ClickUp’s “Before ClickUp” ad humorously showcases the chaos and inefficiency of traditional project management—a messy web of spreadsheets, meetings, and missed deadlines—before it introduces its sleek, modern solution. The ad highlights how ClickUp transforms productivity by turning disorder into clarity, all while using exaggerated humor to make the frustration feel painfully relatable.
The Formula (That Works at Any Budget):
Exaggerated Pain Points = Instant Humor – The ad opens with a complete disaster, showing employees juggling too many tools and processes, clearly struggling to stay organized. The more chaotic the scenario, the more the audience connects with the real-life pain of inefficient systems.
→ Lesson: Blow up the pain points to create a dramatic and funny contrast to your solution.
Relatable Workplace Chaos – The overflowing calendars, missed deadlines, and employees drowning in sticky notes make it easy for anyone who’s ever struggled with project management to recognize themselves in the situation.
→ Lesson: Make the chaos feel real and relatable, turning your audience’s frustrations into a setup for the perfect solution.
Product as the Clear Hero – ClickUp is introduced as the tool that saves the day, bringing order to chaos and dramatically improving productivity. The transformation from a disaster to a smooth workflow emphasizes how valuable the product really is.
→ Lesson: Position your product as the clear and indispensable solution to the mess your audience is already dealing with.
Final Verdict:
ClickUp’s ad effectively uses humor and exaggeration to turn a common workplace frustration into a memorable, relatable moment. By showing how their product saves the day, it creates an urgent need for better organization—without feeling too preachy or heavy-handed.
Brave-o-meter score:Â
B-8 | R-9 | A-9 | V-8 | E-8
BRAVE – 8.4/10
Watch the full ad & learn more:
Website: ClickUp
LinkedIn: ClickUp LinkedIn Page
