A few years ago, you’d have been told to ditch the DSLR and embrace the grain. TikTok was popping off, UGC was king, and lo-fi was having a moment. And for good reason, those low-budget, rough-around-the-edges ads felt more authentic, more native, and crucially, they performed. Big brands started copying creators, not the other way around. The narrative at this stage was, and has been, “fit in to stand out”.

But lately, we’re seeing something shift.

Suddenly, high production value doesn’t look out of touch. It looks premium. Slick edits, cinematic lighting, colour grading that doesn’t feel like it was done on a phone filter, it’s all creeping back into our feeds, and in some cases, outperforming the lo-fi counterparts. In this case, the narrative is shifting back towards a more traditional “stand out to stand out”.

So, is high-quality content making a comeback in ads and organic content? Or are we just swinging on the usual pendulum between polished and authentic?

Lo-Fi still works, but it’s not always enough

The lo-fi era taught us that people don’t want to be “sold to”. They want to feel like they’re discovering something, not being targeted. So, ads that looked like organic posts performed better, especially on platforms like TikTok and Reels. The purpose of Lo-Fi ads was to give a more authentic feel to advertising – combatting “banner fatigue” in viewers (a phenomenon where users become less responsive to or even ignore online advertising).

But here’s the catch. Everyone’s doing it now. The UGC-style ad with the person talking to camera about how they swear by this serum? It’s been done to death. When every ad looks the same, nothing stands out. And when every ad starts to look the same, that’s where it becomes pretty easy for users to once-again start being able to easily identify an ad and, you guessed it, banner fatigue sets in and… SCROLL.

That’s where high-production content has a chance to cut through. We’re seeing brands use more cinematic visuals again, not to show off, but to stop the scroll. We’re seeing this across both ad formats and “organic” influencer-led content. And it’s working when it’s done right.

P.S. if you’re not quite sure what “lo-fi” content is, here’s a blog we wrote all about it! 

Performance isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about fit

Generally, a good high-spec ad doesn’t work because it’s glossy. It works because it’s deliberate. There’s a concept. A mood. A pace.

Take Monzo’s TikTok ads for example. These ads would work both as glossy, polished ads and lo-fi.

The rise of the “Mid-Fi” ad

This is where things get interesting. We’re seeing a rise in what I’d call “mid-fi” content. Think of it as lo-fi with a bit more love. Shot on a decent camera, edited professionally, but still feels human and story-driven. It looks native enough to blend in, but clean enough to carry brand value. You might see this in high-performing Reels or YouTube Shorts, not overly scripted, but tight. So, if you think of somewhere between a television ad and a regular Instagram Reel – that’s Mid-Fi. It has all the elements of a Lo-Fi piece of content – no real logo push, no incredibly hard-sells, human storytelling and demonstrates an “aesthetic” – but with the quality of a high production ad.

And honestly, this feels like the sweet spot for a lot of brands right now. You don’t need a RED camera and a drone, but equally, if all your ads look like they were filmed on an iPhone 6 in someone’s bedroom, it might be time to level up.

What this means for your ad strategy

The answer to “should we go high production or lo-fi?” isn’t binary, it’s contextual.

• Premium product? Don’t cheapen it with bad lighting and “mumbly” UGC. People want to feel the value.

• Cold audience? Lo-fi or mid-fi still reigns. You need relatability before you’ve earned attention.

• Multi-channel strategy? Tailor it. TikTok and Stories can take scrappy. Your YouTube pre-roll? That’s a different beast.

• Budget tight? Focus on great storytelling with decent lighting and audio. You don’t need Hollywood, but you do need to care.

Final thought… Good content wins, whatever the resolution

Whether it’s lo-fi, mid-fi, or full cinema spec, the biggest mistake you can make is thinking production quality alone drives performance. People care about stories. They care about clarity. They care about what’s in it for them. So yes, high-quality content is making a comeback, but not because we missed the polish. It’s because audiences are demanding more again. Better visuals, clearer messages, and ads that feel crafted, not churned out. Maybe that’s a good thing.