YouTube's Brandcast, last night at The Hordern Pavilion, proved to media buyers that the video platform remains a cultural hub to reach 'all' Australians.
However, some were 'underwhelmed' by the lack of in-depth explanations of announcements with 'market changing advancements' missing.
The event leaned on star-studded talent such as branding expert Mark Ritson and YouTube creator Mike’s Mic who showed the audience in-real time the power of funny, charismatic influencers.
Overall, media buyers were impressed by the launch of Google AI, pause ads, ad placements in Shorts and 30 second non-skippable ads.
Buyers also got excited by the proposition that long form ads are more effective, revealing 2-3 minutes is the ideal ad length.
Mollie Cross, trading manager at The Media Store, said as expected YouTube continue to pitch themselves directly against BVOD and AVOD competitors in market, putting their creators front-and-centre as the success story for delivering mass reach against both broad audiences and niche pillars – “every format, on every screen, for every audience”.
"Their positioning as ‘culture and people’ shapers is bold, and, at least partially, true. With the various pillars their creators cover, spanning everything from celebrity culture, education, ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) and crochet, passion points become a tradable commodity, and the success of creators including Mike’s Mic, Chicken Shop Date and Mighty Cars Mods are just a few examples of this," Cross said.
"With this full catalogue, YouTube position themselves as the go-to platform for content that matters to individuals, pivoting away from the one-to-many content strategies of FTV and streaming services, allowing brands to connect to individuals, not just the masses.
"What interested me most during the session was the live 'YouTube Works' session, moderated by Mark Ritson, showcasing how big brands - Mondelez and Uber - have leveraged YouTube at scale, often at the expense of TV investment. Hard-hitting undeniable shifts in go-to-market strategies are afoot.
"With all the excitement though, what was missing for me was stand out, market changing advancements. The TV buyer in me is intrigued by how the 30 second non-skippable asset and Pause formats for CTV targeting will change the game, but it feels like more of a roll-out of what’s already been done in BVOD.
"My hope is that there’s more 'things to come' on the horizon, and that Brandcast was just the beginning."
Trent McMillan, founder and chief digital officer at Kaimera, said despite YouTube's continuous emphasis on its impressive reach and its notable pivot towards Connected TV (CTV), there seemed to be a glaring gap in the dialogue surrounding integration with broader industry measurement and reporting solutions.
"While the overall narrative of Brandcast boasted of reach, a commitment to innovation and future-readiness, I couldn't shake off a feeling of something crucial missing," McMillan said.
"Yes, there was a notable mention of aligning CTV ads with the tried-and-true TV 30-second format, a staple in the advertising industry since the 1960s.
"In a time where platforms like VOZ and Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) have become increasingly useful tools in the industry, facilitating nuanced tracking and understanding of audience engagement, their absence in the conversation felt like a significant oversight.
"I may have been optimistic in thinking Google/YouTube would be aligning with the industry though this gap in addressing how YouTube is leaning into the broader CTV conversation rendered the event somewhat incomplete, leaving me slightly underwhelmed."
Rebecca Ho, Starcom’s Sydney head of investment, said, outside of scale, YouTube positioned themselves to drive cultural resonance, diversification of content like no other, as well as innovation – an essential brand of today’s culture that reflects and shapes it.
"Reaching over 17 million Australians, 11 million of those viewers streaming on a Connected TV, YouTube caters for the masses to micro enthusiasts allowing brands to be there in moments that matter to their audiences," Ho said.
"YouTube emphasised the importance of reaching viewers in pivotal moments that are part of the cultural conversations with the ability to target based on their diverse needs and interests. Their extensive scale of genres, range of content and creators enables YouTube to be seen as a cultural hub for all generations!
"The introduction of new ad formats like 30-sec YouTube Select Non-skip on CTV and the YouTube Select Shorts Line-up will amplify brand visibility. These formats enable advertisers to align themselves alongside the most popular content, ensuring brand awareness and to stay top of mind.
"YouTube’s commitment to using the suite of Google AI to deliver more efficient and effective optimisations is promising. AI is removing the complexity and is a powerful way to drive more effective business outcomes at speed.
