Vercel | CatChow

A creative presents a simple storyboard for a CatChow ad. It’s clean. Emotional. Straightforward.

The clients are not impressed. They suggest changes. Lots of them. They want laser beams. More explosions. A cat playing a guitar solo. They claim it’s based on “extensive research.” The creative hesitates, then agrees.

Cut to the final ad.

A cat in sunglasses shreds a flying-V guitar. Lasers shoot. Explosions go off. Everything is chaotic.

The Vercel logo appears.

The Formula (That Works at Any Budget)

Painful truth = Client feedback chaos

Creative work often gets derailed by bad input.

→ Lesson: Use shared frustration to connect with your audience.

Contrast = Simple vs. absurd

A clean idea turns into something completely over-the-top.

→ Lesson: Show the gap between intention and reality.

Single punchline = The final output

The finished ad says everything.

→ Lesson: Let the story prove the need for your product.

Humor Breakdown

The humor is satirical and uncomfortable. The clients speak with total confidence. Their ideas are ridiculous, but treated as serious.

The final result pushes it even further.

→ Lesson: Exaggerate real scenarios to make them memorable.

Final Verdict

Vercel captures the reality of creative and dev work. Requirements change. Ideas get messy. The product is positioned as the tool that keeps things moving.

BRAVE-o-meter Score:

B-9 | R-9 | A-9 | V-8 | E-9
BRAVE – 8.8/10

Watch the full ad & learn more

Website: https://vercel.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vercel/

(See what BRAVE means in our collection)

Understanding the B.R.A.V.E. Scoring System

The B.R.A.V.E. scoring system uses AI to deliver an unbiased evaluation of top-of-the-funnel B2B brand ads. It measures potential impact, memorability, and effectiveness by assessing five key components of a video ad or commercial. This system gauges an ad's capacity to drive brand recall and enhance salience, ensuring that creative work not only captures attention but also leaves a lasting impression.

What B.R.A.V.E. Stands For:

Each letter represents a key factor in determining an ad’s success:

  • B — Boldness: Is the ad original, creative, or daring? Does it break away from generic B2B marketing, or is it just another forgettable corporate video?
  • R — Relevance: Does it connect with a real buyer pain point? Is it addressing a specific frustration or need, or just listing product features?
  • A — Attention: Does it grab and hold attention in the first few seconds? Is it visually or tonally engaging, or easy to skip?
  • V — Vibe: Does it create an emotional response—laughter, recognition, or surprise? Or does it feel like just another corporate info dump?
  • E — Effectiveness: Will buyers remember the brand when they need a solution? Does the ad make an impact that lasts beyond the moment?

How It’s Applied to B2B Video Rating

Each video is scored 1 to 10 in all five categories, based on how well it meets the criteria. The total score (out of 50) is then divided by 5 to give a final B.R.A.V.E. score out of 10.

For example:

  • An ad scoring B-8 | R-9 | A-7 | V-6 | E-8 has a total of 38/50.
  • The final B.R.A.V.E. score is 7.6/10.

Why It Matters

B2B ads often struggle with being bland, forgettable, or ineffective. The B.R.A.V.E. system ensures they are judged by their ability to break through, connect with buyers, and drive action.

Simply put: If your ad isn’t B.R.A.V.E., it’s invisible.

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