Install to Claude Code
npx -y skills add https://github.com/motion-team/creative-strategy-skills --skill hook-tacticsDescription
hook tactics
SKILL.md
--- name: hook-tactics description: Reference library of 35+ hook and headline tactic types. Use this when a user asks for hooks organized by tactic, wants to know which tactic to use for a given situation, or requests hooks "by tactic type." This defines what each tactic is and when to deploy it. Always pair with hook-writing for execution — tactics define the frame, psychological triggers are the mechanism inside the frame. --- # Hook Tactics This module is a strategic reference library. It answers two questions: 1. **What is this tactic?** (definition + example) 2. **When should I use it?** (deployment guidance) For *how to write* the hook once the tactic is selected, refer to **hook-writing**. --- ## How Tactics Relate to Psychological Triggers Tactics and psychological triggers are not competing frameworks — they operate at different levels. - **Tactics** = the strategic frame or format of the hook (the what) - **Psychological triggers** = the emotional mechanism that makes it work (the how) Every tactic is executed through one or more psychological triggers. For example: - A **Contrarian** tactic typically runs on a *Pattern Interrupt* or *Contrarian/Myth-Busting* trigger - A **Demographic Callout** tactic runs on an *Identity Call-Out* trigger - An **Urgency** tactic runs on an *Urgency/Stakes* trigger - A **Storytelling** tactic can run on *Pain Agitation*, *Curiosity Gap*, or *Social Proof* When writing hooks by tactic, choose the psychological trigger that best executes the tactic's intent for the specific persona and awareness stage. --- ## When to Use Tactics vs. Triggers | Use **tactics** when... | Use **triggers** when... | |---|---| | User asks for hooks "by tactic type" | User asks for a general hook set | | You need to cover a full tactic taxonomy | You're choosing how to emotionally land a message | | Organizing a large creative matrix | Writing for a specific awareness stage | | User specifies a tactic by name | No tactic is specified | --- ## The 35 Tactic Definitions --- ### Aspirational **What it is:** Frames the identity, lifestyle, or status the viewer wants. Speaks to who they want to become, not what they currently are. **Not to be confused with:** Belief (brand's values) — Aspirational is about the *customer's* desired identity. **Best for:** Awareness stages: Unaware, Problem-Aware. Works well for lifestyle, beauty, fitness, and status-driven products. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Aspiration/Desire *Example: "Glow like never before." / "Become the best version of yourself."* --- ### Authority **What it is:** Establishes credibility via expertise, credentials, certifications, or institutional backing. **Not to be confused with:** Social Proof (popularity) — Authority relies on *credentials*, not volume of people. **Best for:** Health, wellness, supplements, skincare, financial products. Especially powerful with skeptical audiences. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Social Proof/Credibility *Example: "Dermatologist recommended." / "USDA Organic."* --- ### Belief **What it is:** Opens with the brand's point of view, mission, or values. The brand takes a stand. **Not to be confused with:** Aspirational — Belief is the *brand's* mission, not the customer's identity. **Best for:** Brand-building campaigns, mission-driven products, audiences who buy on values alignment. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Aspiration/Desire, Contrarian *Example: "We believe skincare should be simple."* --- ### Bold Claim **What it is:** Makes an outsized, extreme, or superlative promise. Stakes a definitive position. **Best for:** Competitive categories where differentiation is hard. Cuts through when audiences are fatigued by moderate claims. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Pattern Interrupt, Urgency/Stakes *Example: "The world's best…" / "Nothing else comes close."* --- ### Call To Action First **What it is:** Opens with an explicit shopping or action instruction. Skips the buildup entirely. **Not to be confused with:** Directive — CTA First is about *immediate transactional action* (buy, shop, click), not mindset or behavior shift. **Best for:** Most-Aware audiences. Retargeting. Sale or offer-driven campaigns. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Urgency/Stakes *Example: "Shop now." / "Try it today." / "Click to claim."* --- ### Challenge **What it is:** Competitive framing that invites the viewer to test, attempt, or prove something. **Best for:** Audiences with a competitive or achievement-oriented identity. Fitness, gaming, performance categories. