Depending on whom you ask, YouTube video ads get quite varied responses. YouTube says they are an effective way to target and reach consumers with video assets, in a place where they’re primed to watch. Brands and agencies see them as a great way to extend the reach of video assets online. However, many consumers may see them as an annoyance, creating a challenge on how brands can make use of the channel without falling afoul of possible negatives.
Burger King & Colenso BBDO in New Zealand has created a pre-roll campaign which specifically acknowledges that their ‘pre-roll’ ad isn’t the video they wanted and uses context and humor to then talk about getting a burger. The campaign utilized 64 different pre-roll ads that reference and were targeted to popular categories of video on YouTube the target market would search for. While it doesn’t get the viewer to their desired video any faster, being contextual about what the consumer is looking for, hopes to at least allay the possible annoyance of the format.
