50+ Hook Ideas for This or That Openers That Convert

If you need hook ideas for this or that openers, the fastest way to find a winner is to start from a tension your audience already feels — a choice they make daily, a trade-off they resent, or an identity split they see themselves in — and let your product resolve it in the first few seconds. This format works because it doesn't ask viewers to learn anything new before it rewards their attention; it just asks them to pick a side, and your product is the answer either way.

What a This or That Opener Actually Does

A this or that opener puts two options on screen, in voiceover, or in on-screen text within the first second or two, then shows your product bridging or beating both. It can be literal (two visuals side by side) or purely verbal (a line of dialogue that names two options). The format borrows a structure people already use to make small decisions, so it feels less like an ad and more like a quick quiz you can't help answering in your head.

Three reasons this format earns attention without feeling gimmicky:

• It mirrors a real decision the viewer has made before, so it doesn't require setup.
• It creates a tiny, low-stakes moment of self-identification ("that's me") before the pitch even starts.
• It sets up an easy resolution: your product either serves both sides or clearly wins, which gives the rest of the script somewhere to go.

The Anatomy of a Strong This or That Hook

Most effective this or that hooks follow the same three-beat shape, delivered in roughly three to five seconds total:

1. The split — name or show option A and option B clearly, with no ambiguity about what's being compared.
2. The twist — reveal that the viewer doesn't have to choose, or that one option is clearly the smarter pick, because of your product.
3. The bridge — a short line that moves straight into the problem, benefit, or demo, so the hook doesn't stall on its own cleverness.

A hook that stops at the split without the bridge tends to lose viewers right after the joke lands. Keep the split tight and spend the remaining 25 seconds on proof, not on extending the premise.

50+ Hook Ideas for This or That Openers by Category

Identity and lifestyle splits

• "Are you a morning person or a five-snoozes person? Either way, this fixes your routine."
• "Team coffee or team matcha? This works for both."
• "Night owl or early bird — this doesn't care."
• "Dog person or cat person, your pet needs this."
• "Minimalist or collector? There's a size for you."
• "Gym rat or couch stretcher — same results."
• "Introvert hosting or extrovert hosting, this makes it easy."
• "Oily skin or dry skin, this balances both."

Problem versus problem

• "Struggling with it or just annoyed by it? Watch this."
• "Is it broken or just ugly? Either way, replace it."
• "Too hot or too cold — pick one, we fixed both."
• "Clutter or chaos? This solves either."
• "Too loud or too quiet, this adjusts."
• "Tangled or lost — your charger problem either way."
• "Spilling or staining — this stops both."
• "Forgetting or losing — this tracks either."

Price and value

• "Spend once or spend every month? Do the math."
• "Cheap and breaks, or pricier and lasts? Here's the real cost."
• "Buy the knockoff or buy once — your choice."
• "Pay for shipping every week or stock up once?"
• "Expensive coffee shop drink or this at home?"
• "Replace it every season or buy this once?"

Speed and effort

• "Ten minutes of setup or ten seconds? We picked ten seconds."
• "Scrub for twenty minutes or spray and wipe?"
• "Three steps or one step — this is one."
• "Wait a week for results or see it today?"
• "Charge every day or once a week?"
• "Manual or automatic — this does it for you."

Before and after, or product versus product

• "This is week one. This is week four."
• "This is the old version. This is the one we fixed."
• "This is the store brand. This is ours — same price."
• "This is tangled. This is after."
• "This is your old setup. This is the upgrade."
• "This is a 'maybe.' This is a 'yes.'"

