2 weeks Ago By Bless Aubrey Ogerio
Once a mere platform for casual browsing, YouTube has now become the go-to entertainment source in Filipino households that rivals traditional television. Whether it is on a smartphone during the daily commute or streaming on a 50-inch screen on a casual day, the American video-sharing app has surged in popularity in the Philippines, with a staggering 9 out of 10 Filipinos online users according to a June 2024 YouTube Internet Data report. Really, YouTube Philippines Country Director Jackie Wang said it best during the media roundtable on September 17: “[YouTube] has come a long, long way from the time that it first started to integrate in the Philippines.
” And the data backs this up. The same report stated that watch time on YouTube’s smart TVs has more than doubled over the last three years, averaging four hours per day. But more than just the numbers, the video platform is curating an immersive experience similar to traditional TV, but way more tailored to what people actually want to watch.
Local shows like Spark Camp, the first Filipino queer dating show hosted by Miss Trans Global 2020 Mela Habijan, and Kuan on One, a Bisaya comedy talk show hosted by Melai Cantiveros-Francisco with over eight million views, reflect the platform’s strategy to push more structured, community-driven segments. In addition to the original series, YouTube has also become a breeding ground for trends and cultural movements, particularly in the realm of P-Pop. The “Cherry on Top” phenomenon by girl group BINI sparked a massive surge in viewership, as watch time for P-Pop grew by over 180 percent in June 2024 compared to the previous year.
As Wang said, “YouTube is not just a place for what is popular. It’s also truly personal to each viewer.”.
People’s growing content preference is also changing the rules of brand storytelling. Per Wang, “YouTube has risen to meet this demand and is leading the charge to this evolution.” Nielsen’s meta-analysis proves YouTube’s advertising prowess.
It outperformed other media channels by delivering 3.86 times higher returns on investment than linear TV and 2.71 times higher than other digital platforms.
Advertisers are no longer confined to traditional TV formats; they are now exploring new ways to captivate audiences on the app’s dynamic platform, from short-form content like Shorts to long-form ad spots, as well as the non-skippable 30-second ads and interactive pause ads. These features, according to her, enable advertisers to capture “the viewer’s full attention with an uninterrupted message,” making YouTube an attractive platform for crafting compelling brand narratives. Also, she pointed out, “When viewers hit pause, the ads take centerstage,” offering a subtle yet effective way to engage with consumers.
Unlike other digital platforms where views might be counted after just one to three seconds, YouTube requires a view to last from 11 to 30 seconds or until the end of the ad to be more sure that advertisers reach an engaged audience and achieve “meaningful results” from their campaigns. “The audience on YouTube goes beyond what you would expect of a traditional audience. They’re actively engaged and deeply interested in the content,” Wang said.
Nowadays, it is not just about the content per se, but the cutting-edge technology powering the content itself. Artificial intelligence (AI) is redefining the creative process, and Google’s AI-driven innovations like the chatbot Google Gemini (formerly Bard) are accelerating this change. “I am incredibly excited to see how all these trends next year – the technologies and innovations – are reflected in the winning campaigns in the YouTube Works,” Wang said.
Gone are the days of drawn-out, labor-intensive production, with AI delivering high-quality content in a fraction of the time. But it’s not about taking over human creativity, enhancing it. “We are at the forefront of building tools that are simplifying the creative process from months and days to hours and minutes, not replacing them.
” This AI integration within YouTube’s ecosystem unlocks new opportunities for both creators and advertisers. With these tools, creators can polish their content more efficiently, while advertisers can craft personalized, high-impact messages that resonate more than ever before On September 17, the YouTube Works Awards Philippines celebrated the year’s most creative and game-changing campaigns. CoCo Tea clinched Best of Philippines and Best Brand Story for their campaign “Cool,” setting the bar for creativity in local storytelling.
Their captivating narrative not only resonated with audiences but also redefined brand engagement. Nido 3+ grabbed Best of Google AI for their “Mom, You’re My #1” campaign, lauded for its smart use of AI to amplify marketing performance across platforms, while McDonald’s took home the Brands & Creators award for their standout “Night Classroom” collaboration. Grab dominated the night, bagging both Masters of Media and The Big Bang for their “Sorry” campaign, demonstrating bold media strategy and a powerful product launch.
Their Valentine’s Day initiative also won them the Best of Festive award for connecting meaningfully during key celebrations. GCash won The Long & Short for their clever adaptation of storytelling across varied ad formats in their “GCash Spotlight” campaign, while TNT earned Force for Good for their impactful “TNT Sim Registration” campaign, aligning brand purpose with social advocacy. “YouTube is a springboard of endless creativity – the catchy tunes, short-form content, dance covers on shorts, reaction videos, review,s and anything else that you can think of,” Wang said.
The local winners will now advance to the Southeast Asia round in October..
