7 Amazing YouTube Ads to Inspire the Marketer in You
We’ve completed yet another revolution around the sun, and, for some reason, the majority of humanity thinks it’s a cause worth celebrating (probably the reason why aliens won’t talk to us). ?
In simpler words, 2021 is officially over and before looking forward to what 2022 has in store for the digital marketing world, let’s take a step back and discuss some of the best YouTube animated ads of the past few years.
Before you ask, ‘Why on earth do I need to watch a list of the best YouTube ads?’, know this:
The most-watched YouTube ads in 2021 collectively piled up 470 million+ views and 1.3 million+ likes. Not to forget that video content is considered the highest converting form of marketing.
So, it’s safe to say that people have never depended on videos – YouTube or otherwise – as much as they do now. And by looking at some fantastic YouTube animated ads, you can find inspiration for your video as well.
Sometimes, all you need to unwind is a glass of iced tea while you’re sitting on a beach in Mykonos, overlooking the tranquil sea and gorgeous Cycladic architecture. ?
That’s precisely the idea behind Nespresso’s 30-second animated video. Released in 2017 to promote their exclusive collection of ice blends, the ad perfectly caters to our vacation goals complemented by gorgeous visuals and summery background music – all without so much as uttering a word.
You can create a high-impacting animated video with a creative idea, appropriate background music, and stunning graphics.
We’re not going to lie. It took us repeated views to become fans of ‘Aliens’ – the 3D ad by the famous confectionery company, Cadbury.
The idea was a bit odd: a few extraterrestrial beings on a Mars-like planet come across a space shuttle full of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk chocolates. And after having a bite of them, the brown-ish aliens start… drum rolls please… dancing. ??
Some people may find it ridiculously over the top. But you can’t deny it’s catchy, especially the song the aliens are shaking their legs to. That’s probably the reason why the video currently has over 114,403,588 views.
Don’t beat around the bush with your idea. If possible, try and get straight to the point as soon as you can.
The mobile operating system, famous for pushing boundaries of technology, took a 180-degree turn with a heartwarming ad for its anti-bullying campaign. ?
The minute-long commercial is inspired by one of the most commonly played games: rock, paper, and scissors. It follows the three titular characters as they form an unlikely friendship and use their differences for good.
It was quite bold of Android to release a commercial that didn’t even talk about its features. But in the end, the risk was worth it, as the ad was widely appreciated by the audience.
It’s good to break free from your usual marketing strategies and take well-calculated risks once in a while.
The concept of installing a solar system can be pretty challenging to explain or understand. But leave it to Google to simplify even the most complex ideas. With their ‘Project Sunroof’ campaign ad, they proved precisely that.
Created for Google’s solar power initiative, the explainer video uses minimalistic graphics and a compelling narrative to help viewers understand the project. ?
Google even managed to incorporate humor into the video, which is always considered a plus.
You can explain even the most challenging ideas in a simple way with the help of a compelling explainer video.
If they ever started handing out awards for ads, then we’re sure ‘Unmasking A Killer’ made by the non-profit university hospital NewYork-Presbyterian would win all of them.
The commercial was made to explain what cancer is, how it affects the human body, and what NewYork-Presbyterian was doing to fight it. ??⚕️
It had all the ingredients of the perfect animated video:
Truly a winner on all fronts!
You can create animated videos to show scenes that are either impossible or too costly to make with live videos.
Christmas seems to be the favorite time of the year for many marketers, where they try their best to evoke emotional responses from viewers and encourage them to purchase from their brand.
But in a sea of over a hundred ads, only a handful manage to strike the right chords. Erste Group’s ‘What Would Christmas Be Without Love?’ was one of them.
The Austrian bank ditched the sales pitch approach and instead focused on a value-driven approach. The ad featured a little hedgehog who has trouble fitting in his school and making friends because of his, well, quills or spines (the pointy things on a hedgehog’s back).
We won’t spoil anything for you, but the ad ends in the most endearing way, so make sure to have tissues nearby. ?
You don’t always have to create an animated video highlighting your product or service’s qualities or features, respectively. Make it about your brand, and viewers are likely to feel included.
‘Less is more.’
Business communication platform Slack encapsulates this concept perfectly in its 2D animated video, ‘Work, Simplified.’
Despite having no voice-over or typography, the commercial stands out due to its unique approach. It features a character in a black and white world as he struggles to navigate the fast-paced business environment.
However, by installing Slack, he streamlines his business operations, restoring his world’s colors. And they’ve managed to show all this in a video that’s barely one minute long.
Bravo, team Slack. ??
You don’t have to put a dog and pony show to promote your brand. When done right, a simple 2D animated video is all it takes to get the job done.
After looking at some of the best YouTube animated ads, we can unanimously agree that the possibilities are endless with animation. The only thing stopping you from achieving incredible things is your imagination.
Of course, your animated video should be backed by
Think of these elements as the six Infinity Stones of Thanos’ gauntlet. No, you won’t be able to wipe out half of humanity, but you’ll encourage your target audience to purchase from your brand. ?
If that makes sense to you, let us know at AnimationProLabs. Our team of highly-skilled writers, designers, and voice-over artists will put their heads together to create an engaging, entertaining, and informative animated video.