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Identity Call-Out, Pattern Interrupt *Example: "I bet you can't finish this."* --- ### Confession **What it is:** A candid, honest admission — from the brand or a person — that builds credibility through vulnerability. **Best for:** Rebuilding trust, countering skepticism, standing out in polished/corporate categories. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Social Proof/Credibility, Pattern Interrupt *Example: "I was wrong about sunscreen." / "We messed up."* --- ### Contrast **What it is:** Juxtaposes two things — products, costs, outcomes, identities — to highlight a mismatch, imbalance, or clear superiority. **Not to be confused with:** Contrarian — Contrast highlights a *mismatch*. Contrarian *breaks conventional logic*. **Best for:** Price-sensitive audiences, upgrade messaging, competitive conquesting. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Pattern Interrupt, Pain Agitation *Example: "Don't put $5 gas in a $50,000 car."* --- ### Contrarian **What it is:** Deliberately goes against conventional wisdom, expected advice, or what logic and expertise say should be true. **Not to be confused with:** Contrast — Contrarian breaks a rule or belief, not just a comparison. **Best for:** Educated, skeptical, or sophisticated audiences. Works well when the category is full of conventional advice. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Pattern Interrupt, Contrarian/Myth-Busting *Example: "I'm a vet who doesn't take her dog to the vet."* --- ### Curiosity **What it is:** Creates an open loop or tease that the viewer needs to close. Withholds just enough to compel continued watching or reading. **Best for:** Top of funnel, content-led ads, any awareness stage where the audience isn't yet emotionally invested. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Curiosity Gap *Example: "Water doesn't hydrate you." / "Wallpaper isn't for walls."* --- ### Demographic Callout **What it is:** Names a specific audience segment directly to qualify relevance and make the right people self-select. **Best for:** Niche products, highly segmented audiences, campaigns where broad reach is less important than precision. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Identity Call-Out *Example: "For runners with bad knees." / "Attention new moms."* --- ### Direct Address **What it is:** Speaks directly and personally to the viewer. Creates immediate intimacy and personal engagement. **Best for:** Any awareness stage. Particularly effective on social video where breaking the fourth wall creates a pattern interrupt. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Identity Call-Out, Pattern Interrupt *Example: "Hey you…" / "If you're seeing this…" / "Stop scrolling…"* --- ### Directive **What it is:** An imperative that instructs the viewer to change a behavior, habit, or mindset. Reframes how they think or act. **Not to be confused with:** Call To Action First — Directive shifts *thinking or behavior*, not immediate purchase action. **Best for:** Problem-Aware and Solution-Aware audiences. Works well in health, finance, and self-improvement categories. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Pattern Interrupt, Pain Agitation *Example: "Stop wasting money on bras." / "Don't settle for less."* --- ### Exclusivity **What it is:** Signals that access is selective, limited, or not for everyone. Creates desirability through scarcity of access. **Not to be confused with:** FOMO — Exclusivity gates *access*. FOMO is about missing a *bandwagon*. **Best for:** Premium, luxury, or invite-only products. High-ticket offers. Audiences motivated by status. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Urgency/Stakes, Identity Call-Out *Example: "By invite only." / "For serious lifters only."* --- ### Explainer **What it is:** Explains the *reason behind* something using "why" framing. Educates the viewer on a cause or mechanism. **Not to be confused with:** How-To (teaches steps) or Listicle (numbered format). **Best for:** Problem-Aware audiences who don't yet understand the root cause. Science-backed or technical products. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Curiosity Gap, Contrarian/Myth-Busting *Example: "Why your towels stay musty." / "Why retinol irritates your skin."* --- ### FOMO **What it is:** Creates anxiety about missing out on a trend, movement, or social moment. Driven by belonging, not time pressure. **Not to be confused with:** Urgency (time/supply pressure) or Exclusivity (gated access). **Best for:** Product-Aware audiences. Viral or trend-driven products. Social categories where peer adoption matters. