Playbook: reverse-engineer a competitor's winning video in 20 minutes

Playbook: reverse-engineer a competitor's winning video in 20 minutes
Found an ad that's been running 90+ days? Here's how to strip it for parts.
— Watch on mute first. Note the exact second the on-screen text changes — that's their pacing map.
— Transcribe the first 3 seconds word-for-word. That's the hook to swipe, not the offer.
— Screenshot every scene-cut and label it: problem, agitation, reveal, proof, CTA. Now you have the skeleton.
— Count the cuts per 5 seconds. Match the rhythm, not the footage.
— Note where captions sit (top vs lower-third) and font weight — that's their mobile-readability test, already passed.
⭐ Pick of the week move: rebuild the skeleton with YOUR angle in the gaps. You're cloning the structure, never the creative.
Deliverable: one shot-list doc you can hand to an editor today.