May, per PPC.io's October 17 guide. Brands now have months of cards in market. Cards match the conversation, with no keywords, and advertisers get only aggregate reporting.

Looking at competitor cards is easy. Deciding which ones matter is the hard part. A card that ran one day tells you little. A card that has run for weeks on a buying question tells you where a rival is probably making money. Scoring each card the same way turns a scroll through rival ads into a ranked list.

The moves: give every card a score out of 9

1. Longevity (0 to 3). Under 3 days: 0. 3 to 7: 1. 8 to 14: 2. 15 or more: 3. Long runs suggest the card pays for itself, in my judgment.
2. Stage (1 to 3). Problem questions score 1, comparisons 2, decision questions ("is X worth it") 3.
3. Specificity (1 to 3). Brand-level card: 1. Product card: 2. Need-specific card, built around a fit issue, skin type, or use case: 3.

Add the three. Scores of 7 or more are entrenched positions. Scores of 4 or less are soft.

A worked example

Three illustrative rival cards on the questions you care about:

• Card A: 16 days, decision question, need-specific. Score 9. Don't attack this head-on in a first test.
• Card B: 10 days, comparison, product card. Score 6. Contestable with a sharper claim.
• Card C: 2 days, decision question, brand card. Score 4. Soft, and a decision question with no strong card on it is your best opening.

Start your test on questions like Card C's and plan a stronger card for Card B's. Skip Card A's until you have results. The cutoffs are my judgment, so tune them after one round.

The watch list

• Scores that rise week to week, which means a rival found something
• Entrenched cards that suddenly stop
• New need-specific cards in your category

Where the inputs come from

You need days active, the card itself, and the prompts it appeared on. ChatGPT shows none of that for rivals. The AirOps ChatGPT Ad Library covers 6,000+ brands. Search by brand name or domain to see competitor messaging, then explore the prompts where those ads appeared. Bring the scored list to your next campaign discussion. You can explore the ChatGPT Ad Library here.

Before you log off

Score your top competitor's ten longest-running cards. It takes about half an hour.

Together with New Engen

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⚡ TikTok Shop growth is shifting toward operational excellence

This framework argues that TikTok Shop is becoming more competitive as established brands enter the platform. Sustainable growth increasingly depends on creator relationships, data-driven content, strong products, and reliable operations rather than early-mover advantage alone.

Why it works: Retaining and coaching creators builds a consistent pipeline of improving content. Combining creative performance data with dependable fulfillment, inventory management, and competitive products helps brands maintain momentum as competition increases.

Where it needs balance: Greater competition doesn't eliminate opportunities for smaller brands or new entrants. Niche products, authentic creators, and differentiated offers can still outperform larger budgets. Long-term investment also needs clear profitability targets, since patience alone won't make an unprofitable creator program sustainable.

🎥 Reel of the Day

What Works:

1. A Beauty Product Disguised as Dessert - The JELL-O-inspired packaging makes lip products look like edible treats. This unexpected crossover creates instant curiosity and makes the collaboration feel playful and collectible.

2. The Peel-Off Reveal Is the Main Attraction - Peeling back the familiar foil lid creates a satisfying unboxing moment. Viewers stay to discover what's inside, turning ordinary product packaging into entertainment.

3. Nostalgia Meets Beauty Culture - JELL-O's recognizable red branding taps into childhood familiarity, while Tower 28 introduces a modern beauty twist. The contrast makes the collaboration memorable and highly shareable.

Borrow recognizable packaging from an unexpected category, add a satisfying reveal, and make the product feel collectible. Familiarity attracts attention; surprise keeps people watching.

💃Events

🔥 What to Measure Before AI Search Gets Cut From the Budget

November 20 | 2 PM ET | Virtual Event

Paramark CEO Pranav Piyush and Google Meridian creator Hitesh Wadhwani unpack the three requirements behind credible AI search measurement, where attribution still fails, and how exposure data can fit alongside the channels competing for spend. Take a sharper measurement checklist into your next budget discussion.

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Thanks for reading this edition! Keep pushing boundaries, testing ideas, and staying inspired. See you in the next edition with more ways to ignite your marketing success. 🥰