Which Australian fashion retailer created the most popular advertisement of 2013 and why?
Google has given Ragtrader sister publication adnews.com a breakdown of the top ten ads most viewed by Australian audiences on its YouTube platform.
Discount department store Kmart Australia was the only fashion brand to rank in the listing, as well as one of the few local ads to pull in viewers.
The number one, Dove's 'Real Beauty Sketches' took in lead position, followed by Evian 'Baby and Me'.
The full list of winners and Kmart's winning advertisement can be viewed here.
According to YouTube, the list of ads uploaded in 2013 that were most viewed locally provides four lessons. Here's what Olly Grundy, head of YouTube Solutions, Google Australia, had to say:
1. Digital is home to a new wave of creative freedom. The limitations of the 30-second or one-minute TV slot are gone. Long-form made-for-web ads feature strongly, showing that Australians are eager to watch made-for-digital content.
2. Creative talent is rewarded online. It’s Marketing 101: the better the story, the more it will be shared. Brands need to tell stories, not ‘make ads’, to trigger an emotional response. Great ads get rewarded with more views.
3. Made-for-web is the new normal. The majority of ads in the 2013 results were made specifically for web. They used long-form content to drive longer engagement periods, and took advantage of the web’s more personal relationship with people to run edgier content.
4. Australian agencies are upping their game. The most watched YouTube ad in Australia in 2013 was produced overseas. But Australian ads are getting in on the act. The third most watched ad was locally produced (Leo Burnett Sydney for Samsung). Kmart’s ‘Summer Outfit Ideas’ is another great local example. Brands don’t have to be glamorous to win over an audience – making useful, locally relevant content is more important in driving engagement.