"As video platforms grow, audience behaviours shift and we see the age of AI fuel better outcomes, YouTube continues to be a dominant force within the media ecosystem.
"YouTube's evolution and adaptability ensures it continues to drive relevance for its users as part of our cultural fabric, as well as a compelling choice for brands to connect to the diverse audiences of Australia."
Rebecca Harris, Sydney head of digital at Initiative, said YouTube’s Brandcast highlighted that they are the OG platform for ‘celebrating creativity’ through their creator economy.
"This offers brands the ability to both reach mass audiences via live events and wider partner integrations, as well as how their platform is able to build and nurture culture through fostering community providing Australians with a portal to content on a personal and micro level for individuals," Harris said.
"While in the 2022 upfronts the buzz was acutely centered on the potential of AR, 2023 is the year of AI and the power this brings to brands.
"Brandcast teased YouTube’s new Google AI powered video which was celebrated as having the ability to drive results across all stages of the funnel, helping clients with brand building, profitability and growth.
"Given the economic headwinds our market is experiencing and Google’s wealth of consumer data points, the opportunity of Google AI for brands is wide-reaching. It would have been ideal if there could have been a deeper dive into the delivered results that Google AI is able to achieve in alpha or beta tests from a goal optimisation standpoint or DCO effectiveness play across all stages of the funnel.
"Overall, Brandcast was a sumptuous visual experience - a masterclass in how YouTube is able to captivate and attract mass Australian audiences in a personalised way.
"The new product launches of Google AI and Pause Ads are exciting opportunities for brands and I’m looking forward to seeing how these can be utilised in a cross platform and close-looped effective means to deliver actionable outcomes for advertisers."
Melissa Lopez, senior digital director UM Australia, said in an increasingly digital world dominated by video, YouTube continues to stand out as a dominant force with the content trifecta: scale, breadth, and depth.
"YouTube’s overarching theme was the idea of ‘video for all’, a platform with diverse content that is reflective of the modern Australian, and YouTube as a video powerhouse mixing the best parts of TV and social media; high quality content that is personally relevant to the viewer," Lopez said.
"One of the most interesting points mentioned by several presenters was that long form ads work.
"Interestingly, despite that we are all being told people have short attentions spans and to keep creative as short as possible, 75% of ads on YouTube are over the traditional 15, 30 and 60 second length with the sweet spot landing somewhere between two to three minutes. To me this emphasises YouTube as a storytelling platform.
"Several announcements were made in the way of innovation, but perhaps one of the most anticipated announcements, covering the ‘short’ of it, was the commercialisation of Shorts across YouTube Select, available to buy as a run of Shorts category lineup. It’s great to see inventory extending into one of the most popular environments, which should have positive effect on video completion rates given the engaging vertical screen particularly amongst younger audiences.
"There were several announcements focused-on CTV, which isn’t surprising given YouTube’s growth in CTV, now sitting at approximately 32% of total watch time. The major announcement was Pause ads which will be available in Australia soon, adding elements of engagement and action to what is traditionally an awareness tactic."
Vianna Kim, transformation director at OMD Sydney, said the proposition is clear – with YouTube, advertisers can have it all.
"In a fragmented video landscape, they’re the omni-provider of video content for all interests, purposes and contexts. And with their owned data and AI-super-powered tech they enable advertisers to reach their audiences and drive the outcomes that matter to their business," Kim said.
"This offer of versatility with control fills a real need in our current market. Marketers must achieve more with tighter budgets and quantify results.
"Use of Google AI to streamline how campaigns deliver performance is an important proof point, especially for addressing the uncertain consumer privacy environment in Australia. Between the upcoming iOS17 update, Chrome 3rd party cookie deprecation next year, and changing consumer privacy laws on the horizon, so much is uncertain in how digital campaigns can use signals to deliver and measure results. But AI-driven ways of buying and optimisation can help advertisers weather the storm of fluctuations in how signals are used in the ads ecosystem.
"The emphasis on experimentation and multi-layered measurement is a welcome challenge for the industry, at a time when reporting the impact of ad spend is more important than ever. While clear objectives are important in driving campaign performance, the value of YouTube -- and any other media – is more robustly measured by looking at the impact on both sales and brand."
