May 15, 2024 [[read-time]] minute read
A new era of entertainment was on display tonight at Brandcast, live from Lincoln Center. Creators are the new must-see TV, and viewers are seeking out platforms where they can be 24/7 fans. YouTube is where fans can find Billie’s music, plus every interview and live show in existence. It’s where they find the game, and the pre-game, post-game, and the get-ready-for-the-game.
No other platform has millions of creators, billions of fans, and all the content we love most all in one place. There is only one YouTube.
For more than a year, YouTube has been the #1 most watched streaming platform on TV, according to Nielsen.1 And this week Nielsen shared that YouTube continues its incredible momentum as not only the top streamer, but the second most-watched media distributor overall on TV.2
A big part of why viewers consistently choose YouTube is creators. Whether it’s Cleo Abram covering new tech in optimistic ways, Ryan Trahan whose authentic storytelling is redefining how we think of reality TV, or Taty Cokley inspiring us to be our best selves, YouTube creators are reimagining classic TV genres, and inventing new ones. Many creators today have full staffs of writers, editors, and production teams.
Along the way, creators are redefining what we think of as “TV.” In fact, in the last three years, the number of top creators that have received the majority of their watchtime on the big screen increased by more than 400%.3 Creators are continually innovating to produce worlds of content that foster community and allows fans to explore what they love.
As viewer behaviors shift and brands transform to meet the moment, we’re continually innovating to help advertisers drive the outcomes they care about. Tonight, we shared new ways for advertisers to tap into top creators, drive interactivity on TV screens, and connect with viewers in the living room.
YouTube Select Creator Takeovers give brands the opportunity to make the most of creator-fan connections. Brands will be able to own 100% share of voice on top creators’ channels like Kinigra Deon or Zach King. Fans don’t want to miss a moment. And we don’t want advertisers to miss a moment with them.
Next, we want to ensure that your brand can show up in the right moments on the big screen to connect with engaged viewers. Google AI-powered video campaigns are now being optimized for the living room. Video Reach Campaigns Non-Skips, powered by Google AI, will now deliver on your reach and awareness goals more efficiently, using your existing non-skippable assets. Google AI has been at the core of our ads solutions for years and as we make advances, our ability to help brands drive ROI just keeps getting better.
In addition, we’re giving brands new opportunities to take over the big screen, putting their brand front and center, alongside ways to drive interactivity. People are never far from their phones, so formats like QR codes drive engagement. Case in point: interactivity on TV screens has more than doubled in the past year.4 The new more modern branded QR code will allow viewers to engage with brands right away, while making the big screen a more holistic branded experience.
Interactivity on TV screens has more than doubled in the past year.
Brands want to connect with viewers, no matter where they watch today. On YouTube, they’re seeing that the meaningful connections they see and experience on the platform, translate to meaningful results for their business.
Pepsi is a great example. Todd Kaplan, CMO of Pepsi, shared how their culture-first approach to brand building has led to 21 consecutive quarters of growth, and strong brand equity. For over a decade, Pepsi has gone all in on YouTube to tap into culture.
By making the most of trends to drive new consumption, unleashing their creativity as content creators, and connecting with consumers in relevant moments, Pepsi is creating true brand fans. For their 125th anniversary, Pepsi launched a new brand logo and visual identity, and they did it on YouTube, bringing the creative to life on the big screen, via Shorts, and with creator partnerships. The campaign drove an over $4.50 return on ad spend. YouTube is consistently one of Pepsi’s top ROI drivers.
These results are consistent with what we’re seeing across the board. In a custom MMM meta-analysis we commissioned with Nielsen, we found that YouTube drives higher long-term return on ad spend than TV, other online video, and paid social.5
For billions of viewers who come to engage with all the content they love, for millions of creators who innovate to attract new audiences, and for brands who connect to move their business forward, there is only one YouTube.
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1. Nielsen Gauge Total TV Ratings Report, April 2024.
2. Nielsen Media Distributor Gauge, April 2024.
3. YouTube internal data, 2021-2024.
4. YouTube internal data, January 2024.
5. NCS Meta analysis across 13 studies incl.18 VRC mix campaigns & 56 non-mix campaigns; NCS Sales Lift Meta Analysis (2022 campaigns), n=280 Google Campaigns, n= 13 Overall YouTube Campaigns including AI-powered Video Reach Campaign mix component, n=267 YouTube Channel Baseline