Niche-specific examples

• Beauty: "Full coverage or no-makeup makeup — this does both."
• Fitness: "Cardio day or leg day, this fits in your bag."
• Pet: "Chewer or shedder, this toy survives either."
• Home: "Renter or homeowner, this installs without tools."
• Tech: "Phone case for drops or phone case for style? This is both."
• Food: "Sweet tooth or salty cravings — this snack covers it."
• Travel: "Carry-on or checked bag, this fits either."
• Baby or kids: "Nap time or playtime, this toy works for both."
• Outdoor: "Rain or shine, this gear holds up."
• Office: "Standing desk or sitting desk, this adjusts."
• Hair: "Short hair or long hair, this brush handles it."
• Small spaces: "Big kitchen or tiny apartment, this fits either."
• Camping: "Campsite or backyard, this light works."
• Fashion: "First date or fifth date, this outfit works."
• Fit range: "Small hands or big hands, one size fits."
• Gym: "New to the gym or five years in, same results."
• Skincare: "Winter skin or summer skin, this hydrates both."
• Sound: "Loud house or quiet house, this still gets heard."

Fill-in Hook Formulas You Can Reuse

If none of the examples above fit your product exactly, build your own from these templates. Swap in the real split your audience faces and keep the line under six seconds when read aloud.

• "[Audience A] or [Audience B], [product] works for you."
• "[Problem A] or [Problem B]? This fixes either."
• "Spend [amount] once or [amount] every [time period]?"
• "This is [before]. This is [after]."
• "[Short effort] or [long effort] — we picked short."
• "[Option A] in the morning, [Option B] at night — this does both."

Script Example: Full 30-Second Ad Using a This or That Opener

Here is how a this or that hook can carry a complete script, using a generic phone stand as the product:

1. 0:00–0:03 — Hook: "Watching from your bed or propping your phone on a book?" (split screen or quick cut between the two)
2. 0:03–0:08 — Problem: "Either way, your neck hurts and the angle is wrong in five minutes."
3. 0:08–0:16 — Product demo: show the stand adjusting height and angle in one motion, hands-free.
4. 0:16–0:22 — Proof: a quick shot of it holding steady through a full video call or workout video.
5. 0:22–0:27 — Offer: mention the bundle or discount code on screen.
6. 0:27–0:30 — Call to action: "Link in bio" with the product shown one more time.

Notice the hook resolves by 0:08 — it doesn't try to be clever for the whole ad. The split exists only to earn the first few seconds of attention; the rest of the script does the selling.

Common Mistakes with This or That Openers

• Making the split too narrow. If the two options aren't instantly recognizable, the viewer has to think before they can relate, and that delay costs attention.
• Dragging out the reveal. The twist should land within a couple of seconds of the split, not after a long pause.
• Forgetting the product is the answer. Some scripts get stuck comparing A and B and never clearly connect the win to the product on screen.
• Reusing the same split across every ad. Test a few different categories of splits per product — identity, price, speed — since the strongest tension varies by audience.
• Ignoring sound-off viewers. If the split only works as spoken dialogue, add on-screen text or a visual split so the hook still lands with sound off.

If you want to compare this format against other proven openers, see the breakdowns on problem agitation openers, comparison chart openers, and wait for it openers — all three pair well with a this or that opener as a second hook variant to test.

Testing This or That Hooks Without Starting From Scratch Every Time

The real cost of testing multiple hooks usually isn't the idea — it's the production time to turn each idea into a finished video. FrameNotion is built around that gap: paste a product link, and FrameNotion AI writes and renders a full 30-second vertical ad from scratch, including the hook, problem, benefit, proof, offer, and call to action, in about 10 to 20 minutes.

To try a this or that angle specifically, upload your product images or notes, mention the two options you want the opener to split (for example, "before/after" or "price comparison"), and let the AI draft the script. If the first hook doesn't land the way you expected, request a change — on Pro and Agency plans you can generate A/B hook variants without rebuilding the whole ad, so you can test a few of the ideas above side by side. Every ad also ships as 4:5, 1:1, and 16:9, with a voiceover, music, and word-by-word captions so the split reads clearly even on mute. Browse example ads to see finished hooks in action, or check pricing — the first ad is free with no card required.

If you're building out a broader library of openers beyond this or that, the direct address to camera and warning label hook guides are good next reads for variety in your testing rotation.