AdLaunch Review — Video Creation For Ads [AppSumo]

Introduction

AdLaunch is a cloud-based video creation tool aimed at simplifying the process of making videos for social media advertisements and platforms like Instagram stories. Offered as a lifetime deal on AppSumo for $39, AdLaunch promises to make video creation accessible and quick, even for those without extensive editing experience. This review, conducted by Dave Swift from thatltd.life, thoroughly examines the features, functionality, and overall value proposition of AdLaunch.

The tool claims to offer lifetime access, allowing users to create 40 videos per month with a single code, and the ability to stack codes for increased video creation capacity. AdLaunch boasts integrations with Google Drive and Dropbox for easy media import, as well as a library of stock footage and music. However, as this review will reveal, the actual user experience falls significantly short of these promises, with numerous technical issues and limitations that severely impact its usability and effectiveness.

This in-depth review will take you through the various aspects of AdLaunch, from its user interface and video creation process to its template library and export capabilities. We’ll also compare it to alternative solutions in the market, particularly InVideo, to help you make an informed decision about whether AdLaunch is worth your investment.

Overview of AdLaunch

AdLaunch is positioned as a solution for creating videos tailored for Facebook ads and Instagram content. Priced at $39 on AppSumo, it offers a lifetime deal that includes:

• Lifetime access to the platform
• 40 videos per month for a single code
• Additional 40 videos per month for each stacked code
• Unlimited videos per month after stacking 6 codes
• Integration with Google Drive and Dropbox
• Stock footage and music library

The tool aims to simplify the video creation process, making it accessible to users who may not have extensive video editing experience. However, as we delve deeper into its features and functionality, it becomes apparent that AdLaunch falls short in several critical areas.

Key Features:

• Cloud-based video editing
• Multiple aspect ratios (16:9, square, portrait)
• Video generator tool
• Template library
• Stock footage and music
• Project organization system

Pricing Structure:

• $39 for lifetime access
• Ability to stack codes for increased video creation capacity
• Unlimited videos after purchasing 6 codes

Target Audience:

• Social media marketers
• Small business owners
• Content creators for Facebook and Instagram

Integration Capabilities:

• Google Drive integration for easy media import
• Dropbox support for accessing and using stored media

While these features sound promising on paper, the actual user experience reveals significant limitations and technical issues that hinder AdLaunch’s effectiveness as a video creation tool.

User Interface and Project Setup

The user interface of AdLaunch is the first point of interaction for users, and unfortunately, it presents several issues right from the start. The project setup process is counterintuitive and lacks basic organizational features that users would expect from a video editing tool.

Project Creation Process:

• Unintuitive naming system: Users must name a video before naming the project
• Lack of project renaming option: Once created, projects cannot be renamed, only deleted
• Confusing organization: Videos are created before projects, leading to disorganization

UI Navigation:

• Dashboard displays created projects
• Projects act as folders containing multiple videos
• New video creation requires selecting aspect ratio and creation method

Aspect Ratio Options:

• 16:9 (traditional landscape)
• Square (1:1)
• Portrait (suitable for Instagram stories)

Video Creation Methods:

• Generator: AI-assisted video creation based on keywords
• Template: Pre-designed video layouts
• Blank video: Start from scratch

The user interface of AdLaunch presents several challenges that may frustrate users, especially those who value organization in their workflow:

• Lack of intuitive project management: The inability to rename projects or properly organize videos within projects can lead to a cluttered workspace.
• Inconsistent UI elements: The process of creating a new video before naming a project goes against common UX practices.
• Limited customization: The rigid structure of projects and videos within the platform restricts users’ ability to organize their work efficiently.
• Confusing navigation: The separation of project naming and video creation can lead to disorientation within the platform.

These UI issues set a concerning tone for the overall user experience of AdLaunch, suggesting that the platform may not have been thoroughly tested or designed with user needs in mind.

Video Generator Tool

The Video Generator tool is one of AdLaunch’s key features, promising to create videos quickly based on user input. However, the experience of using this tool reveals several limitations and issues that affect its usefulness.

