Key Takeaways
- In health, trust is the whole sale. The best ads earn it before they ask for anything.
- Curiosity works, as long as the ad pays it off. A secret or a villain gets attention without being clickbait.
- Go beyond the star rating. Specific outcomes and numbers do more than "5 stars."
- Calm can stop the scroll, and so can humor. Both stand out in a category full of clinical sameness.
- If the product can be demonstrated, demonstrate it. Seeing it work beats someone describing it.
Health and wellness brands have a harder job on Meta than most. The buyer is skeptical, the product is personal, and a lot of the competition looks and sounds exactly the same.
That changes what good creative looks like. The ads that work in health build trust, show proof and make the next step feel safe. And some of the best ones are the least clinical.
Below are 12 ads we've made for telehealth, women's health, men's health, skincare and fitness brands, grouped by approach, with what makes each one work. Most of them first ran in our newsletter, so the "why it works" notes are pulled from what we wrote at the time.
Open With Curiosity
1. Curex: The Secret Allergists Keep
"If you suffer from allergies, you need to know this secret that allergists have been keeping from you." The ad then explains allergy drops, an at-home alternative to allergy shots, backed by a USA Today headline about Curex.
Why it works: The opener does two things in three seconds. It "calls out to the target market, people with allergies," and it "creates curiosity. What's the secret? Why would they keep it from me?" It also sets up a villain, the allergists, and it pays off the promise instead of "just being clickbaity."
2. Maximus: "Keep Scrolling If You're OK With Your Status Quo"
"Keep scrolling if you're OK with your status quo." Then the pitch for Maximus' Oral TRT+: improve energy, focus and productivity, and test your levels from home.
Why it works: "Notice what it doesn't say. It's not, 'Stop scrolling! Check this out.' It's not desperate." It gives the viewer permission to leave, which makes the people it's meant for want to stay. The format works almost anywhere: "Keep scrolling if you like microplastics in your water."
Build Trust Before You Sell
3. Alan Meds: "Ozempic Scams Are Rising"
It opens on a stack of real news headlines: "Ozempic scams are rising." Then: "Avoid them by asking these questions." The ad walks through a few questions to ask before choosing a provider, starting with whether the pharmacy is accredited, and shows how Alan Meds checks each box.
Why it works: It sides with the viewer against a real risk instead of pitching. The checklist educates first, and the brand shows up as the provider that passes the test. "For any kind of product that someone is going to put in their body, you have to build a lot of trust. And this style is a good way to do it."
4. Hi, skin: Go Beyond 5 Stars
Close-ups of real facials, each with a number on top: 82% of members see visible improvements in their skin, 4 out of 5 members strongly recommend them, 105,000+ facials from expert estheticians, and a 4.9 rating.
Why it works: "This ad doesn't just flash a 4.9-star rating and call it a day." It stacks specific outcomes that answer the real question, which is whether it will work for me. The takeaway: "Dig into your data. What percentage of users see a specific benefit?... How many successful outcomes have you facilitated?"
5. Hi, skin: The Esthetician's Point of View
A real customer's selfie becomes a client profile. A voiceover from her esthetician walks through her skin goals, the facial step by step (double cleanse, extractions, a soothing mask, LED light therapy) and the results over time.
Why it works: "Most UGC comes from the point of view of the person on camera." This one flips it. "By acting as the voice of her esthetician, we storytell from a position of authority, instead of usual UGC language that leans more on just if the services were enjoyed." For a health or skincare service, an expert's voice is more convincing than "I loved it."
Start With the Problem
6. Curex: The Food Allergy Collage
A scrapbook-style collage of people dealing with food allergies, with the camera zooming deeper into each scene. Then the solution: Curex's allergy drops, which go under the tongue and are designed to build tolerance over time, and a plate of food the viewer can finally enjoy.
Why it works: "The problem/solution ad format can be used for any product, but works even better for real problems like food allergies." The movement matters too: "In a vertical scrolling world, moving into the scene makes us feel like we're moving closer to the solution." The problem hooks the right people, and "the animation style builds trust."
Make It Calm
7. Allara: The Swaying Flower
A single white flower sways in the breeze. Each time it moves, it hides the last few words and reveals the next: support for hormonal symptoms like acne, irregular periods and more, with Allara.
Why it works: "The swaying flower is a little hypnotic and showing the copy just a few words at a time makes you want to keep watching to see what will come next." It's "very soothing but at the same time grabs and holds your attention," which suits a women's health brand far better than a loud, fast cut.
8. Allara: The Book Page
An overhead shot of a printed page, with a pencil moving along the lines as you read. The copy explains that symptoms like low energy can have a hormonal root cause, and that Allara gives women a care team of OBGYNs, endocrinologists and registered dietitians.
