YouTube has launched a new ad format for British advertisers and brands called YouTube Select, letting brands choose from ready-made ‘lineups’ that represent the best of the platform’s diverse creators, publishers and cultural content.
This follows the global launch of YouTube Select earlier in the year.
Key features include:
• Lineups: the most popular, most-watched content on YouTube, pre-packaged for easy buying across key categories, genres and audiences, including food and recipes to automotive, and gaming to modern parenting.
• Moments and Programmes offering: an opportunity to help brands build deeper association by aligning to some of the world’s tentpole events and cultural moments such as the Olympics, F1, Brit Awards and Euros 2021
• Custom: YouTube’s top tier offering for those who want to build their own custom lineups and curate a tailored content strategy.
As people spend more time at home, there is an industry-wide shift towards streaming viewership especially on YouTube.
According to ComScore, the average online adult in the UK watches 46 minutes of YouTube per day, and YouTube is used by 96% of online adults in the UK each month.
This is also seen in the uptake in living room viewing, with over 20 million now watching YouTube on their TV. This gives advertisers and agencies a tremendous opportunity for reach, and puts them at the heart of a thriving, modern and diverse British creative presence on the platform.
Whether it’s news updates from sources viewers can trust or live streams from favourite artists, the content found on YouTube reflects a range of creators, viewers and advertisers – anywhere, on any screen.
Through YouTube Select, advertisers can take advantage of actively engaged audiences and choose from a host of ready-made ‘lineups’ that represent the best of the platform’s diverse creators, publishers and cultural content, while safe in the knowledge that channels are filtered for overall suitability to determine inclusion within the each lineup, continuing YouTube’s focus on brand safe content.
Ben McOwen Wilson, UK Managing Director for YouTube said: “The creators, shows and content on YouTube is as rich and diverse as the UK population because at its heart, the platform is a reflection of modern Britain and the incredible creative content that we love. In a world where consumers have unlimited choice over where and what they view, it’s imperative that advertisers be where their consumers are, and data shows they’re on YouTube. Now with YouTube Select, advertisers have an array of creatively diverse British channels and creators at their fingertips. Now with greater ease than ever before, YouTube Select helps advertisers place their brands alongside the voices and the content shaping the UK’s cultural conversations today.”
Philip Miles, UK Sales Director, YouTube said: “This year we have seen a real tipping point as lockdown showed the value and impact of YouTube for the British public with millions turning to the platform everyday to watch the content they love. Beyond smartphones and mobile devices, we see a trend in the growth and engagement of YouTube in the living room, with over 20 million now watching YouTube on their TV. This powerful connection with audiences means there has never been a more important time to work with YouTube in the UK, which delivers brands a safe and effective option to advertise. With YouTube Select, we are giving UK advertisers the best opportunity to connect with these audiences and capitalise on this unique combination of YouTube and TV.”
Harriet Perry, Chief Digital Operations Officer, Omnicom Media Group UK said: “YouTube Select and especially the custom pillar has been a game changer. The ability to fully customise YouTube channel sections has enabled us and our clients to take a far more nuanced approach to how we plan and activate campaigns. It’s also helped us advance how we identify and reach audiences in a much more relevant and targeted way. What’s also exciting is we’ve been able to create TV expansion packs which allow our clients to extend the reach of linear TV by only targeting channels that have broadcaster quality and content which helps us to drive our 1+ reach really effectively.”
