YouTube reveals top ads of 2023 and shares ad tips for brands

YouTube has unveiled its top ads of 2023, shedding light on key engagement trends and offering insights that can benefit brands across varying budgets. Noteworthy promotions hailed by YouTube include Apple’s “Study with Me,” Pepsi’s “Rise Up Baby” music videos, and Louis Vuitton’s 20-minute fashion show featuring celebrities.

Apple’s “Study with Me” video, featuring actor Storm Reid, clocking in at 90 minutes, has amassed over 18 million views. Reid employs the Pomodoro method to enhance study sessions, integrating various Apple devices. The success of this content underscores the effectiveness of celebrity-led and helpful content, aligning with the prevalent trend of “Study With Me” content.

Louis Vuitton opted for a full-fledged 20-minute fashion show as a promotion, featuring notable celebrities. Similarly, Pepsi achieved success with multiple versions of a music video for its “Rise Up Baby” campaign, particularly resonating with audiences in India.

Extracting insights from these top-performing ads, YouTube offers valuable recommendations to enhance your ad strategy:

Creator Collaborations: Notably, many top-performing ads involve collaborations with well-known creators. While securing Hollywood stars might be out of reach for some brands, partnering with influencers in your niche could prove highly effective.

Embracing Shorts: YouTube encourages brands to venture into Shorts, the platform’s vertical video format. Ads with vertical creative assets in Video Action Campaigns delivered 10% to 20% more conversions per dollar on Shorts than those using landscape assets alone. Given Shorts’ rapid growth, expanding your ads into this format is a strategic move.

Long-Form Storytelling: Aligning with trend-centric long-form content, some brands are experimenting with extended narratives. While creating longer content demands additional resources, tapping into the right trend could yield significant engagement.

AI Tools: YouTube suggests incorporating AI tools for enhanced campaign targeting and performance. Advertisers leveraging AI-powered Video Reach Campaigns on YouTube achieved an average return on ad spend 3.7 times higher than manually optimized campaigns.

While these recommendations pose interesting opportunities, their feasibility within your ad budget remains a subject for consideration. Nevertheless, they offer valuable insights to refine your video ad campaigns in 2024.