In the past year, telling compelling stories has demanded courage and the ability to experiment. The most recent Australian, as well as New Zealand Ads Leaderboards, show the brands that have embraced creativity courage were those who caught the attention of people when they utilized online video to tackle 2020’s issues.
To find out more about what makes captivating video ads, we talked to four of the marketing professionals who have created some of the most successful regional campaigns. What they said:
Be confident
If you’re willing to try something new and take on a risk, you must adopt a no-holds-barred attitude. R.M. Williams’s “shocking” ad starred Hugh Jackman as the brand’s Global Boot Ambassador who takes the clause in the contract that says the actor can “only put on R.M. Williams” in the most literal sense. In the commercial, Jackman is shown in just his boots while the brand executive does not know how to say “Thank you for your time, but please dress.”
CMO for R.M.Williams, Mathew Hayward, believes the humor of the advertisement resonated with Australians because of its witty approach. “In True Aussie manner, Hugh [Jackman] was enthusiastic from the start,” Hayward said. “Our advertisement was viewed by thousands of people from the boardroom to the bush -as it depicted the ‘twinkle-in-the-eye which is unique to Australians.”
Make sure you are able to attract attention with relevant content
The online betting site Sportsbet has created its mark in the YouTube Ads Leaderboard for the third time in a row with its satire of the Olympics appropriately titled”the “Elite average Olympics.” Sportsbet’s innovative showcased Australians who are world-class athletes in “sports” like synchronized bomb diving and grocery bag lifting and my personal favorite wheelie bin sprint.
In transforming mundane routine tasks into Olympian achievements, Sportsbet found a way to evoke laughter and the ability to be relatable. “Deep down that, every Aussie hopes to be an icon for the country they love on a huge sports stage” the Sportsbet creative director, Rambo Goraya. “Everyone from a 25-year-old football fan to a mother-in-law of 56 enjoyed the humor of this concept.” The quick-paced and funny narrative, enhanced by vibrant, high-contrast color made for a powerful punch.
Work with creators that whom your target audience is drawn.
Working with personalities who are compelling can make you more appealing to those who matter to you the most. This is why meal-kit maker HelloFresh launched a five-episode long cooking program on YouTube featuring Kiwi producer Jordan Watson — also called How to DAD as it expanded its services in New Zealand. Watson’s funny relatable and relatable parenting tales are a perfect fit with the company, which was looking to demonstrate how simple it was to cook delicious meals using its products.
“Jordan Watson’s desire for simplicity in parenting is in perfect alignment with the ease HelloFresh provides to mealtimes,” explained Amy Smith the managing director and CMO for HelloFresh Australia as well as New Zealand. Because the content was just right on Watson’s channel, rather than being an annoying ad, HelloFresh won the love of his loyal fans. “[Watson’shuge, active audience significantly contributed in organic engagement and received positive feelings,” shared Smith.
Make yourself visible to people who are watching.
Since the Australian population consumes more content on more screens, it’s becoming more difficult to keep their focus. However, the online food ordering service Menulog discovered a way to accomplish both using a bit of assistance by Snoop Dogg. First, the company enticed its viewers by featuring an iconic face in 5 seconds, accompanied by rapid-cut scenes changes. And then, Snoop Dogg’s hip-hop jingle attracted viewers as they sang along to catchy tunes like “oodles of noodles” and “tacos to the chateau.”
The strategic execution of the brand amplified the impact of the advertisement. Menulog marketing director Simon Cheng said, “We made sure that we edited all of our videos and highlighted this campaign’s content on YouTube Masthead and also pushed our advertisement to premium channels like Vevo when it was launched.” Through its digital-first strategy and memorable design, Menulog was able to get its message across to its target customers. “YouTube was the key to connecting with young Australians who do not typically consume the traditional media in a large amount,” explained Cheng.
Get a place in their private primetime
These 2020 Leaderboards for Ads serve as an example of the range of creative, effective work done by brands throughout an extremely challenging year. Learning from these top advertising techniques and tapping on the latest trends in audience behavior and trends, you’ll be ready for your viewers, regardless of the time they decide to watch, where, or what they decide to play.
