Google's YouTube Pitches Advertisers on Unskippable Ads

• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, May 17, 2024

YouTube introduced a feature tailored for connected TV (CTV) that serves non-skippable assets across an advertiser’s in-stream inventory at its annual Brandcast event, held this week.

The ads, Video Reach Campaigns Non-Skip, use Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) to optimize campaigns.

Through this ad option, advertisers can combine different lengths of non-skippable videos in the same campaign. Machine learning and automation will use a variety of signals in real time to deliver maximum Unique Reach at efficient CPMs for the advertiser’s budget.

Ultimately, YouTube is providing advertisers an ability to tell a seamless story with a variety of creatives, along a viewer’s journey.

The ability to combine different non-skippable lengths is completely new. This product is focused on driving non-skip reach at more efficient CPMs vs Non-Skips bought on their own. 

To begin, Video Reach Campaigns Non-Skips include six-second bumper to 15-second ads. And, as the roll out continues, the offering may evolve to include other ad lengths.

Google AI has been at the core of YouTube’s ads solutions for years, but the company said it continues to improve in delivering on reach and awareness goals more efficiently, using existing non-skippable assets.

YouTube TV has more than 8 million paid subscribers, the company said at its 13th annual advertising showcase, Brandcast.

The ad unit announced at Brandcast earlier this week. YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, YouTube Chief Business Officer Mary Ellen Coe and Google President of the Americas & Global Partners Sean Downey taking to the stage to talk about vision, content and ads innovation.

On average viewers watch more than 1 billion hours of YouTube content on televisions daily.

“The magic of YouTube isn’t just about our scale, or our captivating content, or viral hits,” Mohan said. “It’s that we bring everything together in a way you won’t find anywhere else.”

YouTube internal data shows views in the Living Room have increased more than 130% between 2020 and 2023.

YouTube also created a new version of branded QR codes to help businesses better link their CTV ads to other channels. The goal is to drive interactivity, the company said, and integrate its creative assets into all elements within these interactive placements.

According to a custom analysis that YouTube commissioned with Nielsen, on average, the company drives higher long-term return on investments (ROAS) than TV, and other online video and paid social.

YouTube has been working on different types of unskippable ads for years. In April, YouTube launched an ad unit that not even ad blockers can stop serving. Pause Ads are unskippable advertisements that keep play when someone hits the pause on a video. Google is trialing Pause Ads on TVs playing YouTube videos.

Last year, YouTube announced 30 second non-skips within YouTube Select as a standalone format.