Video Ad Campaigns: 6 Successful Marketing Video Examples

U.S. adults spend five hours a day watching videos. It’s one of the most compelling formats for sharing information and getting audiences to engage with your brand.

If you haven’t created a video ad campaign for your business, you’re missing a prime opportunity to engage your audience, build brand recognition, and earn sales. So, how can you create successful ad campaigns that enable you to reap all those benefits? On this page, we’ll provide you with six examples of video ad campaigns to inspire you.

Plus, we’ll give you three quick tips for creating awesome marketing videos!

P.S. Want to get the latest tips for creating a successful marketing campaign? Subscribe to Revenue Weekly to get the latest tips for increasing revenue with your digital marketing strategies.

6 video ad campaigns for inspiration

To help you create compelling marketing videos, it’s good to look at successful video ad campaigns for inspiration. Here are six examples of video ad campaigns that work:

1. Internet Explorer

First on our list of video ad campaigns is Internet Explorer from Microsoft. Internet Explorer created a video advertisement that appealed to the audience that grew up when the Internet was born.

  The video features and highlights popular items from the 90s. It talks about things like The Oregon Trail, Tamagotchi, and Hungry, Hungry Hippos.

This ad draws in users with a sense of nostalgia. At the end of the video, the voiceover says people of the 90s grew up, and so did Internet Explorer.

Why this video ad campaign works: This ad from Internet Explorer is effective because the company knows its audience. People who grew up in the 1990s grew up with Internet Explorer as their browser.

However, the popular browser slowly began to fade as browsers like Safari, Firefox, and Google Chrome became prominent on the market. To get people to come re-activate their Internet Explorer loyalty, the brand chose to take a nostalgic approach to show people how they’ve grown up, just like their first users did.

What you can take away from this video ad campaign: Knowing your audience is critical to driving success with your ads. When you know who you’re targeting, you can create video ads that connect with your audience, make them feel understood, and even pull at their heartstrings.

2. Always

Next on our list of successful video ad campaigns is Always. Always created their “Like a Girl” campaign where they worked to empowered girls to be there best. In this video ad example, Always focused on what it means to do things “like a girl.”

  The commercial first focuses on asking older women and boys to do things “like a girl.” Then the director asks a group of young girls to do the same thing.

They found that the two groups had two different perceptions of what it meant to do something like a girl. For example, when asked to run like a girl, many of the women and boys ran with their arms and legs flailing, while the younger girls ran like they usually would run. This ad series was one of Always’s most compelling video ad campaigns because it took a deep dive into how people viewed women and the way women do things.

Why this video ad campaign works: This video ad campaign works because it tackles the topic of stereotypical perceptions of women, which is relevant to their female audience and uses that information to empower the consumer.

They used this topic to reflect on how women see themselves, as well as how society views girls. It serves as an inspirational video ad because it encourages women to think of doing something “like a girl” as a positive rather than a negative.

What you can take away from this video ad campaign: Try to empower the consumer with your ad content. When you make consumers feel good, they’re more likely to purchase from you.

P.S. You can see another great example of empowering consumers from Dollar Shave Club’s video ad celebrating dad bods!

They encourage men with all types of bodies to become a part of their club — it’s an empowering message that compels people to want to buy their products.

3. Dove

Dove has had numerous successful video ad campaigns, but their “Real Beauty” ad campaign takes the cake. This campaign focuses on helping women understand how they perceive themselves compared to how others see them.

  In this commercial, a forensic artist asks the women to describe themselves and draws them based on their descriptions — he never sees the women. He composes a sketch of them, and they leave the room.

Before the women had come in to get a self-described sketch, they got familiar with another person in the waiting room. That person then came in after them and described the women they interacted within the waiting room. The commercial ends with the women who were drawn seeing the differences between the way they described themselves and how a stranger described them.

The core message of the commercial is that women are often harder on themselves and the way they look. Outsiders, however, see all their great features and the positive aspects of their appearance. It’s an emotional and compelling commercial that encourages women to review how they perceive themselves and recognize that the way they see themselves isn’t how others see them.

Why this video ad campaign works:This video is one of the best YouTube video ads because it appeals to emotion.

Like Always, Dove chose to take an approach where they looked at how women perceive themselves. They decided to empower women by showing them that they are much more beautiful than they think.

What you can take away from this video ad campaign: Don’t be afraid to appeal to emotion. Taking an emotional approach can be a compelling way to get your audience engaged with your content and to help your message resonate and stick with them better.