Why it works: It's "inspired by the feeling of curling up with a good book." The pencil "following the words is a key piece that holds your attention," and the format gives a longer, more thoughtful message room to breathe. It's also cheap to make: "We wrote some compelling copy, formatted it like a book, printed it out and then filmed an overhead shot."
Make Them Laugh
9. Maximus: Let the Boxers Do the Talking
A pair of gray boxer briefs gets eyes and a mouth and starts talking. They have a preference when it comes to TRT, and they walk through why: board-certified doctors, treatment that's 100% online and a way to keep things where they are.
Why it works: "Testicular shrinkage is a common concern around TRT. So for this ad, we have the endorsement coming directly from balls themselves." It's "bizarre and entertaining while still hitting on key selling points of the product." In a category where most ads are serious and a little clinical, a laugh is one of the fastest ways to get remembered.
Show It Working
10. Flexia: Demo the Product
A creator works out on her Flexia Pilates reformer at home, talking about how it fits into her routine while the footage shows it in use: the setup, the springs and the exercises.
Why it works: "We could have easily had someone speaking directly to the camera for this one, but it would have made for a weaker ad. Most products benefit more from seeing it in action." The ad ran in the account for over a year. "If your product can be demo-ed and it's more than just picking it up, you should always demo it."
11. Aletha: Pain Relief on the Slopes
A skier carves down a mountain while photos of Aletha's Mark tool in use pop up over the footage like a collage: a PT-designed hip hook for back, knee and hip tension, used daily for prevention. Text callouts cover HSA/FSA eligibility and free shipping, and the product slides in under the skier at the end.
Why it works: It sells the life the product supports, not the tool itself. The collage "helps show off what the product is and the benefits you can feel along with the active life you can maintain."
Grab Attention, Then Keep the Pace
12. Hi, skin: The Sideways Hook
The ad opens on a face shot sideways, then the camera snaps upright as the headline lands: "When healthy skin is your makeup." From there it moves fast: the facial, treatments for breakouts and fine lines, expert estheticians, the studio, clean products and a $99 first facial.
Why it works: "Some kind of change in angle or perspective is a great way to grab that initial glimmer of attention as someone is scrolling by." Then the pace holds. "No clip or scene is much longer than a second," which keeps the energy up without losing the viewer. It's a good model for any brand with a physical location.
What These Health Ads Have in Common
- They earn trust first. A safety checklist, real outcome data or an expert's voice comes before the pitch.
- They use curiosity carefully. A secret, a villain or a "keep scrolling" gets attention, and the ad pays it off.
- They use specific proof. Percentages, member counts, press and real reviews beat "5 stars" and "clinically proven."
- They don't all sound clinical. Calm, slow formats and outright humor both stand out in a category that tends to look the same.
- They show the product working. Real use, real routines and real results.
More Examples
For supplement brands specifically, see our supplement ad examples. For more ecommerce ads, see our 21 DTC ad examples. And our Meta ad hook examples include one more from Aletha, built on the comment section.
How We Make Health and Wellness Ads at Biddyco
We make UGC, motion and static Meta ads for health and wellness brands, from telehealth and women's health to skincare, fitness and supplements, through our DTC creative agency and our work with health tech brands. We work across 100+ accounts spending $20M+ a month on Meta, so each batch starts from what's working across categories, and new files land every two to four weeks.
Book an intro call to talk through your account.
FAQ
What makes a good health or wellness ad?
One that earns trust before it sells. The strongest health ads lead with something the viewer recognizes, back it up with specific proof like outcome data, expert voices or real reviews, and make the next step feel easy and safe.
What kinds of health ads work best on Meta?
A mix. Creator UGC, expert-led explainers, data-driven social proof, calm motion pieces, humor and product demos each reach different people. Testing several types at once gives Meta more ways to find the right patients and customers.
How do you build trust in a health ad?
Use proof that's specific and verifiable: outcome data, member or patient counts, credentials, expert voices, press and real customer reviews. Educating the viewer, like explaining what to look for in a provider, also builds trust before you ask for anything.
Can health brands use humor in ads?
Yes, when it fits the brand and still makes the case. Humor can disarm a sensitive topic and make a brand memorable. The best funny health ads still land the real selling points, like who the doctors are and how the treatment works.
How do you advertise a telehealth service?
Lead with the problem or question the patient already has, explain how the service works and who's behind it, and make getting started feel simple. Trust signals like board-certified providers, accredited pharmacies and press coverage matter more here than in most categories.
Should health ads use UGC?
Yes, but think about whose voice carries the most trust. A real customer's experience works well, and so does an expert's point of view, like an esthetician or clinician explaining what they did and why.
