A Yahoo! survey recently showed that, of all the ad formats, pre-rolls were the most tolerable. But a 22% acceptance rate is hardly the stuff of a marketer’s dreams, especially when (estimates seem to vary, but) up to 94% of people skip them altogether.
What’s a video advertiser to do?
In our Ads We Didn’t Skip series, we’re exploring pre-roll ads we actually watched — and why. So far, what’s intrigued us is any number of random things: interesting music, a distinctive look, the promise of a tear-jerker, or a Mature 17+ ESRB rating.
Lately though, we’ve noticed more advertisers having more fun with pre-rolls, to great effect. They’re playing with the format, subverting it, getting all meta on it, making the most of the technology, even embracing the hate. Also: kittens.
Here are a few examples of some pre-roll ads that have kept people watching, and buzzing.
The Australian Federal Police used geo-targeting in “The Missing Persons Pre-roll” campaign. A missing person alert ran in the location the person was last seen, asking the viewer “Have you seen this person?” The skip button was modified to “Yes I have” and “No I haven’t.” In five days, the campaign got 1.2 million views and 238 “Yes I have” clicks, which took people to a form they could complete to provide details.
A divorce law firm reminds people “Divorce happens” by enticing you with what appears to be a couple’s wedding/honeymoon/anniversary video, only to be met with the rude awakening that, on YouTube, as in life, shit happens. But keep watching …
What happens when your target is young guys, and you know YouTube ads are a great way to reach your target, but your target hates them? Burger King went for it, unleashing 64 pre-rolls starring two actors who hate pre-rolls as much as the guy just trying to watch his screaming goat video.
The Beetle introduced in Brazil had two important new features: it automatically changed gears, and it skipped the ad for you. In a merciful 5 seconds, viewers got the message, then were moved along to the video they’d come for, without even having to click.
Eat24, a food-delivery app, actually urged people to skip its ad. To its surprise, 91% of viewers completed the ad, with a 7.1% click-through rate, and 75% more downloads while the campaign ran.
UK job site Reed lures you with the oldest trick in the book: a box full of kittens. Well played, Reed.