Top 10 YouTube Ads That Caught Singaporeans

Public sector agencies stole the limelight with 6 out of 10 ads that educate, inform and entertain. People’s love for drama series is evident in the list and online video ads are also used as a tool for social change

Google announced recently its YouTube Ads Leaderboard for the second half of 2018, revealing the list of top 10 video ads that Singaporeans watched from July to December. This list once again demonstrates the ingenious creativity of brands and agencies using YouTube as a platform to move people.

Brands and agencies pulled out all the stops in the second half of 2018 to produce meaningful and engaging ads that demonstrate the power of storytelling to not just  make consumers pay attention to their products and services, but to also change people’s perceptions of important social issues.

Here are a few key observations we picked out from the list

1. The public sector is leading the way. Ads by the public sector are no stranger to the YouTube Ads Leaderboard. But this time, public service ads dominated by taking 6 out of 10 spots with a winning formula of using “edutainment” to appeal to Singaporeans. The National Council of Social Service (NCSS) came up top with its emotional and hard-hitting ad as part of its nationwide campaign to challenge the stigma around mental health. The other public sector ads were: Health Promotion Board (#4), Smart Nation Singapore (#5), Gov.sg (#6), Economic Development Board (#8) and the Singapore Kindness Movement (#10).
2. Championing social causes. Advertising is a powerful tool for social change. NCSS’ video struck a chord with the audience by tackling the stigma surrounding mental health through personal anecdotes of past patients, while Singapore Kindness Movement’s one-minute ad encourages viewers to redefine greatness and the kindness within.
3. Ads play to Singaporeans love of a good drama series. Brands are conveying their brand messages through online episodic content and Singaporeans are soaking it up! The trailer for Changi Airport’s romantic drama, Love at First Flight (#9), featuring local artistes, Zong Zi Jie and Jannassa Neo, got the audience looking out for more; while Malay online drama, Gunting The Series (#6), used a compelling story to help Singaporeans understand policies such as the SkillsFuture Credit and the Professional Conversion Programme by Workforce Singapore.
4. The best ideas get the most attention. Sometimes it’s the idea that matters not the length of the ad. A good idea will shine through no matter how long or short your ad is, and YouTube offers brands the flexibility to tell your story taking however much (or little) time you need. Apple Singapore (#2), RedMart (#3), the Health Promotion Board (#4) and McDonald’s Singapore (#7) showed us how to create impact and get the most attention within a 30-second time frame.

Stephanie Davis, Country Director for Google Singapore, said, “With audiences’ viewing habits  on YouTube constantly changing, there is a huge opportunity for marketers to stay relevant to capture the attention of their consumers. It’s particularly impressive to see public sector agencies making up six of the top 10 ads, demonstrating their incredible creativity and deep insights into their audiences. The ads in this edition of the Leaderboard are great examples of how today’s video ads can use captivating narratives to build  personal connections to brands and leading to great marketing results.”

YouTube Singapore Ads Leaderboard (July – December 2018)

Collectively, these 10 videos on the Ads Leaderboard have more than 3.8 million views. Check out the full YouTube Ads Leaderboard below!

What is YouTube Ads Leaderboard? The YouTube Ads Leaderboard showcases the most creative ads that people choose to watch. This Leaderboard celebrates the brands that performed best in Singapore from July to December 2018, through a combination of popularity and promotion.