Google released its YouTube Ads Leaderboard for the second half of 2016 for the Philippines. The leaderboard recognizes the brands whose ads captured the interest of Filipino online viewers based on a combination of popularity and promotion. Aside from highlighting the brands that performed best over the past six months, the leaderboard also shows what can be achieved through the creativity and power of online video.
Homegrown ads filled all ten spots in the leaderboard, proof that content with distinct local flavor resonates with a Filipino audience. Through the use of effective storytelling that reflects the local culture and creative execution through music, dance, or drama, Filipinos were able to relate with these brand stories, allowing them to claim them as their own.
Google highlighted the following key trends from the leaderboard:
- New medium, old rules. If digital has changed many of the rules, some of the old rules still apply. Nestlé Philippines (for both Milo and Nescafe), Downy Philippines and Globe, all feature celebrities in their ads. Using a famous face is a great way to make a story more memorable — and the idea is probably as old as advertising itself. Based on this list, it would appear to work in 2017 in much the same way as ever.
- Entertain first, sell later. People come to YouTube to above all be entertained, brands that realize this and prioritize telling a story or a joke above selling are going to win over more of the YouTube audience. Jollibee Philippines ad, “Kwentong Jollibee: Kahera” plays more like a TV drama than an ad and Globe’s ad uses stunning scenery like a travel show and the beauty of online is that it’s easy to tell stories with ads in a series — this is actually the first episode in a series called “Scenezoned”.
- Lights, camera, music! Music videos are hugely popular on YouTube so it’s no surprise that five out of the ten ads play more like music videos than ads, with some, like Bonakid Pre- school’s ad, even featuring “karaoke” style lyrics at the bottom of the screen.
- Extending the life of TV ads. On digital, brands are not bound by the same structures of time and money that limit TV spots, but that’s not to say that short videos with touching content
— like ads from Downy Philippines and Bonakid Pre-school — are not able to shine. This leaderboard shows that great stories of all lengths can work well on the platform.
Gabby Roxas, Marketing Manager of Google Philippines, said, “Creativity is clearly thriving in the Filipino ad industry. Digital ads aren’t just about ones and zeroes, they are about creating an emotional connection with viewers. Brands in the Philippines have embraced digital video and have produced ads that viewers have chosen to watch in some cases millions of times. With this leaderboard we see YouTube doing what it does best, enabling brands to find an audience of passionate fans on topics that are important to them. What’s great about these ads is that they appeal to a wide range of people everyone from moms to millennials.”