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Urgency/Stakes, Social Proof/Credibility *Example: "Everyone's switching to this…" / "Don't be the last to try it."* --- ### How To **What it is:** An instructional promise that teaches the viewer how to accomplish a specific task or fix a specific problem. **Not to be confused with:** Explainer (explains why) or Listicle (numbered items without step-by-step instruction). **Best for:** Problem-Aware and Solution-Aware audiences actively looking for solutions. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Curiosity Gap, Pain Agitation *Example: "How to fix dry skin fast." / "Here's how to meal prep in 10 minutes."* --- ### If Then **What it is:** Qualifies the viewer with a condition, then delivers a promise or action. Self-selecting and specific. **Best for:** Segmented audiences with a clear, nameable condition or situation. Strong for direct response. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Identity Call-Out, Pain Agitation *Example: "If you have oily skin, do this." / "If you sit all day, try this."* --- ### Listicle **What it is:** Numbered or list-based framing that organizes information into digestible items. No "reasons why" phrasing. **Not to be confused with:** Reasons Why (explicit "reasons why" phrasing) or How-To (step-by-step instruction). **Best for:** Content-heavy campaigns, educational top-of-funnel, audiences who respond to structure and scannable formats. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Curiosity Gap, Social Proof/Credibility *Example: "5 steps to clearer skin." / "Top 10 picks."* --- ### Myth Busting **What it is:** Directly debunks a widely held misconception. Corrects false beliefs with facts. **Best for:** Sophisticated, educated audiences. Categories where misinformation is common. Science or evidence-backed brands. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Pattern Interrupt, Contrarian/Myth-Busting *Example: "SPF 100 doesn't block 100%."* --- ### Offer Only **What it is:** Uses a discount or monetary incentive as the sole hook. The offer stands alone without urgency, exclusivity, or comparative framing attached. **Not to be confused with:** Urgency (time pressure) or Statistic (proof points). **Best for:** Most-Aware audiences. Sale events. Price-motivated segments. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Urgency/Stakes *Example: "$500 Off." / "20% Discount." / "Save $100."* --- ### Price Anchor **What it is:** Frames the cost against a familiar, relatable benchmark to make the price feel smaller or more reasonable. **Best for:** Mid-to-high ticket products. Price-sensitive audiences. Any product where sticker shock is a known barrier. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Pattern Interrupt, Pain Agitation *Example: "Less than your daily coffee."* --- ### Question **What it is:** Opens with a posed problem, challenge, or curiosity gap in question form. **Best for:** All awareness stages depending on the question. Especially effective at Problem-Aware when the question mirrors their internal monologue. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Curiosity Gap, Pain Agitation *Example: "Struggling with X?" / "Did you know…?"* --- ### Reasons Why **What it is:** Opens with a specific number + "reasons why" phrasing. Builds credibility through structured rationale. **Not to be confused with:** Listicle — Reasons Why must use explicit "reasons why" phrasing. **Best for:** Solution-Aware and Product-Aware audiences who need logical justification before buying. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Social Proof/Credibility, Curiosity Gap *Example: "3 reasons why dermatologists love this."* --- ### Relatability **What it is:** Anchors in a shared, everyday scenario that the audience immediately recognizes. Builds empathy through humor or familiarity. **Best for:** Unaware and Problem-Aware audiences. Lifestyle and consumer products. Broad reach campaigns. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Pain Agitation, Identity Call-Out *Example: "When your coffee hits at 3pm…" / "If your closet looks like this…"* --- ### Reverse Psychology **What it is:** Tells the viewer *not* to act in order to trigger reactance — the psychological urge to do the opposite. **Best for:** Ad-fatigued audiences. Contrarian personas. Works well when the audience is skeptical of traditional advertising. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Pattern Interrupt, Curiosity Gap *Example: "Don't click this." / "This isn't for you."