9 Best Youtube Ads of 2021 and 2020

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

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

On YouTube in particular, we now expect at least one ad per video. The question is, what ads are consumers looking for?

In this article, we cover the top YouTube ads from the past two years and what made them so effective.

Best YouTube Ads in 2021 and 2020

1. Amazon: “Alexa’s body”

This ad caught everyone’s attention with 78,344,440 views on YouTube.

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

The ad just begins with a woman admiring Amazon’s Echo Dot. Then she turns to the window, sees an ad for Jordan’s film “Without Remorse” and imagines a whole life in which Alexa is actually Jordan.

Audiences take this hilarious journey as they enjoy life with Jordan a little too much until they snap back to reality.

That’s why this ad is fantastic: it takes a product that can be difficult to promote and literally brings it to life with a celebrity, no less than People Magazine’s 2020 Sexiest Man Alive winner.

Celebrity support can definitely help increase brand awareness and recall as long as they are well coordinated. 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 probably comes to mind: “inspiration”.

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

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

Shots of athletes in their deepest moments flood the screen as basketball star Lebron James narrates the journey. It describes the struggle of falling and the ability to get up again.

Nike figured out which messaging works best with its audience. Therefore, they are not trying to reinvent the wheel. Instead, they focus on creating the same impact with influencers, celebrities, and ordinary people.

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

3. Ad Council: Child safety in the car

This PPE is my personal favorite.

You have to admit, any commercial with kids is usually a winner. But this one stands out especially because it doesn’t try to use cuteness as a hook.

In this ad, two children stand in their garden and watch their parents argue over installing a basketball hoop.

The father assures the mother that “everything is fine,” but all it takes is for the tire to hit the ground for him (and she) to lose all confidence. The perspective then switches to one of the children as they encourage the parents to visit a website for safer driving.

How does it connect? Well the idea is that the father has proven he is willing to do anything for his children, including “routine tests”. [his] craftsmanship “and” the strength of [his] Marriage “so this task should be easy.

Who said serious topics require serious ads? Humor is often the best way to get the message across.

4. Zillow: “Susan”

Making a decision is not as easy as saying “yes” or “no”. You often discuss pros and cons and struggle with different versions of yourself.

For example, the indulgent ego often struggles with the gourmet ego. One side says “Be Aware of the Foods You Eat” while the other yells “CAKE”. This usually wins.

This Zillow ad takes that concept and runs with it.

Susan, the woman featured in the ad, talks about selling her home and buying a new one with the different versions of herself including Negative Susan, Spontaneous Susan, and Paranoid Susan.

The second best part of the ad – the first is that Late Susan sneaks into the meeting – is when Lazy Susan brings up the hassle of that process. The helpful Susan then says that Zillow is the solution to this problem.

What Zillow has achieved here is addressing consumer objections to real estate in a relatable manner. By understanding how their audience thinks and what they’re struggling with, you’ve created an engaging and relevant ad.

5. AT&T: “Say goodbye to awkward chats”

Bad video connection? We’ve all been through this.

The person you are video chatting with starts buffering and freezes for seconds. After you take the awkward screenshot it stops being funny and you wonder how long it will last.

AT&T goes one step further in this situation.

The ad shows a new mother introducing her sister to her newborn baby. Unfortunately, when the baby reaches the screen, the aunt’s signal delays and freezes her as her face reveals disgust.

The sister inevitably confuses the sister’s facial expression in relation to the internet and takes it as meaning to her baby.

In just 30 seconds, the ad takes something out of everyday life and turns it into an ad.

Moral of the story: You don’t always have to go far to create a great ad. There are great ads out there that come from the seemingly mundane parts of our lives.

6th master class: “Chris Voss teaches the art of negotiation”

Masterclass’ most watched video on YouTube is an ad for one of their masterclasses: the art of negotiation.

While there are other videos with more well-known names, this seems to be the video that caught the attention of most viewers.

Some will argue that it is the content, and they may be right. I think it’s the formula they used.

From the second this ad begins, you will be captivated by saying, “Everything in life is a negotiation.” From there, immerse yourself in the world of the subject and the narrator.

The reason this ad is so powerful is because it answers the most important question: why should I care?

It tells viewers exactly what that means for them, how they can benefit from it, and how they can use it in their daily life.

Unless your ad is product-focused, it should give them the answers to these questions.

7. Travel Insurance: “Legacy”

It wouldn’t be a top 10 YouTube advertising list without a listed insurance company, would it?

Insurance companies are notorious for taking the fun route for commercials. Because how else do you market a product that is only needed in an emergency?

Travel insurance did something different with this YouTube ad.

The brand told the story of a businessman who passed on his legacy, the family business, to his daughter. And they can because they had insurance to rebuild the store after a natural disaster.

The use of the concept of legacy is not seen much in insurance ads. It’s heartwarming without scare and that’s why it works so well.

8. Bluehost: “Build Beyond Boundaries”

When it comes to creating buzz about your product or service, it’s better to show than to tell.

In 55 seconds, Bluehost delivered a fantastic ad that covered the brand’s top features without overwhelming the viewer.

The ad serves as a mini product demo and uses a fictitious website concept to show how easy it is to use. Here’s why it works:

• The viewer leaves knowing how it works and what top features there are.
• The video includes rich media to keep viewers happy.

If you’re looking to create a media-rich ad like this, consider the Casted audio and video content platform.

9. The general car: “The Lunchroom”

For years, The General had commercials that many consumers thought were inferior. In their ad for 2021, the brand presented itself with a fresh new look.

This ad begins with two men approaching former athlete Shaq in a canteen while he is eating with a young friend. They are referring to an earlier conversation in which they disagreed with Shaq about the general and refused to sit with him.

They admit that they “misjudged you because of their advertising” and then ask for your forgiveness and a seat at his lunch table.

Today more than ever, consumers yearn for transparency. This was a great move for the brand as it appealed to the elephant in the room.

The general realized that their ads were adding to (or causing) negative brand awareness. Rather than quietly rebranding, they took the objection and tackled it head on, weaving it into their new ad campaigns.

The message is clear: despite our old ads, our brand is still trustworthy and credible.

So if you have a misunderstanding about your brand, don’t be afraid to use this in your next campaign.

So there you have it – the top YouTube ads in the past two years. What they all have in common is a deep understanding of the needs, behavior and perception of the brand of their target group.