Google today announced its YouTube Ads Leaderboard for the second half of 2020, revealing the list of the top 10 video ads that Singaporeans watched from July to December. The list highlights global giants and local favorites. It’s a testament to creativity in a very uncertain time.
According to a release from Google, “the past half-year was a time of transition for Singapore as the nation exited the Circuit Breaker, and gradually regained a semblance of normality as part of the different phases of reopening from the shutdowns caused by the pandemic. ”
“In a reflection of this shift, this edition of the leaderboard saw a return of more conventional product ads, and they continued to spread positivity and serve as a unifying force among people in Singapore.”
“Relevance remains the main currency for the creative industry, and it clearly shows in this edition of the leaderboard through the ways brands have responded to trends and the shifting zeitgeist in an unpredictable year,” said Ben King, Country Director of Google Singapore. “It’s impressive to see how brands across various industries have continued to stand out from the competition and leveraged YouTube successfully to connect with their audiences.”
Top YouTube Ads in Singapore
1. NDPeeps
2. Shopee Singapore
3. Govsg
4. Singapore EDB
5. foodpanda Singapore
6. Changi Airport
7. Apple Singapore
8. Shopee Singapore
9. McDonald’s Singapore
10. Lazada Singapore
Key observations from Google:
- From response to recovery. While the first half of 2020 saw a focus on promoting social responsibility and curbing virus spread, stories in this leaderboard honed in on encouraging audiences to rise above the challenge and move forward from the crisis as one. Taking first place was NDP 2020’s theme song, rallying Singaporeans to be appreciative and supportive of one another. Gov.sg’s remake of Zubir Said’s Semoga Bahagia (#3) and Singapore EDB’s open letter to the world (#4) also tried to instill a can-do spirit among audiences that the country would weather the crisis.
- Singaporeans love a good shopping deal. Shopping ads were also of particular interest and e-Commerce brands, Shopee and Lazada (#10), pushed out a series of ads aiming to get people excited for their seasonal sales, claiming four out of 10 spots on the leaderboard.
- A look at the new normal. Covid-19 has created new digital habits that have etched themselves into a new way of life, with the adoption and usage of e-commerce and food in 2020. Ads that painted a realistic representation of the COVID world struck a chord with viewers, as seen through the success of McDonald’s cheeky ad featuring video conferencing (#9) and Foodpanda’s catchy rap video (#5) on their food delivery service. Changi Airport also captured the attention of audiences with an introduction to the possibilities of their online concierge service (#6).
