By mbretous@hubspot.com (Martina Bretous)

Back in 2007, a research firm estimated that the average person saw up to 5,000 ads a day.

Fast forward to 2021, there’s no official number, but we can assume that number has probably doubled. I mean, you can’t stream a show or scroll on social media without being inundated with ads.

On YouTube, in particular, we’ve come to expect at least one ad per video. The question is, which ads are consumers paying attention to?

In this article, we’ll cover the top YouTube ads of the last two years and what made them so effective.

Best YouTube Ads of 2021 and 2020

1. Amazon: “Alexa’s Body”

At 78,344,440 views on YouTube, this ad had everyone’s attention.

To promote its virtual assistant technology, Alexa, Amazon delivers a creative and hilarious ad featuring movie star, Michael B. Jordan.

The ad starts out simply enough with a woman admiring Amazon’s Echo Dot. She then turns to the window, sees an ad for Jordan’s movie “Without Remorse” and imagines a whole life in which Alexa is actually Jordan.

The audience takes this hilarious journey with her, as she enjoys life just a little too much with Jordan until she snaps back to reality.

Here’s why this ad is fantastic: It takes a product that can be hard to advertise and quite literally brings it to life with a celebrity, People Magazine’s 2020 “Sexiest Man Alive” recipient no less.

A celebrity endorsement can definitely help boost brand awareness and recall, as long as they’re well aligned. In this case, it made for a memorable and effective ad.

2. Nike: “Never Too Far Down, You Can’t Stop Us”

When you think of Nike, one word that probably comes to mind is “inspiration.”

That concept is embedded in the brand’s values and mission statement. It’s also reflected in their ads.

Featuring some of the world’s top athletes, this ad dives into the ups and downs of success.

Footage of athletes at their lowest moments floods the screen, as basketball star Lebron James narrates the journey. He describes the struggle of falling down and the ability to get back up.

Nike has found which messaging resonates best with its audience. As a result, they don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Instead, they focus on recreating the same impact with influencers, celebrities, and everyday people.

The takeaway here is if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

3. Ad Council: Child Car Safety

This PSA is a personal favorite of mine.

You’ve got to admit: Any commercial with kids is usually a winner. But this one, in particular, stands out because it doesn’t try to use cuteness as the hook.

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Source:: HubSpot Blog