Integrated

Advertisers didn't believe YouTube had content worth advertising on, assuming it was just cat videos.

We wanted to create awareness of our endemic stars and make them ‘Beacons’ for the kind of high-quality original content advertisers weren't aware of.

Putting them on pedestals wasn't enough, we wanted to demonstrate what made creators on YouTube special.

Analysis revealed a powerful truth: it wasn't just fan-base size that made them compelling, rather their intense relationships with those fans. They treated each other like besties and co-collaborators, superseding traditional one-way fandom. Establishing the new star power.

We used fame-driving media, and digital/social/experiential to bring that relationship to life in a way people could feel.

The campaign surpassed its goals: advertiser perception rocketed, and 45% more bought pre-roll advertising.

Additionally, our 'Beacons' broke into mainstream culture, appearing on magazine covers, talk shows and Dancing With The Stars. Three YouTube stars even interviewed the President!

Amongst consumers, we significantly increased:

Awareness of channels +18%

Viewership of channels +50%

Subscriptions to channels +116%

Amongst advertisers, we significantly changed perceptions:

Agree that ‘has channels where I want to advertise’ 77%

Agree that ‘Feel better about advertising on YouTube’ 96%

Agree that ‘more likely to increase advertising spend on YouTube’ 85%

45% more advertisers bought pre-roll advertising on the platform in 2014 than 2013.

But more widely, we propelled YouTube stars into mainstream culture, making them regular fixtures in entertainment media, on TV chat shows and even Dancing With The Stars. They've accompanied the First Lady on a trip to Japan and got to interview the President before his State of the Union address.

Their star power, and ability to connect with millions is now recognized everywhere, including new competitors and establishment TV networks who regularly look to sign YouTube stars to their own networks.

Campaigns were built around an integrated mix of traditional, digital, social, experiential and PR which sought to bring to life the magic of the fan-creator relationships whilst also helping people understand the kinds of content each creator made.

We used TV, lots of large-format outdoor and ‘station dominations’, aping the fame-driving media one normally associates with traditional stars.

Social was focused on activating fan-relationships and getting them to participate in initiatives we co-created with creators that could then be spread by fans and be seen by people less familiar with the stars.

We also collaborated with creators to create new pieces of content that further activated the connection between themselves and their fans.

Lastly, we worked directly with other entertainment events and shows to feature our stars. Of course, we were only able to do that because of the traction they had already gained in culture through our campaign.

Our objective was simple:

Convince advertisers we were a legitimate place to spend their valuable money

Convince consumers we were a legitimate place to spend their valuable time.

Advertisers thought YouTube stars were second-rate versions of TV stars, lacking in quality and real star power. We needed to help them feel the real magic of YouTube and what they could tap into by advertising on the platform.

An in-depth study of their content and social feeds and talking with them directly led us to the insight that the unique magic of creators wasn't contained within their content but in the direct, intimate and symbiotic relationships they had with their fans. This was the You in YouTube; the new star power that was driving new forms of content, community and culture.

To convince people of the power of YouTube, we had to convince them of the power of these relationships.