Generator Setup Process:

1. Choose video format (16:9, square, or portrait)
2. Enter keywords related to the desired video content
3. Select video length
4. Choose mood for the video
5. Add a call-to-action
6. Optional: Upload a logo

Keyword Selection:

• Primary keyword input
• Suggested related keywords
• Option to add multiple keywords for more targeted content

Video Customization Options:

• Format selection (despite previous format choice)
• Video length adjustment
• Mood selection (e.g., lively, serious, etc.)
• Call-to-action input
• Logo upload capability

Generation Process:

• Quick generation time (4-5 seconds reported)
• Creates a sequence of stock video clips based on keywords
• Adds text overlays for titles and call-to-action

Issues with Generated Videos:

• Playback delays: 15-20 second wait before video plays
• Stuttering during playback: Affects ability to review generated content
• Inconsistent clip selection: May not always match intended theme or mood
• Limited control over clip order and duration
• Difficulty in fine-tuning generated content

The Video Generator tool, while promising in concept, falls short in execution:

• Performance issues: The significant delay in video playback and stuttering during review make it challenging to assess and edit the generated content efficiently.
• Limited relevance: The stock footage selected by the generator may not always align closely with the intended theme or mood, requiring extensive manual adjustments.
• Lack of fine control: Users have limited ability to adjust individual clips or precisely control the flow of the generated video.
• Inconsistent UI: The tool asks for format selection again, despite this being chosen earlier in the process.

These limitations significantly impact the usefulness of the Video Generator tool, potentially requiring users to spend more time editing and adjusting the generated content than if they had started from scratch.

Editing Interface and Functionality

The editing interface is a crucial component of any video creation tool. AdLaunch’s editing capabilities, however, present numerous challenges and limitations that hinder the user’s ability to create polished videos efficiently.

Timeline and Clip Management:

• Ability to rearrange clips by dragging
• Difficulty in adjusting clip duration
• Inconsistent behavior when attempting to resize clips
• Playback issues persist during editing

Text and Title Editing:

• Option to add and edit text overlays
• Limited font and style options
• Difficulty in precise positioning of text elements
• Issues with resizing and adjusting text duration

Video Playback in Editor:

• Significant buffering time before playback starts
• Stuttering and frame drops during playback
• Inconsistent display of current playback position

Adding Media:

• Access to stock video library
• Ability to import own media (theoretically)
• Laggy interface when browsing and adding new clips

Cutting and Trimming Tools:

• Razor tool available for cutting clips (accessed with ‘C’ key)
• Unpredictable behavior when attempting to make cuts
• Lack of precise control over cut points

Keyboard Shortcuts:

• Space bar for play/pause
• Arrow keys for timeline navigation
• ‘D’ for duplicating elements
• ‘C’ for razor tool
• Delete/Backspace for removing elements
• Command+Z and Command+Shift+Z for undo/redo

The editing interface of AdLaunch presents significant challenges:

• Performance issues: Persistent playback problems and lag make it difficult to review and fine-tune edits.
• Limited control: The inability to precisely adjust clip durations or positions hampers creativity and precision.
• Unreliable tools: Basic functions like the razor tool behave unpredictably, leading to frustration and wasted time.
• Poor responsiveness: The laggy interface, especially when working with media, slows down the editing process.

These limitations in the editing interface severely impact the user’s ability to create professional-looking videos efficiently. The combination of performance issues and lack of precise control makes it challenging to achieve desired results, potentially leading to user frustration and abandonment of the platform.

Template Library and Customization

AdLaunch offers a template library as an alternative starting point for video creation. This feature is designed to provide users with pre-designed layouts that can be customized for their specific needs. However, the implementation of this feature also has its share of issues.

Template Selection:

• Various pre-designed templates available
• Auto-play preview when hovering over templates
• Categories for different video types and purposes

Template Customization:

• Ability to edit text elements
• Options to change background videos or images
• Limited styling options for text and graphical elements

Audio Issues in Template Preview:

• Multiple audio tracks playing simultaneously when browsing templates
• No easy way to stop overlapping audio without reloading the page

Editing Template Components:

• Access to individual elements within the template
• Difficulty in precise positioning and resizing of elements
• Limited options for adding new elements to template-based videos

Template Variety:

• Range of templates for different industries and purposes
• Varying quality and relevance of available templates
• Limited customization options may restrict creativity

The template library in AdLaunch, while offering a starting point for video creation, presents several challenges:

• Audio overlap issue: The problem with multiple audio tracks playing simultaneously during template preview creates a confusing and unprofessional user experience.
• Limited customization: While templates can be edited, the range of customization options is restricted, potentially limiting the uniqueness of the final product.
• Inconsistent quality: The variety and relevance of templates may not meet the needs of all users or industries.
• Editing limitations: The difficulty in precisely adjusting template elements may result in videos that look generic or unprofessional.

