Ad Clone: Reference-Led Creation for Your Brand

Ad Clone in Playad lets you use a real reference ad as the creative starting point for your own brand. Instead of building from a blank brief, you save an ad from Explore or Following, then use the Clone action to open a Chat conversation preloaded with that reference. From there you direct what to keep, what to change, and who the audience is. Review the proposed flow and generated result to check your brand assets, copy and format before using the creative. Finished media can be found in Creations.

What you can do

Browse and save reference ads

Use the Explore tab to discover ads by visual idea, brand, or message, or use Following to browse specific competitors across platforms. Save any ad you want to reuse as a reference; saved items appear in the Inspired tab.

Start a Clone conversation from a reference

When Clone or Clone this ad is available on a saved reference, selecting it opens Chat with that reference preloaded. Image references guide style and layout; video references guide scene structure, pacing, framing, and motion.

Direct what to keep and what to change

Within the Chat conversation you explain which creative elements to preserve from the reference, what to adapt for your brand, and the intended audience. The conversation keeps the reference visible as context throughout.

Generate image creatives with authentic brand assets

Playad resolves your brand logo and product assets and incorporates them into the generated image, preserving identity anchors such as packaging shape, logo, and art style while adapting composition and hierarchy from the reference.

Review and QA outputs before saving

Generated images are checked against the brief and selected assets. Material errors in copy, logo, or composition can be repaired through an edit node referencing the actual source before the Creation is finalized.

Deliver size variants and ad copy

Once a hero creative is accepted, size variants are produced by connecting it to resize nodes. Ad copy for headline and body is attached to each saved Creation for the target platform and placement.

How it works

1. Find and save a reference ad

Select your team and brand, then open Inspiration. Use Explore to search by visual idea or brand, or open Following to browse competitor ads. Open an ad to inspect it, then choose Save or Save to inspiration to add it to your Inspired tab.

2. Start a Clone conversation

In the Inspired tab, open the saved reference and select Clone or Clone this ad when the action is available. This opens Chat with the reference preloaded and a starting prompt to create an ad for your brand.

3. Give creative direction in Chat

In the Chat conversation, describe what to keep from the reference (such as layout structure, color approach, or scene pacing), what to adapt (messaging, product, audience), and any platform or dimension requirements.

4. Resolve brand assets

Playad locates your brand logo and product visuals from your Brand settings. If an essential asset is ambiguous or missing, you will be asked to confirm or upload a replacement before generation begins.

5. Review the generated creative

Inspect the output in the Chat conversation and in Creations. If copy, logo placement, or product representation needs correction, request a specific edit and a revised version is produced referencing the original source.

6. Save and attach ad copy

Accepted creatives are saved to Creations. Ad copy including headline and body is attached to each Creation for the resolved platform. Size variants are produced from the approved hero and saved as separate deliverables.

Using Playad: product screens

Example request

I saved a reference ad in Inspired with a bold product-close layout. Clone it for my brand, keep the composition, swap in my serum product, and write Meta ad copy targeting women 25–40.

Hypothetical example: skincare brand adapting a competitor reference

Illustrative example — not a product screenshot or customer result

Input: A brand saves a competitor image ad from the Following tab that uses a clean split-layout with product on one side and benefit copy on the other. They select Clone this ad and in Chat specify: keep the split-layout structure, replace the competitor product with their moisturizer packaging, change the headline to reflect their hydration claim, and target a 30–45 age group on Meta.

Review: The generated image shows the brand's verified moisturizer asset in the layout position from the reference, with new headline copy within the 40-character Meta cap. The Chat conversation flags that the logo size is smaller than brand guidelines suggest, and an edit node is used to correct placement before the Creation is saved.

Before you start

Google video ad cloning is not supported by the Clone action.

Clone availability depends on the reference media type and provider; not all saved ads have a Clone action.

Searching Explore uses the query to find relevant ads; browsing filters and sort selections are not applied to search results.

Keyword search and competitor selection in Following are separate; entering a keyword clears selected competitors and vice versa.

Your plan may limit the number of competitors you can follow in the Following tab.

Starting a Clone conversation does not publish an ad; publishing is a separate step outside the creation workflow.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I find the Clone action?

Clone or Clone this ad appears on a saved reference in the Inspired tab or on an ad's detail view when the action is supported for that media type and provider. Open the reference and look for the Clone option to start a Chat conversation.

What does a video reference guide in a Clone conversation?

Video references guide scene structure, pacing, framing, and motion in the Chat conversation. You direct which of those elements to keep and how to adapt them for your brand within the conversation.

Do I need to upload my own logo and product images?

Playad resolves your brand logo and product assets from your Brand settings automatically. If an essential asset cannot be confirmed, you will be asked to upload or select a replacement before generation proceeds.

Can I use a reference I found outside Playad?

Yes. In the Inspired tab, use Upload New to add a reference from your device. Once saved, it is available alongside references discovered in Explore and Following.

Where do my finished creatives go after a Clone conversation?

Generated images are auto-saved as session artifacts and registered as Creations. You can also find editable work in Projects when a project is available for that output.

Is the reference ad shared with or visible to the competitor brand?

The product documents do not describe any notification or sharing with the advertiser whose ad is used as a reference. References in Inspired are inputs for your own creative direction only.

Product guides