Euan MacDonald, Half Dome digital lead, said Google's annual Brandcast summit showcased top talent in both entertainment and advertising, including Professor Mark Ritson, presenting a night filled with forward-thinking insights and solutions for Aussie marketers in 2024.
"New product advancements, including the unveiling of 30-second non-skippable YouTube Select advertisements, paused video promotions for Connected TV (CTV), and the broadening of YouTube Select to encompass the shorts format were a highlight, setting the scene for future opportunities to drive impact for clients," MacDonald said.
Andie Potter, group digital director at PHD Sydney, said YouTube made a compelling case for the effectiveness of its platform, highlighting that it outpaces other digital channels by a significant margin of 40%, but specifically calling out higher efficiency versus linear TV by 67%.
"While this data underscores YouTube's potential as a medium for advertisers (more than 85% of the Australian population can be reached in the platform), PHD's stance advocates for our clients to continue to maintain a commitment to robust effectiveness solutions to understand the most optimal media mix for their specific business goals," Potter said.
"Whilst we do see many brands that see high ROI from YouTube, recent MMM finding from some of our clients still show linear TV and other Digital channels above YouTube – so the results may be different for each brand.
"As YouTube unveiled its fresh lineup of Shorts, it introduced research findings from Kantar, positioning itself as the top video platform for Gen Z. It’s important to note that similar research initiatives have been undertaken by both Meta and TikTok earlier this year.
"Overall, this shows a broader transformation in the digital media landscape, characterized by the explosive growth of short-form video content on social platforms. This transformation isn't just altering content consumption patterns; it's reshaping the very fabric of video formats across digital platforms.
"These insights serve as a strong reminder that brands and advertisers must remain agile, continuously adapting their strategies to stay relevant and resonate with consumers. This means testing different channels and placements as well as ensuring creative is always built for the right platform and the right format.
"Google also emphasized its substantial investment in AI-powered solutions, such as the upcoming launch of Demand Gen early next year.
"While AI and algorithmic buying play a pivotal role in the future of digital trading, it's crucial to emphasize that these solutions still require rigorous human testing to ensure they deliver efficiency and incremental benefits for brands, while also maintaining adherence to brand safety."
Kristy Kinzett, Wavemaker head of digital, Melbourne, said Brandcast was a feast of effectiveness and moments of connection.
"After a heavy AI focus at Google Marketing Live earlier in 2023, I thought that it would play a fairly significant role at YouTube’s Brandcast too. And while AI was mentioned, Instead YouTube focussed on two elements - presence and efficacy. Or in Google’s succinct statement emblazed in neon on the walls: ‘be where it matters’," Kinzett said.
"There was a strong focus on creators emphasised that the opportunity to unlock growth in YouTube is in how they unify people through content that appeals to the masses, the micros and everyone in between. I know I wasn’t alone in delighting over YouTube creator Mike’s Mic journey which has catapulted him into the global spotlight as a pop culture guru.
"Later the event shifted to Mark Ritson, who was joined on stage by clients Kathy De Lullo from Mondelez and Lucinda Barlow from Uber, to take us through two impressive real-world case studies of effective campaigning using the platform.
"Mondelez shared their data-driven journey to understand the volume of chocolate sold per TARP, and how many impressions that translated into on YouTube. Having looked at the data they made the bold decision to take Cadbury off TV during the Christmas season and increase digital investment. The decision paid off with the data showing YouTube effectiveness beat TV effectiveness by 36% and delivered a 13% growth in retail sales value.
"Hearing directly from marketers on what made their campaigns effective was a highlight and brings it back to the reason we’re all here in the first place.
"The platform is a fundamental part of any screen stack strategy, and it was good to see some new product announcements including 30 second non-skip YouTube Select on CTV, YouTube Select Shorts and Demand Gen, demonstrating that it provides solutions for screens of all sizes and they can help advertisers speak to their audiences through devices of all sizes.
"The narrative to me was very clear throughout - YouTube understands viewer behaviour is changing at speed, and the media landscape is fragmenting further.
"And while they continue to offer the baseline of reach, they know it goes further than that – advertisers need to make their presence on the platform count – it has to be effective)."
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