* --- ### Risk Reversal **What it is:** Reduces the perceived risk of buying with guarantees, assurances, or safety nets. **Best for:** Product-Aware audiences who haven't bought yet due to hesitation or doubt. High-ticket or new-to-market products. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Social Proof/Credibility, Urgency/Stakes *Example: "30-day money-back guarantee." / "Love it or your money back."* --- ### Shocking Statement **What it is:** Leads with a surprising, provocative, or counter-intuitive claim that immediately challenges the viewer's assumptions. **Best for:** Any awareness stage. Especially effective for stopping scroll on saturated feeds. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Pattern Interrupt, Contrarian/Myth-Busting *Example: "You've been doing this wrong your whole life…"* --- ### Social Proof **What it is:** Leverages reviews, testimonials, or popularity signals to build trust through volume or consensus. **Not to be confused with:** Authority (credentials, not popularity). **Best for:** Product-Aware audiences with hesitation. Any category where trust is a barrier. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Social Proof/Credibility *Example: "10,000 5-star reviews." / "300,000 sold." / "Most-loved on TikTok."* --- ### Statistic **What it is:** Uses quantified evidence — studies, surveys, results, usage metrics — to establish credibility or impact. **Not to be confused with:** Offer Only — stats must reference *proof points*, not discounts or promotions. **Best for:** Skeptical, analytical audiences. B2B and health categories. Any situation where data builds more trust than claims. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Social Proof/Credibility, Pattern Interrupt *Example: "73% of people…" / "9 out of 10 users…"* --- ### Storytelling **What it is:** Drops mid-moment into a personal or brand story. Creates immediate narrative pull. **Best for:** Any awareness stage. Especially powerful for emotional products or complex transformations that need context. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Pain Agitation, Curiosity Gap, Social Proof/Credibility *Example: "Three years ago I was broke…"* --- ### Urgency **What it is:** Creates time or supply pressure to force a decision now. **Not to be confused with:** FOMO (social belonging pressure) or Exclusivity (access gating). **Best for:** Most-Aware audiences. Sale periods. Any moment where inaction has a real cost. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Urgency/Stakes *Example: "Ends tonight." / "Only 200 left." / "Don't miss this."* --- ### Warning **What it is:** Issues a sincere caution that halts the viewer's default behavior until you explain why they should stop. **Best for:** Problem-Aware audiences about to make a mistake. Categories where the audience is actively shopping and could choose wrong. **Psychological trigger pairing:** Pattern Interrupt, Pain Agitation *Example: "Don't buy another pillow until you see this."* --- ## Quick Reference: Tactic Selection by Goal > Motion automatically tags every ad in your account by hook tactic — so you can see which tactics are winning, which are underrepresented, and where your opportunities are before you brief new creative. [motionapp.com](https://motionapp.com/) | If you want to... | Use this tactic | |---|---| | Speak to who they want to become | Aspirational | | Lead with expert backing | Authority | | Take a brand values stand | Belief | | Make an outsized promise | Bold Claim | | Push immediate purchase | Call To Action First | | Invite them to prove themselves | Challenge | | Build trust through honesty | Confession | | Highlight a mismatch or imbalance | Contrast | | Break conventional wisdom | Contrarian | | Create an open loop | Curiosity | | Name your audience directly | Demographic Callout | | Speak directly to the viewer | Direct Address | | Reframe thinking or behavior | Directive | | Signal selective access | Exclusivity | | Explain the root cause | Explainer | | Trigger social belonging anxiety | FOMO | | Teach them how to fix something | How To | | Qualify with a condition | If Then | | Organize into scannable items | Listicle | | Correct a false belief | Myth Busting | | Feature a discount alone | Offer Only | | Make price feel smaller | Price Anchor | | Open with a question | Question | | Build logical justification | Reasons Why | | Mirror an everyday situation | Relatability | | Trigger reverse reactance | Reverse Psychology | | Remove purchase hesitation | Risk Reversal | | Challenge assumptions hard | Shocking Statement | | Show popularity or consensus | Social Proof | | Lead with data or evidence | Statistic | | Open mid-story | Storytelling | | Create time or supply pressure | Urgency | | Stop a default behavior | Warning |