How To Make Ads That Spend $10K/Day
Why It Matters
For media buyers and creative strategists aiming to increase ad spend without sacrificing performance, launching more ads is easy, but building one that spends $10K a day is another matter. This post argues that scaling isn't about volume; it's about mastering fundamentals: a compelling promise, genuine proof, and creative rooted in authentic customer language. If your hit rate is declining while your output rises, this is the reset your creative process needs.
Introduction
The question all ad buyers want an answer to: how do you actually scale? There's a big difference between an ad that’s spending $10,000 a day and one that won't spend more than $100. In a recent Scalability School podcast episode, Brad Ploch and Andrew Foxwell sat down with Harry Delmege, co-founder of Roly Poly Digital. Instead of cranking out huge quantities of AI-generated ads, Harry and his team double down on manual research, nail the basics, and refuse to compromise on quality.
In this blog post, we’re diving into Harry’s creative playbook, how he builds ads that actually scale, and the real-world tactics you can swipe to significantly increase an ad's spend and scale without torching your margins along the way.
Section 1: The Fundamentals of High-Spending Ads
If you ask most marketers what separates a $500-a-day ad from a $10,000-a-day ad, you’ll get a laundry list: better hooks, viral formats, audience hacks, or just a bigger budget. But Harry says it’s actually way simpler than that and also harder to pull off every single time.
He boils it down to the “Three Ps":
Promise – What is the core benefit or desire your ad is promising the viewer?
Proof – Is there credible, believable evidence to back up that promise?
(Not) Puzzling – Is your ad clear, or does it confuse the viewer at any point?
If an ad fails on any of these, it’s unlikely to scale. “You see so many ads that maybe have a great hook, but then lose people with mumbo jumbo, or don’t provide any real proof,” Harry says. “If you want to run at scale, every ad should nail all three.”
Harry’s got a reputation for these long-form “yapper” ads. We all know the ones that actually keep people watching because they mix storytelling, proof, and clear benefits all in one. They don’t just sell; they entertain, they educate, and people stick around for minutes, not just seconds.
Section 2: Manual and AI-Driven Creative Research Compared
Right now, every agency is shouting about its AI-powered creative research and how it’s pumping out hundreds of ad variations a week. However, Harry consistently chooses manual research over automated methods.
Why? Because the words that resonate with your audience such as their pain points, desires, and objections can’t be reliably scraped or synthesized by AI. “How do you know if the AI is using the words your customers use? That it’s talking about the experiences they actually have? Manual research is the only way to get there.”
Harry’s team spends hours on review and social commentary platforms like Reddit, Trustpilot, and even TikTok comments, looking for real stories, language, and emotions. They then plug these insights directly into their ads, often retelling real customer stories with a soft product introduction.
The result becomes ads that feel like they belong in your feed and not like some templated marketing piece you scroll right past.
Section 3: Anatomy of a Breakout Ad
A high-performing, high-spend potential ad is all about getting the basics right, then making them feel fresh and relevant to the audience the ad is talking to. Here’s the structure Harry's team keeps coming back to:
Hook: A compelling opening, often an “open loop” that promises a payoff if the viewer keeps watching.
Problem: Clearly articulating the pain or challenge the product solves.
Mechanism: Explaining how the product works, often with a unique angle or feature.
Proof: Storytelling, testimonials, or demonstrations that build credibility.
Call to Action: Direct, simple, and matched to the ad’s message.
Here’s the big differentiator: those “yapper” ads (long-form, story-driven videos) are coming from creators or third-party pages, not the brand’s own account. That’s what gives them that real, authentic vibe you just can’t fake.
For these types of ads, finding the right creator is everything. It’s about finding someone who can actually tell a story to camera and keep people hooked, sans fancy edits or a verbatim, branded script.
The sharpest takes on Meta ads and creative strategy, free, focused, and worth your inbox space.
Section 4: The Process From Client Onboarding to Live Ad
Roly Poly Digital is obsessed with what’s already working in an ad account and out in the wild across the whole DTC & Meta ads ecosystem.
When they onboard a new client, it’s all about diving deep into what’s already working, like offers, formats, and messages that have actually performed. Instead of chasing shiny new personas or wild ideas, Harry’s team goes all-in on proven “winning desires” and then finds fresh angles, stories, or formats to bring them to life.
A huge part of their process is matching ad formats to what’s currently trending in organic content. What are people glued to right now? What’s blowing up on TikTok or Instagram?
