Amateur Investigation
- Format
- Video
- Category
- Curiosity / Proof
- Stage
- TOF, MOF
- Requires
- A question you're willing to test honestly
What is it
A creator or everyday person sets out to answer a question on camera: "Is this actually worth it?", "I bought the viral X to see if it's a scam", "What's really inside these?". They test, cut open, compare, measure or try it for a week, filming the process in a scrappy, handheld style. The product is the subject of the investigation rather than the star of an ad, which makes the viewer curious about the verdict and far more willing to believe it when it lands in the product's favour.
What makes it work
Open on the question and the doubt
The hook is the suspicion: "Everyone says this is a scam, so I bought it." Stating scepticism up front aligns the creator with the viewer and creates a loop that only the verdict can close. A creator who is already a fan kills the tension before it starts.
Show the test, not just the result
Unboxing, cutting it open, putting it next to a cheaper alternative, pouring it into water, wearing it for a week, measuring with a tape or a scale. The visible method is the proof; a verdict without a process is just an opinion.
Keep it deliberately low-fi
Phone footage, natural light, a kitchen table or garage, jump cuts, on-screen notes and circled details. Polish makes it look like a brand pretending to investigate itself, and the credibility is gone.
Include at least one honest downside
"It's more expensive," "the smell takes getting used to," "shipping took a week." A small genuine flaw makes the positive verdict believable. An investigation that finds nothing wrong reads as scripted.
The test has to be real and fair
If the brand is behind the video, the creator must disclose the partnership, and the test must actually have been run with genuine results. Rigged comparisons, faked lab tests or trashing a named competitor on flimsy evidence are misleading and, in the EU, unlawful comparative advertising. Let the method be simple, but let it be honest.
Reference 1
AI Edit Master Prompt
Produce a 29s vertical 9:16 amateur investigation comparison video for {YOUR PRODUCT}. No polished ad energy.
Generate the following sequence:
The Hook: Open with the unboxing of {YOUR PRODUCT} at {YOUR HERO PRICE}. Have the creator state the sceptical question out loud: "{THE DOUBT EVERYONE HAS}".
The Test: Quick cuts of hands feeling, spreading or using {YOUR PRODUCT} side-by-side against {COMPETITOR 1}, {COMPETITOR 2}, {COMPETITOR 3} and {COMPETITOR 4}. Focus on close-up, tactile texture, weight or finish differences.
The Reveal: End with the reviewer wrapping themselves in / holding / using {YOUR PRODUCT} and setting up the next part of the test: {THE OPEN LOOPS OR FOLLOW-UP}.
Assemble: Fast-paced jump cuts, natural phone lighting, tight close-ups. Let the creator's hands and voice drive the edit, not graphics.
Text Overlay: A "{YOUR SERIES LOGO}" lockup and dynamic pop-up price tags for each brand as it appears on screen.
Audio: Fast-paced, conversational reviewer voiceover; no music bed under the comparison.
End Card: Conclude naturally on the call-to-action to check back for {PART TWO HOOK}.Reference 2
AI Edit Master Prompt
Produce a 16s vertical 9:16 POV amateur investigation ad for {YOUR PRODUCT}.
Generate the following sequence:
The Setup: Top-down POV showing {TEST SURFACE} with {NUMBER} UV stickers applied. A hand squeezes a line of {YOUR PRODUCT} and {COMPETITOR 1}, {COMPETITOR 2}, {COMPETITOR 3} over separate stickers.
The Test: Quick time jumps ({TIME 1}, {TIME 2}, {TIME 3}) showing the competitor stickers turning {FAILURE COLOR} to indicate {NEGATIVE OUTCOME}, while the {YOUR PRODUCT} sticker stays {SUCCESS COLOR}.
The Reveal: A hand picks up the winning {YOUR PRODUCT} bottle and holds it over the clean sticker.
Assemble: Chronological jump cuts, zero filler. The colour change of the stickers must be the only story.
Text Overlay: Static labels identifying each product name and its {KEY SPEC} as it is applied.
Audio: Clear, informative voiceover walking through the test without hype.
End Card: Conclude naturally on the shot of the {YOUR PRODUCT} bottle held above the unchanged sticker.