MANILA – Ads with local celebrities continue to dominate the YouTube Ads Leaderboard, while global events such as the World Cup helped push international brands to the top of the list.
The Q2 Leaderboard, released by Google June 26, represents the 10 YouTube ads that resonated most with audiences across the country from April to June this year. The top ads were determined by a combination of popularity (organic views) and promotion (paid views).
Google revealed that four of the 10 ads, including the top three, come from global brands, with ads that are not localized to the Philippines at all. Leading the list is Dove’s controversial ad ‘Patches.’
The ad documents a social experiment in which women were asked to try on RB-X, a “beauty patch” that supposedly enhances body image and self esteem. The spot drew flak from critics for making the women in the video appear gullible.
The ongoing FIFA World Cup also contributed to the Leaderboard, with two World Cup ads making the list: Samsung’s ‘#GALAXY11: The Training’ in the second spot, and Nike’s ‘Winner Stays’ in the ninth spot.
‘First Kiss,’ the short film that documented strangers kissing for the first time, also made the list. The film, which went viral long before it was revealed to be an ad for LA fashion brand Wren, took the third spot.
As in the Q1 Leaderboard, local ads dominated, taking six of the 10 spots on the list.
Local celebrities proved to be popular – Pantene Philippines’ ‘#WHIPIT’ ad featuring Kris Aquino emerged as the top local ad, while actress Angel Locsin appeared in two ads: a prank ad for Mang Inasal, and a soap opera parody alongside funnyman Ramon Bautista for Head and Shoulders.
Other local ads that made the list focused on the themes of family, home, and children. BPI’s ‘Making the Best Happen,’ which took the eight spot, talked about saving to secure a good future for your family, while PLDT HomeDSL’s ‘Ask Diego,’ taking the 10th spot, shows how a little boy’s family comes together to give him advice.
Globe’s video showing Suits star Gabriel Macht helping to rebuild Haiyan-ravaged Ormoc also focused on children and hope for their future.
According to Google Southeast Asia Marketing Director Renaud Besnard, the dominance of local ads is not unique to the Philippines, but is more pronounced in the country.
“It’s a bit more pronounced in the Philippines. So you’ll probably see variations depending on the countries, but I think Filipinos have a very strong local-specific culture within Asia and within the world in general, and that’s kind of reflected in the taste that we see in ads,” Besnard said at a roundtable discussion with media last June 26.
“Local idols and celebrities are finding their ways there quite nicely, and the theme of emotion and caring for family and kids and the vulnerable is also something that’s very Filipino in the mind,” he added.
The top 10 most popular YouTube ads from April to June 2014 are:
1.’Patches’ for Dove
2. ‘#GALAXY11: The Training’ for Samsung
3. ‘First Kiss’ for Wren
4. ‘Kris Aquino whips away her labels #WHIPIT’ for Pantene Philippines
5. ‘Gabriel Macht Goes to Ormoc to Help in Rebuilding for Project Wonderful’ for Globe
6. ‘Angel Locsin Ipinaglaban Ang True Love Niya’ for Mang Inasal
7. ‘One More Second Chance’ for Head and Shoulders
8. ‘Make the Best Happen’ for BPI
9. ‘Winner Stays’ for Nike
10. ‘Ask Diego’ for PLDT HomeDSL
According to Google, YouTube counts 1 billion users consuming 6 billion hours of video monthly.
In the Philippines, YouTube reaches 62 percent of the Internet population, according to data from ComScore. Google also said that 46 percent of the Philippine YouTube audience shares content with others via social media posting, and uploading photos, songs, and videos.
