Discover the secrets of the 3 most viewed YouTube ads
Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2025 10:53 am
As marketers, we share one goal: to convince people to engage with our brands. But truth be told, it can take a lot of work to achieve this goal.
That’s why we’re always drawn to YouTube’s Ads Leaderboard , an annual list of the most-watched video ads of the year. In a world of unlimited content, millions of people choose to watch these ads, so it’s useful to analyze what makes them so successful.
While there is no one-size-fits-all formula for making a video ad go viral, norway phone number material we can make observations about what works to inspire our own media strategies. Below are 3 proven approaches, taken from the latest Ads Leaderboard.
Anchor your campaign to YouTube viewing trends
For its 20th anniversary special of "Harry Potter," HBO Max wanted to reach two distinct audiences: die-hard fans eager to reconnect with the magic of the series, and a new generation of younger viewers who had yet to embrace the franchise.
To appeal to both groups, HBO Max tapped into a powerful trend: People like to watch content that makes them feel nostalgic . With this in mind, the brand designed a video ad to offer viewers a touching retrospective experience filled with “Harry Potter” memories. In addition to showcasing memorable moments from the cast, the ad both appealed to fans and authentically celebrated their journey.
HBO Max used YouTube to power the campaign. As JP Mallo, VP of Marketing for HBO Max Originals, explains, “YouTube is often our first indicator, when we launch the first marketing assets, of how our audience is interacting, what sentiment we’re sensing and what they’re responding to in terms of content themes, if at all.”
YouTube has proven to be the ideal place for HBO Max ads, as people of all ages flock to the platform for nostalgic content. According to a 2022 Ipsos survey, 80% of Gen Z say they watch YouTube for nostalgia. By running a nostalgia-driven campaign on YouTube , HBO Max was able to appeal to “Harry Potter” enthusiasts while also capturing the attention of a younger generation.
The campaign launched in mid-November with non-skippable and skippable bumper ads and in-stream ads to drive attention and engagement. Then, in the days leading up to the New Year’s Eve premiere, HBO Max used YouTube Select to display the ads alongside premium content. Finally, the campaign concluded by using YouTube Masthead before and after the New Year’s Eve premiere, placing the video on the YouTube homepage to build awareness for the wider audience. In the end, the campaign achieved 12.7% awareness—a remarkable percentage for an already well-known brand—and reached 49 million unique users.
Design creative pieces that match your viewers' screens
WE, Egypt’s leading telecommunications company, needed an advertising campaign that could cut through the holiday noise during the busy Ramadan season. To do this, they designed a video strategy that would help viewers understand evolving Ramadan trends.
Because WE’s message needed to appeal to viewers across multiple generations, the team determined that “the campaign needed to include a diverse mix of ads,” says Eslam Nassar, the brand’s digital marketing lead. “So, we turned to YouTube to tell a compelling and creative story across different ad formats and screens.”
WE planned and executed a full-funnel video strategy that leveraged a unique mix of short- and long-form ads. For viewers in the awareness phase, the team launched 6-second bumper ads to raise awareness of the campaign and offer a quick call to action.
Next, to further engage mid- and low-funnel audiences, WE created a long-form in-stream video . This ad was designed to be viewed across all devices, from connected TV to mobile. To ensure this long-form ad could fully immerse people in the brand’s unique approach to storytelling, the team relied on YouTube’s 4 guiding principles for effective video ads on the platform, the ABCDs (attention, branding, connection, direction).
To quickly grab attention and connect with viewers, the video started with a catchy music track. They made sure that the distinctive purple color of their logo dominated the visuals to reinforce the brand. To further connect with multi-generational viewers, the video compared and contrasted Ramadan traditions throughout different eras. Finally, the piece directed people to take action by signing up for WE services so they could stay connected with their family.
That’s why we’re always drawn to YouTube’s Ads Leaderboard , an annual list of the most-watched video ads of the year. In a world of unlimited content, millions of people choose to watch these ads, so it’s useful to analyze what makes them so successful.
While there is no one-size-fits-all formula for making a video ad go viral, norway phone number material we can make observations about what works to inspire our own media strategies. Below are 3 proven approaches, taken from the latest Ads Leaderboard.
Anchor your campaign to YouTube viewing trends
For its 20th anniversary special of "Harry Potter," HBO Max wanted to reach two distinct audiences: die-hard fans eager to reconnect with the magic of the series, and a new generation of younger viewers who had yet to embrace the franchise.
To appeal to both groups, HBO Max tapped into a powerful trend: People like to watch content that makes them feel nostalgic . With this in mind, the brand designed a video ad to offer viewers a touching retrospective experience filled with “Harry Potter” memories. In addition to showcasing memorable moments from the cast, the ad both appealed to fans and authentically celebrated their journey.
HBO Max used YouTube to power the campaign. As JP Mallo, VP of Marketing for HBO Max Originals, explains, “YouTube is often our first indicator, when we launch the first marketing assets, of how our audience is interacting, what sentiment we’re sensing and what they’re responding to in terms of content themes, if at all.”
YouTube has proven to be the ideal place for HBO Max ads, as people of all ages flock to the platform for nostalgic content. According to a 2022 Ipsos survey, 80% of Gen Z say they watch YouTube for nostalgia. By running a nostalgia-driven campaign on YouTube , HBO Max was able to appeal to “Harry Potter” enthusiasts while also capturing the attention of a younger generation.
The campaign launched in mid-November with non-skippable and skippable bumper ads and in-stream ads to drive attention and engagement. Then, in the days leading up to the New Year’s Eve premiere, HBO Max used YouTube Select to display the ads alongside premium content. Finally, the campaign concluded by using YouTube Masthead before and after the New Year’s Eve premiere, placing the video on the YouTube homepage to build awareness for the wider audience. In the end, the campaign achieved 12.7% awareness—a remarkable percentage for an already well-known brand—and reached 49 million unique users.
Design creative pieces that match your viewers' screens
WE, Egypt’s leading telecommunications company, needed an advertising campaign that could cut through the holiday noise during the busy Ramadan season. To do this, they designed a video strategy that would help viewers understand evolving Ramadan trends.
Because WE’s message needed to appeal to viewers across multiple generations, the team determined that “the campaign needed to include a diverse mix of ads,” says Eslam Nassar, the brand’s digital marketing lead. “So, we turned to YouTube to tell a compelling and creative story across different ad formats and screens.”
WE planned and executed a full-funnel video strategy that leveraged a unique mix of short- and long-form ads. For viewers in the awareness phase, the team launched 6-second bumper ads to raise awareness of the campaign and offer a quick call to action.
Next, to further engage mid- and low-funnel audiences, WE created a long-form in-stream video . This ad was designed to be viewed across all devices, from connected TV to mobile. To ensure this long-form ad could fully immerse people in the brand’s unique approach to storytelling, the team relied on YouTube’s 4 guiding principles for effective video ads on the platform, the ABCDs (attention, branding, connection, direction).
To quickly grab attention and connect with viewers, the video started with a catchy music track. They made sure that the distinctive purple color of their logo dominated the visuals to reinforce the brand. To further connect with multi-generational viewers, the video compared and contrasted Ramadan traditions throughout different eras. Finally, the piece directed people to take action by signing up for WE services so they could stay connected with their family.