These limitations in the template library and customization options may disappoint users looking for a quick and easy way to create professional-looking videos. The restrictions in editing and the issues with template preview suggest that even this supposedly simpler approach to video creation in AdLaunch is fraught with challenges.

Stock Assets and Music Library

AdLaunch includes a library of stock assets and music tracks to enhance video creations. However, the implementation and quality of these resources leave much to be desired.

Stock Video Library:

• Selection of stock video clips available
• Categorization system for easier browsing
• Varying quality and relevance of available clips

Stock Photo Integration:

• Integration with Unsplash for stock photos
• Ability to add photos to video projects
• Option to favorite photos for quick access

Music Library:

• Approximately 200 tracks available
• No categorization or sorting options for music
• Some duplication and quality issues in the music selection

Issues with Stock Assets:

• Limited variety in stock video selection
• Difficulty in finding relevant clips for specific themes
• Inconsistent quality across stock assets

Music Library Limitations:

• Lack of sorting or filtering options for music tracks
• Duplicate tracks with slight variations
• No way to search for specific genres or moods

Integration of Stock Assets in Projects:

• Ease of adding stock videos and photos to timeline
• Performance issues when previewing or working with added assets
• Limited options for adjusting or enhancing stock assets within the editor

The stock assets and music library in AdLaunch present several challenges:

• Limited selection: The variety of stock videos and music tracks may not be sufficient for diverse project needs.
• Quality inconsistencies: Varying quality of stock assets may impact the overall professionalism of created videos.
• Poor organization: The lack of proper categorization, especially in the music library, makes it difficult to find appropriate tracks quickly.
• Integration issues: Performance problems when working with stock assets in the editor hinder the creative process.

These limitations in the stock assets and music library significantly impact the value proposition of AdLaunch. Users expecting a comprehensive library of high-quality assets to enhance their videos may find the offerings inadequate and difficult to use effectively within the platform.

Export and Sharing Capabilities

One of the most critical functions of any video creation tool is the ability to export and share the finished product. Unfortunately, AdLaunch fails spectacularly in this crucial aspect, rendering the entire platform essentially non-functional.

Export Options:

• No visible export button or option in the interface
• Lack of clear instructions or documentation on how to export videos

Sharing Capabilities:

• No apparent method to share or download created videos
• Absence of integration with social media platforms for direct sharing

Documentation and Support:

• Help button leads to a blank page
• No useful information in FAQs or documentation about exporting videos

User Experience Impact:

• Inability to use created videos outside the platform
• Frustration due to lack of access to finished products
• Renders the entire video creation process futile

Workarounds:

• No clear workarounds or alternative methods provided for exporting videos
• Absence of screen recording or other capture methods suggested by the platform

The complete lack of export and sharing capabilities in AdLaunch is a critical failure:

• Fundamental functionality missing: The inability to export or share videos negates the entire purpose of the platform.
• Poor user experience: Users are left frustrated after investing time in creating videos they cannot use.
• Lack of support: The absence of documentation or help regarding this crucial feature suggests severe oversights in the platform’s development.
• No value proposition: Without the ability to export, the platform provides no tangible value to users, regardless of other features.

This glaring omission of export functionality effectively renders AdLaunch useless as a video creation tool. It’s an unprecedented level of oversight for a product marketed as a solution for creating videos for social media and advertising purposes.

Comparison with Alternatives

To provide context for AdLaunch’s performance and value proposition, it’s essential to compare it with alternative solutions in the market. In this case, we’ll focus on InVideo, another video creation tool available as a lifetime deal on AppSumo.

InVideo Overview:

• Priced at $49 on AppSumo (slightly higher than AdLaunch)
• Offers 30 videos per month per code
• Option to stack up to 5 codes for unlimited videos
• Continual improvements and updates since its initial release

Feature Comparison:

AdLaunch:

• Non-functional export capabilities
• Buggy and laggy interface
• Limited stock assets and music library
• Poor performance and unreliable tools

InVideo:

• Functional export and sharing options
• Smoother, more responsive interface
• Larger library of stock assets and music
• Regular updates and improvements

User Experience:

AdLaunch:

• Frustrating and ultimately unusable due to lack of export function
• Numerous bugs and performance issues throughout the platform

InVideo:

• More polished and professional user experience
• Faster performance and more reliable tools

Value Proposition:

AdLaunch:

• $39 for a non-functional product
• No clear path to resolving critical issues

InVideo:

• $49 for a functional, continually improving platform
• Better long-term value despite slightly higher initial cost

Community and Support:

AdLaunch:

• Lack of documentation and support
• No visible community or user feedback implementation

InVideo:

• Active development based on user feedback
• Better documentation and support resources

The comparison between AdLaunch and InVideo highlights the significant shortcomings of AdLaunch:

• Functionality: While InVideo provides a fully functional video creation and export process, AdLaunch fails at the most basic level by not allowing users to export their work.
• Performance: InVideo offers a smoother, more reliable user experience compared to AdLaunch’s buggy and laggy interface.
• Value: Despite being slightly more expensive, InVideo provides far superior value through its functional features and ongoing improvements.
• Support and Development: InVideo shows a commitment to user satisfaction and product improvement, while AdLaunch appears to lack basic support and functionality.