Every week, their team asks what’s new in the organic feed? What trends, memes, or storytelling formats are popping up? This way, their ads never feel stale or out of touch with what’s actually happening on the platform.
Section 5: The Myth of Innovation: Steal Like a Pro
Harry’s not buying into the idea of “pure” innovation. He says the best creative teams are just relentless students of what’s already working.
Whether it’s TikTok shop affiliates or the latest data trends, his team is always “ripping off” proven hooks, stories, and formats and then making them their own for clients. It’s not being lazy; it’s about knowing the market decides what wins.
“The real hack is to study organic content, find what’s driving engagement, and repackage it for your own brand. That’s what the top affiliates do, and it outperforms anything you can dream up in a vacuum.” - Harry Delmege
Section 6: Open Loops, Storytelling, and Keeping Attention
One of Harry’s go-to moves is the “open loop,” a psychological trick that leaves viewers hanging just enough that they have to keep watching to get the answer.
“It’s about promising a payoff,” he explains. “Say something like, ‘If you’re over 50, you should never do this…’ Now the viewer has to stick around to learn what it is.”
But unlike many marketers who use open loops as clickbait, Harry insists on delivering on the promise. “If you don’t pay off the open loop, people get pissed. You need to provide real value, not just tease.”
This ties right into storytelling: Harry says people have stopped telling real stories. It’s all ‘three reasons why’ or ‘get it now.’ But the best ads actually take you on a journey.
Some of his best-performing ads last for several minutes, and people actually stick around. They’re not afraid to go deep, tackle objections, and build a real story arc.
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Section 7: The Real Debate on Quality vs. Volume
Everyone in digital ads seems to be obsessed with volume, volume, volume. More variations, more hooks, more everything. But Harry's not convinced.
“I see brands more upset with agency performance than ever before. That’s coincided with the rise of AI and the volume playbook. Everyone’s churning out creative, but the hit rate is lower, and brands feel like agencies don’t really understand their audience.”
The answer isn’t just slowing down for the sake of it. It’s about forcing yourself to dig deeper and get intentional. Manual research makes you slow down. You can’t just lean on AI summaries or recycled scripts. That extra 10% of effort? It’s what separates the winners.
Harry’s not anti-volume, by the way. If you can do something well, do as much as you can. Just don’t sacrifice quality, relevance, or real insight to get there.
Section 8: Building a World-Class Creative Team
Harry says it’s not just media buyers who make the best creative strategists, though he’ll admit he’s a little biased there. His team’s got ex-UGC creators, media buyers, and folks who just know how to tell a story.
He’s big on learning from outside the ad world, too. Harry’s always reading about screenwriting, and he pushes his team to take courses, read books, and get inspired by stuff way beyond just ads.
Each week, every team member is expected to contribute fresh research and insights. This approach ensures that continuous learning and adaptation are embedded in the team’s culture, rather than being a one-time effort.
Conclusion: Why Fundamentals Win
So what’s the real secret to scaling your ad spend to $10,000 a day and beyond? It’s not some shiny new format, viral hack, or AI workflow. It’s about sticking to the fundamentals, clear promises, real proof, and ads that never confuse or lose your audience. It’s manual research, relentless study of what’s working out there, and having the humility to “steal like a pro” instead of chasing innovation just for the sake of it.
Basics aren’t easy, but they are non-negotiable. And in a world obsessed with speed and volume, sometimes the fastest way to scale is to slow down and do the work nobody else wants to do.
Key takeaways for brands and agencies:
Every ad must clearly communicate a promise, deliver believable proof, and be 100% clear.
Manual research is irreplaceable, so use real customer language and stories.
Study organic content, not just ads, to find breakthrough formats.
Long-form, story-driven ads can outperform short “snackable” content when done right.
Build diverse creative teams and foster ongoing learning.
Volume is only valuable when built on a foundation of quality and relevance.
If you want your ads to spend $10,000 a day and keep spending, you don’t need a magic bullet. You need the fundamentals, executed with relentless discipline and a healthy dose of creative curiosity.
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This blog post was based on the Scalability School Podcast: How To Make Ads That Spend 10K Day With Harry Delmege. If you're interested in scaling your advertising efforts and maximizing your ad spend efficiently, I highly recommend checking out this episode. Click the episode below to listen and discover expert strategies that can help take your marketing to the next level.
Note: This blog was written by a human, but AI helped draft the outline and synthesize ideas.
