What is a spec ad, and how do we label ours honestly?
If you have looked at an editor's portfolio, you have probably seen spec ads without knowing it. Here is what they are, and what an honest one looks like.
What a spec ad is
A spec ad is an ad made on speculation. No brand paid for it. An editor makes it to show what they can do.
That is not a bad thing. Every editor starts without client work, and a spec ad is a fair way to show skill. The problem only starts when it is passed off as something else.
The three kinds you will see
- Concept ads with a made-up brand. The brand does not exist. The editor builds a product, uses licensed stock footage and shows the editing style.
- Recuts of a live ad. The editor takes a public ad and shows a different opening or edit. The brand did not ask for it.
- Assignment edits. A brief from a company, edited as a test. Not a paid project.
All three are fine to show. They just need a clear label.
Why labels matter
If you are a brand hiring an editor, you want to know what you are looking at. A spec ad cannot tell you how someone handles a real brief, real feedback or a real deadline. A paid project can.
Hiding that difference wastes your time and theirs.
How I label mine
On the Weblur site, every piece says what it is:
- Made-up brands are marked as concept ads, with footage from licensed stock.
- A recut of a live ad is marked as a concept recut, not affiliated with the brand.
- Assignment work says the brief came from the company and was not a paid client.
I do not use client names I have not worked with, and I do not show results I do not have.
What to look for in any editor's portfolio
- Is each piece labelled as client work, spec or assignment?
- Can they explain the choices, like why this opening and why this cut?
- Do they show different formats of the same ad, not only one?
- Do they say what they did, and not claim the whole campaign?
What a spec ad is good for
It shows taste, pacing and technical skill. It is a good way to compare editors before you send a real brief.
If you like what you see, start with one small paid test. That tells you how it feels to work together.
Want to see how I label my work?
Look at the examples on the site, or write to me and I will tell you exactly what each piece is.
Say hello See the work