UGC side-by-side

A split-screen comparison of two real moments, either problem and solution or before and after, both shot in a candid phone-camera register.

When to use it

When the transformation is the pitch but you want it to feel like a customer's photos rather than a studio comparison. It combines proof with the credibility of UGC.

The thing to get right

Both halves have to look like they came from the same phone. A polished after against a grainy before reads as a staged comparison, which undermines the proof.

The format at a glance

• Output: a still image ad.
• Structure: a single frame, with the copy composited on top.
• Family: Image ads.
• Recipe id: ugc_split, which is what you name when you ask for it by hand or from an agent.

Why does a before and after look staged?

Usually because the halves do not match. A polished after against a grainy before reads as a comparison somebody arranged. Both halves have to look like they came off the same phone in the same room.

Related formats

Static, direct-response creative for the feed: the headline, the offer, the proof, the comparison. Every word on these is composited by the app after the picture is rendered, so the copy comes out exactly as written.

• Pattern-interrupt: a deliberate pattern interrupt that breaks the feed with an unexpected visual that forces a stop
• Whiteboard explainer: a hand-drawn whiteboard or sketch explainer that sketches out the concept or how it works
• Unexpected twist: a setup and subverted-expectation twist, where the headline flips what you assumed, paired with a reveal
• Native / organic post: an ad disguised as an organic native social post that blends into the feed with a low ad vibe
• Highlighted-text hook: a bold sentence with the key phrase highlighted in marker style, so the hook IS the design
• Annotated callouts: the product annotated with handwritten-style callout notes + arrows pointing at features

The full catalog is on the creative recipes index.

Models that render it

This format is rendered by an image model, with the copy composited on top afterwards. GPT Image 2.5 is the default pick. The image models page compares the rest, including Nano Banana 2 Lite, Nano Banana Pro and Nano Banana 2.

Hermoso plans and renders an ugc side-by-side from your brand rather than from a prompt you write, composites every on-screen word after the render so the copy comes out exact, and exposes the same format to an AI agent over MCP. How Hermoso renders a format covers all three.