Not all ads are equal. There, we said it.
Different ad formats definitely have their time and place, but it’s just a matter of whether they’re right for your brand / campaign objective.
And when it comes to an organisation like The Y’s Early Learning Centre (ELC), you’ll need a LOT more than dot points overlaid on a static image to instil enough trust.
Parents are about to make a deeply personal – possibly risky – decision.
Whose hands are they about to leave their kids in? The light of their lives? Their babies, their heart and soul, their number one priority, their entire world?
It’s a choice that calls for reassurance and confidence on steroids. And to become the option they choose? You’ve got to do better than Canva.
Extra context to start: The Y’s ELC is a joint client between ourselves and DataSauce, our sister digital marketing agency that specialises in full-service performance marketing.
When they first came onboard, creator content in The Y’s world = Non-existent.
It was all about Meta Ads, where The Y’s digital strategy was heavily reliant on static ads. Obvious branding in place, straight-forward messaging, and undeniably clear CTAs.
A little like so:
Clear and concise, for sure.
But it was far from the warm, nurturing, purpose-driven and community oriented brand that The Y’s centres actually were. Sorta like receiving a cursory DM over a hand-written love letter.
A point was made, but was a point truly heard and felt?
Parents couldn’t possibly know the value and values that The Y brought to the table if all they’re seeing is a static image with 10 words of copy (at most) – without any real vote of confidence.
When a brand’s digital presence doesn’t match the energy they deliver daily, the connection breaks before it even begins. And there’s where we came in, with creator-led user-generated content (UGC) campaigns that featured real parents, real stories, real reviews.
Opening with an adorable little kid walking into The Y? We’re already hooked.
But somehow it gets even better.
“Curious about what your child will experience at The Y?” perfectly sets the scene as to what a viewer can soon expect, and it doesn’t stop as the video progresses.
“Drop-offs used to be tough. But at The Y, my daughter doesn’t look back” then highlights a common pain point that parents either face or fear, before nipping it right in the bud.
Bek shows us the space, her daughter in action (during playtime, mealtime, outdoor-time) – all supported by the clearly dedicated, nurturing and qualified team at The Y.
And if you pause the video at any point, you’ll see big smiles all around. Big toddler smiles too, which is like triple the joy.
Now, the needs of a 4-year-old differ dramatically from that of a 6-month-old. The Y knows this.
It’s why they offer a range of services (incl. long day care for babies and toddlers, and sessional / integrated programs for Kindergarteners aged 3-4). Our campaign’s creator-led UGC videos had to mention this too – all without information overload or coming across too salesy.
Enter Thehani, and her son Aaron. Evidently older than Bek’s little girl, but clearly enjoying his experience at The Y’s integrated kinder all the same.
And the way Thehani weaved USP after USP into her script so seamlessly? From structured kinder learning to no mid-day pick-ups perfect for busy working parents, et cetera.
We don’t even have kids and we’re sold.
Within just one month of launching this new creative refresh…
But we can’t say we’re surprised about such ROI. UGC ads, or user-generated content in general, have been tried, tested and proven – time and time again.
What differentiates content from ✨content ✨ is a good understanding of nuance.
Something we, as a trusted UGC agency, can safely say we have.
For a non-profit like The Y, this nuance comes in realising that enrolling your child into an early learning centre isn’t transactional – it’s emotional. It’s not about features, but feelings. It isn’t spontaneous and straightforward, but layered and considered.
Meaning any UGC campaign we built needed to lead with <3 (*heart)
Our take on The Y’s UGC campaign involved breaking it down into The Discovery Phase and The Research Phase, each designed to meet parents wherever they are on their journey.
Per the brief, creators also provided two hooks per script, to A/B test what drew parents in more.
Every video ad then closed with a clear, actionable call-to-action (CTA) – “Book a personalised tour of The Y’s Early Learning Centre today.”
Low commitment, fully about exploration, zero expectation to lock-in.
Mirroring exactly what the staff at The Y offer – trust, thoughtful care, and no strings attached.
This all eventuated in a creator campaign that didn’t just look good – it felt right. Why?
And given results like the above? This Meta Ads creative strategy truly proved what many in content marketing still overlook – facts don’t build trust, people do.
By swapping static graphics for creator-led storytelling with UGC ads, The Y’s ELC achieved both better performance metrics AND genuine emotional cut-through.
Get in touch with us here to show (not tell) your audience what makes you tick.
If you want to read this case study from a performance marketing lens, click here for the DataSauce take.
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