This comparison underscores the poor value proposition of AdLaunch and highlights the importance of choosing a reliable, functional tool for video creation tasks.

Key Takeaways

After a thorough review of AdLaunch, it’s clear that this video creation tool falls far short of its promises and fails to deliver even the most basic functionality expected from such a platform. Here are the key takeaways from this comprehensive review:

1. Non-functional Core Feature: The most critical issue with AdLaunch is its complete lack of export functionality. This fundamental flaw renders the entire platform useless, as users cannot access or use the videos they create. This oversight is unprecedented for a product marketed as a video creation tool and negates any potential value the platform might otherwise offer.
2. Poor User Interface and Experience: From the counterintuitive project setup process to the laggy and unreliable editing interface, AdLaunch presents numerous challenges that hinder productivity and creativity. The inability to rename projects, difficulties in adjusting clip durations, and unpredictable behavior of editing tools all contribute to a frustrating user experience.
3. Performance Issues: Throughout the platform, users encounter significant performance problems. These include long buffering times before video playback, stuttering and frame drops during editing, and general lag when interacting with the interface. These issues make it difficult to review and fine-tune video projects efficiently.
4. Limited and Problematic Features: While AdLaunch offers features like a video generator and template library, these tools are plagued with issues. The video generator produces content that often requires extensive manual adjustment, and the template library suffers from audio overlap problems and limited customization options.
5. Inadequate Stock Assets and Music Library: The stock video, photo, and music libraries provided by AdLaunch are limited in variety and sometimes inconsistent in quality. The lack of proper categorization, especially in the music library, makes it challenging to find appropriate assets quickly.
6. Lack of Support and Documentation: The absence of clear documentation, functional help resources, or visible customer support channels further compounds the issues users face. This lack of support leaves users stranded when encountering the numerous problems within the platform.
7. Poor Value Proposition: At $39 for a lifetime deal, AdLaunch might seem attractive at first glance. However, given its non-functional state and numerous issues, it provides no real value to users. The investment, no matter how small, is essentially wasted on a product that cannot deliver its core promise.
8. Inferior to Alternatives: When compared to alternatives like InVideo, AdLaunch falls drastically short in every aspect – functionality, user experience, performance, and value. This comparison highlights the importance of thorough research and caution when considering lifetime deals for software products.
9. Potential Risks of Lifetime Deals: The state of AdLaunch serves as a cautionary tale about the risks associated with lifetime deals for software products. It underscores the importance of ensuring that a product is fully functional and well-supported before making a purchase, even if the deal seems attractive.
10. Importance of Export Functionality: This review emphasizes how crucial export functionality is for any content creation tool. Without the ability to export or share created content, even the most feature-rich platform becomes essentially worthless.
11. Need for Comprehensive Testing: The numerous issues present in AdLaunch suggest a lack of thorough testing before release. This serves as a reminder of the importance of rigorous quality assurance in software development, especially for tools aimed at creative professionals.
12. Impact on Workflow and Productivity: For users who might have purchased AdLaunch with the intention of streamlining their video creation process, the tool’s shortcomings could significantly impact workflow and productivity. The time spent trying to work around the platform’s issues or creating videos that ultimately can’t be exported is essentially wasted.

In conclusion, AdLaunch serves as a prime example of a product that fails to deliver on its promises. Its non-functional state, coupled with numerous usability and performance issues, make it impossible to recommend. For users in need of a video creation tool, especially for social media and advertising purposes, it would be wise to look elsewhere. Alternatives like InVideo, despite being slightly more expensive, offer far superior functionality, reliability, and value.

This review also highlights the importance of thorough research and caution when considering lifetime deals for software products. While such deals can offer great value, they can also pose risks if the product is not fully developed or well-supported. Always prioritize functionality, reliability, and ongoing support over an attractive price point when choosing tools for your creative or business needs.