Complex

Complex’s Meta Ad Strategy

Tracked since Oct 2020 · General

● Tracked over time
Total ads tracked
120
Active now
100
Longest-running ad
2150 days
Avg ad lifespan
182 days

Ad volume over time

the data competitors don’t show

Complex went from 7 to 120 active ads (17.1×) between Oct '20 and Aug '26.

Oct '20Nov '20Dec '20Jan '21Feb '21Mar '21Apr '21May '21Jun '21Jul '21Aug '21Sep '21Oct '21Nov '21Dec '21Jan '22Feb '22Mar '22Apr '22May '22Jun '22Jul '22Aug '22Sep '22Oct '22Nov '22Dec '22Jan '23Feb '23Mar '23Apr '23May '23Jun '23Jul '23Aug '23Sep '23Oct '23Nov '23Dec '23Jan '24Feb '24Mar '24Apr '24May '24Jun '24Jul '24Aug '24Sep '24Oct '24Nov '24Dec '24Jan '25Feb '25Mar '25Apr '25May '25Jun '25Jul '25Aug '25Sep '25Oct '25Nov '25Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Jun '26Jul '26Aug '26120

Signal: started testing video creative around Oct '20.

Proven winners — ranked by days running

our honest performance proxy

The longer an ad runs, the more it’s working. (We never invent CTR or ROAS.)

● Live
Running 286 days
{{product.name}} · since Nov 2025
● Live
Running 133 days
{{product.name}} · since Apr 2026
● Live
Running 78 days
A car that doesn't make you feel something is a car that stops s · since Jun 2026
● Live
Running 78 days
A car that doesn't make you feel something is a car that stops s · since Jun 2026
● Live
Running 71 days
Upgrade to unstoppable, in the first-ever INFINITI QX65. · since Jun 2026
● Live
Running 71 days
Not Dos Equis and Fuerza Regida getting fans to zoom in frame by · since Jun 2026
● Live
Running 71 days
THE FIRST-EVER INFINITI QX65 · since Jun 2026
● Live
Running 71 days
Upgrade to unstoppable, in the first-ever INFINITI QX65. · since Jun 2026
● Live
Running 70 days
This Hot Wheels van costs more than the actual thing 👀 · since Jun 2026

Format mix

Text Overlay36%
Studio Product32%
Ugc Talking Head20%
Ugc Lifestyle12%

Hook types

Direct Offer33%
Curiosity Gap25%
Contrarian13%
Story13%
Authority8%
Social Proof8%

Recently launched

Aug 2026
Aug 2026
Aug 2026
Aug 2026
Aug 2026
Aug 2026

Frequently asked

How many Meta ads is Complex running?
Complex has 100 active ads right now, out of 120 tracked since Oct 2020.
What is Complex's longest-running ad?
Their longest-running ad has stayed live 2150 days. The longer an ad runs, the more it's likely working — AdWhispr uses ad longevity as an honest proxy for performance, and never invents CTR or ROAS.
Where does this Complex ad data come from?
The public Meta Ad Library, tracked daily. We reconstruct ad-volume trends and creative-format shifts over time from each ad's first- and last-seen dates.
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Based on the public Meta Ad Library. Ad-volume trend reconstructed from each ad’s first/last-seen dates.