YouTube Unveils APAC’s Top 10 Ads

Although the World Cup is in full swing, it’s a women’s clothing ad that takes the top spot on YouTube’s ads leaderboard for the second quarter of 2014. With more than 84.5 million views in the past three months, “First Kiss,” created by women’s clothing and accessories brand Wren, takes the lead, followed by Nike’s soccer spot and an ad from Thai Life Insurance.

The videos topping the list reveal three trends, according to YouTube: Think seasonal, think digital, and think local.

Think Seasonal

Four of the 10 top videos have hopped on the World Cup bandwagon, including the ad in the second spot, “Nike Football: Winner Stays. ft. Ronaldo, Neymar Jr., Rooney, Ibrahimović, Iniesta, and More.”

Think Digital

Brands that create compelling stories and tailor the content specifically for the YouTube audience are more likely to be popular with viewers, says YouTube. For example, the number one ad, Wren’s “First Kiss,” asks 20 strangers to kiss on camera, and the number four spot, “Castrol Footkana,” features Brazilian soccer player Neymar and rally driver Ken Block competing with each other to score the most goals. Both of these ads, with their captivating premises, have gained a large number of viewers.

Think Local

More than half of the ads on the list either come from APAC or have incorporated local references and culture into their storytelling.

Videos on the chart that have tapped into the local element include Thai Life Insurance’s story of an “Unsung Hero,” convenience store chain FamilyMart’s “Who Makes the FamilyMart Clerks Smaller?,” and Suntory’s “Momotaro Episode 1.”

YouTube selected the top 10 best-performing ads based on both their popularity (organic views) and promotion (paid views). Watch the top videos in most-viewed order below:

1. First Kiss

2. Nike Football: Winner Stays. ft. Ronaldo, Neymar Jr., Rooney, Ibrahimović, Iniesta and More

3. Unsung Hero

4. Castrol Footkhana: Neymar Jr. vs Ken Block

5. ふなっしーが｢LINE ポコパン｣に大乱入!!スター生活は疲れたなっしー!

6. Who Makes the FamilyMart Clerks Smaller?

7. All-Time Greats

8. Nike Football: Risk Everything

9. Samsung Galaxy

10. Episode 1