Three succesful Youtube marketing campaigns
YouTube is one of the top contenders for social video marketing. It’s a large database of videos ranging from official promotions to (maybe free) product reviews done by real YouTubers. It’s the second largest search engine. And there’s very good reason as to why, despite the ad boycott earlier this year, big brands are still betting money on YouTube marketing.
So, how do you market on YouTube? Here are 3 examples of successful YouTube marketing campaigns:
1. Dove – Real Beauty Sketches
With a whopping 114 million views on its first month alone, Dove’s “Real Beauty Sketches” is a goal to set your eyes on.
The idea was simple: Gil Zamora, a forensic artist, would ask women to describe their own appearances. There being a division between them, Zamora doesn’t see these women as he draws. When it’s over, he calls in strangers that the women were earlier asked to be friendly with. He sketches another image of the woman. This time, from the perspective of the stranger, the end result being that the stranger’s description was more accurate and more flattering. The campaign received 3.8 million shares in the first month and collected 15,000 new subscribers for the Dove Channel.
Why it was successful:
The ad presents the brand as one that intimately knows its consumers. It knows the insecurities of its consumers and how these insecurities stem from harsh self-criticism. Rather than a strong product advertisement, it chose to advertise the brand message instead – and it’s a strong one. Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign has seen steady success for more than a decade now. And the tag “You’re more beautiful than you think” is another solid addition to the campaign.
2. Purina – Puppyhood
Puppyhood is a video series brought to you by Purina and BuzzFeed. It details the life of a new puppy-owner. He consults the internet for tips on taking care of his new dog, he faces the destructive power of puppy teeth on his things, and in general, it’s all just good fun. It takes anecdotes all pet-owners are familiar with and puts a quirky twist on them. The first video in the series has 18 million views and 296,000 likes.
Why it was successful:
Subtlety is the keyword here. The first obvious product placement we see of Puppy Chow is in the 2-minute mark, when he actually feeds the puppy. However, there are earlier instances that might have missed your attention. The products are on the display window when he decides to adopt the dog, and on the title screen. The video never gets “in your face” about its product placement, though. The product or logo is always placed to the side and the forefront is always either the dog or the owner. This makes it feel natural and adds more to its appeal. It’s just like watching a cute, relatable video. Not to mention, there’s something very endearing about a grown man taking care of a puppy that’s only a few inches taller than his ankles.
3. KENZO – KENZO World
An advertisement that feels… well, the first few minutes you’re not really sure what you’re watching, much less what it feels like. The video shows some lavish event that the protagonist excuses herself from. In the hall, she’s shown as being a bit despondent. That, of course, only lasts until it quickly evolves into a wacky music video of sorts. It’s only obviously an ad when she flies through a floral arrangement resembling the KENZO World logo. It’s a perfume ad after all. This ad received 9 million views and 68,000 likes.
Why it was successful:
KENZO World brands itself as “the new intense perfume.” The brand KENZO is particular in its “bold, spontaneous, and surprising” image, and those are all perfect ways to describe the ad. Among its peers of ads with lavish ladies holding perfume bottles whilst their dresses daintily float, it’s certainly new. And that innovation, coupled with being a representation of the brand image, is what makes it work. Plus, it’s certainly entertaining.
There is a lot of video content on YouTube. This makes it both ideal and a little difficult for marketing. The trick is to create a campaign that stands out from the rest.