Street interview ads
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 in a way a script rarely does.
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.
Hooks and cutdowns
The best reactions become finished ads, each opening on a hook. The same footage gives you hook variations and 15 and 30 second versions.
One interview, three openings
- Hook A · 0:00 to 0:03“Is salt 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
Every video in a pack is one finished, captioned ad, ready to run.
| 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 | Stays with us unless your order includes it |
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
Street interview ads are sold in packs of 5, 10, 20 or 40 finished videos. Each pack has one fixed price, paid upfront.
What changes the price: the number of videos, rush timelines and whether you add testing of the ads we make. We are finishing the public price list; book a call and we will send the current one.
Examples
Our first concept, Is salt bad for you?, asks strangers a question they all think they know the answer to, then shows them why they might be wrong.
More concepts are added here as they are filmed.
Street interview ad questions
How much do street interview ads cost?
We sell packs of 5, 10, 20 or 40 finished videos. Each pack has one fixed price, paid upfront. The price depends on the pack size, rush timelines and whether you add testing. Book a call and we’ll send the current price list.
How long does a batch take?
The brief comes within 4 days of your onboarding form. The finished videos come within 14 days of your sign-off on the brief and, for physical products, your product arriving.
Which cities do you film in?
Los Angeles and San Diego.
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?
If you want us to. We launch the ads we made in your ad account, compare hooks and lengths, and report hook rate, hold rate, click-through rate and cost per acquisition for those ads. Testing is optional and covers only our ads.
Do we get the raw footage?
Raw and unused footage stays with us by default. If you need it, tell us before the shoot and we’ll include it in your order.
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.