Building Investor Trust — Creative That Builds Credibility

What makes an investor ad actually stop the scroll and move someone further down the funnel? In this episode of Behind the Raise, Martin is joined by VirtualAd’s Head of Design, Danielle Fobert, to break down the design strategy and psychology behind creative that converts. They discuss why investor ads should not be treated like mini pitch decks, how the hook-story-offer framework helps structure high-performing creative, and why founders need to focus on curiosity, clarity, and emotional connection before overwhelming audiences with information. Danielle shares what she sees working across static ads and video, including bold numbers, pattern interrupts, founder-led content, strong opinions, simple messaging, and the power of using real faces to build trust. From “ugly ads” that perform to AI-assisted creative, founder videos, and the importance of testing one clear message at a time, this episode gives issuers a practical look at how to create investor-facing ads that earn attention and drive action.