Dive Brief:
- Video preroll ads have a problem of being ignored and often skipped after the first five seconds, but Geico's new ads may have found a solution.
- The clever ads use the line "You can't skip this ad" because the spots fit everything in the first five seconds, or the amount of time viewers have to wait before skipping an ad on YouTube.
- After the first five seconds, the ads continue, but actors are just frozen in time while humorous things happen around them.
Dive Insight:
For most video ads on YouTube, it's clear that advertisers didn't format the ads specifically for pre-roll. Often they are just re-purposed from a TV ad. Geico's creative take on the pre-roll ad is both humorous and effective. Marketers should expect to see more brands catering video ads specifically for the pre-roll spot now that Geico has taken the plunge. Here are some more examples:
