Street interview ads, built from unscripted consumer reactions
Street interview ads are short video ads built from real people reacting to a product on camera, filmed on a busy street by a host with a handheld camera. The questions are planned, but the answers and reactions are not, which is why they feel like content instead of an ad.
Why the format works
Unscripted reactions
People can tell when someone is reading lines. A stranger working out an answer on camera holds attention.
Social proof
Viewers watch someone like them try the product for the first time. It does the job of a testimonial without being staged.
A pattern interrupt
A question asked on a busy street does not look like an ad in the feed, so people stop long enough to hear the answer.
From brief to street to finished ads
You never need to be at the shoot. Ship us the product, approve the brief, and the ads arrive ready to upload. The full process is on our video ad production page.
Brief
We write the concept, the questions and the lines the host must hit, plus a list of anything you want kept out. You sign off before we film.
Street shoot
A host approaches people on a busy street, asks the questions and lets them try the product. A second person runs the camera and keeps everyone framed, lit and heard.
Round 1: 6 ads
Three questions, two ads each, every one opening on a different hook, with 15 and 30 second versions. You launch them.
Round 2: 4 ads
We read round 1’s numbers next to your current ads, then cut four more from the same footage, built on what won.
Ad results, weak to strong
Round 1 shown at our one-week target. Guaranteed within 10 days of sign-off.
One interview, three openings
- Hook A · 0:00 to 0:03“Is salt good or bad for you?”
- Hook B · 0:00 to 0:03“Quick question. Do you avoid salt?”
- Hook C · 0:00 to 0:03“How much salt did you eat today?”
We shoot every opening line with every person, then pick the strongest in the edit.
What a delivery includes
Finished, captioned ads every month, each ready to run.
| Rounds | 6 to test three questions, then 4 cut from what won, or all at once if you skip testing |
|---|---|
| Hooks | Several opening lines shot per concept; the strongest become hook variations |
| Lengths | Full versions of 30 to 60 seconds, plus 15 and 30 second cutdowns |
| Formats | 9:16 by default; 4:5 and 1:1 on request |
| Captions | Burned in, bold and readable with the sound off |
| Revisions | One consolidated round per video |
| Usage rights | You own the finished ads once they are paid for |
| Raw footage | Free if you ask before the shoot |
Consent and disclosure
Everyone in a Host Outside ad is a real member of the public, filmed openly with visible cameras. There are no hidden cameras. Each person agrees on camera to the use of their likeness and words in your ads, and that consent does not cover using anyone to train or generate AI content.
We never present actors as strangers. When a brand needs exact wording, for example to stay inside strict claim rules, we can film a scripted version with actors, and it is treated as scripted, not as a real reaction.
The people in the ads are not your customers, so run them as street interviews, not as customer reviews. When you publish, follow your ad platform's rules and the FTC's guidance on endorsements and disclosures.
Street interview ads vs UGC
UGC ads come from creators you hire, usually filmed at home and often from a script. Street interview ads come from strangers who have never heard of you, filmed where they are, reacting in the moment.
Plenty of brands run both. UGC is good for demos and explainers. Street interviews bring fresh hooks and real first reactions when your creator ads start to look alike. We make street interviews only; we do not supply creator UGC.
What it costs
$1,250 a month on a 3-month plan, or $1,500 for a single month, for 10 new ads from one shoot. That is our founding price, for our first 5 brands or until November 30.
Every month includes a planning call. See what the plan includes. Smaller brand? Ask us about a lighter plan.
Examples
Recent ads. Tap one to watch it with sound, or open its page.
The Farmer's Dog, fresh dog food
What's your dog's name?Rationale, non-alcoholic japanese lager
Do you want to shotgun a beer right now?Ethos, unsweetened electrolyte drink
Want to drink some ocean water with me?
Street interview ad questions
How much do street interview ads cost?
Most brands start with 10 new ads a month from one shoot. The founding price is $1,250 a month on a 3-month plan, or $1,500 for a single month, for our first 5 brands or until November 30. Fewer or more is fine, just ask.
How long does a round take?
The brief comes within 4 days of your onboarding form. In your first month, round 1 comes about a week after your sign-off on the brief and, for physical products, your product arriving, and always within 10 days. Round 2 comes about two weeks later.
What products work best?
Anything a stranger can taste, try, smell, hold or have an opinion about in under a minute: drinks and supplements, snacks, skincare and fragrance, grooming, apparel, accessories and apps. Some categories, like supplements with health claims, telehealth, alcohol, CBD and financial products, have stricter ad rules, and we flag what to avoid in the brief.
Do you test the ads?
Yes, if you want it, at no extra cost. You launch round 1, and about a week later we compare hook rate, hold rate and click-through by question and by hook, next to your current ads. Round 2 is cut from what won.
Do we get the raw footage?
Yes, at no charge, if you ask before the shoot. Otherwise it stays with us, and the unused takes feed round 2.
Are the people real?
Yes. They’re members of the public we meet on the street, filmed openly with visible cameras, and each one agrees on camera. We never present actors as strangers.
Get your product in front of strangers
Tell us what you sell and what you run today. We come back with concepts and interview questions for your first shoot.