4. Proctor and Gamble

Next on our list of successful video ad campaigns is a series from Proctor and Gamble. They created a “Thank You Mom” ad campaign where they created ads for the different Olympic Games throughout the years that focus on the power of moms. In this particular ad, they focused on how moms teach their kids that getting back up when they fall only makes them stronger.

  The video starts with the Olympic athletes as kids and continually falling down.

Each time the child falls, their Mom is there to pick them back up and tell them to try again. The commercial progresses through all the falls, injuries, and tears the children experience when trying to get better at the sport. The video ends with the kids growing up to be successful Olympic athletes, and the moms proudly cheering them on and hugging them through their successes.

Why this video ad campaign works: This video ad campaign works for two reasons: It appeals to emotion, and it tells stories.

The video appeals to the viewers’ emotions by showing the power of a mother’s love and how that affection and support can help the children persevere. It’s a compelling video for mothers, especially, because they may experience something similar. The video also tells a story.

It shows each athlete’s progress from the time they were a child to when they become an Olympic athlete. This storytelling keeps viewers engaged because they want to know what happens next.

What you can take away from this video ad campaign: Storytelling is a powerful tool that can help you keep leads engaged with your video ads. Try telling a story around your products to help get users involved with your content.

5. Burger King

Burger King’s ad is next on our list of YouTube video ads for inspiration. This short, 14-second ad takes a creative approach to running YouTube ads.

  The video has two men, sitting in a Burger King, groaning about YouTube ads. One of the men comments how you (the person watching) must sit through a YouTube ad when you just want to watch a video.

Then Burger King’s deal pops up at the bottom, and the man tries to shoo it away, calling it a “stupid incredible deal.”

Why this video ad campaign works: Burger King took a humorous approach with their ad content to try and make the ad experience more enjoyable for their audience. They kept their ad simple, too, by making a joke about having an ad and then sharing their special deal.

What you can take away from this video ad campaign: Humor can be a powerful tool for creating better YouTube video ads. If you decide to use humor, you need to know your audience well so that your humor hits the mark, and you don’t offend people in your audience.

6. Dollar Shave Club

The last video ad on our list of successful marketing videos comes from Dollar Shave Club. In this video ad, Dollar Shave Club focuses on how their razors are so great that everyone will want to use them.

  The video ad starts with a woman choosing to use the Dollar Shave Club razor over her razor. Later, her partner finds that his razor has been used — speaking to Dollar Shave Club’s selling point — the razors are so good, they’re bound to be shared.

This message is perfect to advertise their double razor share pack.

Why this video ad campaign works: Dollar Shave Club is notorious for its success with video marketing, and this commercial is no different. So, what makes it such a success? First, Dollar Shave Club is true to their brand.

They create commercials that fit their brand’s quirky personality. Second, this ad is relatable to its audience. Whether a married couple or newly dating, many people experience sharing items with their significant other.

This ad appeals to those items that get shared that maybe people don’t want to share!

What you can take away from this video ad campaign: Stay true to your brand. Be consistent with your brand message so people can build better brand recognition with your company.

3 quick tips for creating impactful YouTube video ads

Now that you’ve seen some examples of video ad campaigns that work, it’s time to start creating your own video ads. Here are four quick tips for creating successful marketing videos.

1. Make the first few seconds count

If you want your audience to engage with your marketing videos, you need to ensure that you make the first few seconds of your ad count. Those first few seconds can determine whether someone continues to engage with your ad or tries to click past it. Draw users in, whether it’s with a compelling opening to a story or asking questions.

Grab your audience’s attention and make them want to stay and watch your ad.

2. Know your audience

If you want to have successful video ad campaigns, you need to know your audience. Your ads won’t succeed unless the people you target find your advertisements interesting. It’s critical that you know who’s in your target audience so your video ad campaigns are successful.

If you don’t target the right people, you’ll waste money running your ads and won’t earn as many qualified leads.

3. Use high-quality video

Nothing gives a bad impression like a low-quality video. If you want to have successful video ad campaigns, you need to ensure you’re using high-quality video for your ads. A high-quality video will give your ads a professional look and make your audience more likely to engage with your content.

Start creating compelling video ad campaigns today

Video is one of the most powerful tools for advertising to interested leads.

You can create compelling YouTube video ads that help you increase brand awareness, engagement, and sales. If you don’t have the time to create videos, WebFX is here to help. We have a team of over 500 experts that can help you create engaging video ad campaigns.

Want to start making awesome YouTube ads? Give us a call today at 888-601-5359 or contact us online to speak with a strategist about our YouTube advertising services!