One of the most common mistakes we see with Meta ads?

People get caught up in how the ad looks…

Rather than what the ad actually does.

And we get it.

You’ve worked hard on your brand.

You’ve picked the perfect fonts. You’ve curated a colour palette. You’ve got a style that feels like you.

So when it comes time to create an ad, you want it to look polished. On point. Perfect.

But here’s the truth: on Meta, performance > polish.

The Client Who Taught Us (And Themselves) a Great Lesson

A few years ago, we started working with a client who had an incredible brand.

Their visuals were stunning. Their tone was spot on. They knew exactly how they wanted things to look.

And in the beginning?

They wanted every ad to follow those brand guidelines to the letter..

But here’s the problem…

Those “perfect” ads?

They weren’t converting.

They looked good, sure.

But they didn’t stop the scroll.

They didn’t capture attention.

And they weren’t getting clicks.

Meanwhile, the more stripped-back ads—the ones that felt a little rougher around the edges—were smashing the performance metrics.

So we did what we always do: we showed them the data.

We ran side-by-side tests. We let the numbers speak.

And eventually?

They let go of perfection.

They started to care less about how the ad looked, and more about what it achieved.

They trusted us to test different angles, different styles, different formats.

And three years on?

They’ve got some of the most consistently high-performing campaigns we manage.

One reason why? Because they trust us to get results rather than focus on their opinions.

Pretty Doesn’t Always Perform

Here’s the truth:

The best-performing  Facebook ads and Instagram ads often don’t follow your brand guidelines perfectly.

They might:

• Use bolder, less “on-brand” colours.
  
• Feature real photos over polished ones.
  
• Go for punchy copy over poetic language.
  
• Prioritise clarity and emotion over design elegance.
  

Because Meta Ads for lead generation isn’t about making people admire your brand—it’s about making them act.

That means your ad needs to do one thing above all else:

Grab the right person’s attention and get them to take the next step.

Let the Data Guide the Design

We’re not saying branding doesn’t matter.

It does.

But when it comes to Meta ads, it shouldn’t be the only thing you’re thinking about.

If your perfectly designed ad isn’t performing—and your slightly scruffier test version is bringing in quality leads at half the cost—you’ve got to listen to the data.

In fact, some of the ugliest ads we’ve ever run have delivered the best ROI.

Final Thought

It’s easy to get attached to the visuals.

But at the end of the day, Meta ads are about results.

The sooner you let go of how you think your ads should look, the sooner you’ll start to see what really works.

So next time you’re designing a campaign?

Don’t just ask, “Does this look like my brand?”

Ask, “Will this stop the scroll?”

Because that’s where great ads begin.

Need a hand with your Meta Ads? Here’s some options:

Done For You – Discover how we can take over all of your Facebook Ads hands-free.

Done With You – Explore the ways we can work alongside you and your marketing team.

Free Video Training – Instant access Facebook Ads training.

Free Resources – Handy guides and downloadables.

Blogs – More blog posts like this with real stories of strategy and success.